- Appropriations
- Laws that actually set aside government money to be spent. A bill can authorize a program, but it takes an appropriation to fund it.
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a program and sets rules for it, often including how much *may* be spent — separate from actually providing the money.
- Bicameral
- Having two chambers. The U.S. Congress is bicameral: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
- Bill
- A proposed law. It must pass both chambers and be signed by the President (or override a veto) to become law.
- Cloture
- A Senate procedure to end debate and force a vote. It usually takes 60 votes — the main tool for breaking a filibuster.
- Companion bill
- Identical or nearly identical bills introduced in both the House and Senate at the same time to speed things up.
- Cosponsor
- A member who adds their name in support of a bill they did not introduce. A long cosponsor list signals momentum.
- Committee
- A smaller group of members that specializes in a subject area and reviews bills before the full chamber considers them.
- Conference committee
- A temporary joint committee that reconciles differences when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill.
- Continuing resolution (CR)
- A temporary funding measure that keeps the government running at current levels when Congress has not passed full appropriations on time.
- Enacted
- Signed into law (or passed over a veto). An enacted bill is no longer a proposal — it is the law.
- Filibuster
- A Senate tactic of extended debate used to delay or block a vote. Overcome by invoking cloture (usually 60 votes).
- Floor
- The full chamber. "Floor action" or a "floor vote" means the entire House or Senate is considering the bill, not just a committee.
- Joint resolution
- A measure that works like a bill and can become law; also the vehicle used to propose constitutional amendments.
- Markup
- The committee meeting where members debate a bill and amend it line by line before voting on whether to advance it.
- Quorum
- The minimum number of members who must be present for the chamber to do business — a majority in each chamber.
- Ranking member
- The most senior member of the minority party on a committee; the counterpart to the committee chair.
- Referred
- Sent to a committee for review. The first stop for almost every bill. (See: "Referred to Committee".)
- Reported
- Sent from a committee to the full chamber after the committee approves it. (See: "Ordered to Be Reported".)
- Resolution (simple)
- A measure (H.Res. or S.Res.) expressing the position of one chamber. It does not have the force of law.
- Sponsor
- The member who introduces a bill and is its lead advocate.
- Veto
- The President's rejection of a bill passed by Congress. Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
- Whip
- A party leader responsible for counting votes and rallying members to vote with the party.
Put the vocabulary to work
Now that the terms make sense, see them in action on a real bill's status and summary.