From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Adjourn for More than Three Days Three Princesses found at MegaCon 2010 in Orlando, Florida. By Sam Howzit Under the Constitution (Article. I. Section. 5.), neither chamber may adjourn for more than three days without the approval of the other. Such approval is obtained in … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Revenues photo credit: DonkeyHotey Revenues: Income from individual and corporate income taxes, social insurance taxes, excise taxes, fees, tariffs, and other sources collected under the sovereign powers of the federal government. Revenues, also known as receipts, are the funds collected from the public primarily as … Read more
Filibuster / Unlimited Debate Creative Commons License photo credit: PatrickRohe When a senator is recognized to speak on a pending measure, few limitations are placed on her. Debate is generally unlimited on all pending measures. A senator may yield to another senator for a question, but the senator still controls the floor. One of the … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Legislative Veto photo credit: Sir Hectimere A procedure, as of 1983 no longer allowed, permitting either the House or Senate, or both chambers, to review proposed executive branch regulations or actions and to block or modify those with which they disagreed. The specifics of the … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Yeas and Nays photo credit: dhendrix73 Yeas and Nays: A vote in which members respond “aye” or “no” on a question. Their names are called in alphabetical order The Constitution requires that yea-and-nay votes be taken and recorded when requested by one-fifth of the members … Read more
See also Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) You will find that all the arguments in favor of king-craft were of this class; they always bestrode the necks of the people, not that they wanted to do it, but because the people were better off for being ridden. That is their argument, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Adjourn photo credit: Gaffke Photography v2.8 Adjourn: Formal motion to end a day’s session of a chamber of Congress. A motion to adjourn in the Senate (or a committee) ends that day’s session. Adjournment is not a recess. Because procedures are so strictly determined when … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Pocket Veto The act of the president in withholding his approval of a bill after Congress has adjourned. When Congress is in session, a bill becomes law without the president’s signature if he does not act upon it within 10 days, excluding Sundays, from the … Read more
The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Amendments to the Constitution, all in a handy pocket-sized booklet. Our Pocket Constitution is available for purchase in multiples of 30 copies. Single copies are available for $5 each. A free download of our Pocket Constitution is available on Scribd. Singles and sets of 25 copies available. … Read more
(From “Moman Pruiett, Criminal Lawyer,” by Moman Pruiett (1945)) Speech by Moman Pruiett to the Oklahoma Electric Club, Oklahoma City February 21, 1927 “The Relationship of Old Black Gold to Law Enforcement” “They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak; They are slaves who will not choose Hatred, scoffing and … Read more