Glossary
- Bill
- A legislative proposal before it is voted into law.
- Capitol
- The building where the United States Congress meets.
- Checks and Balances
- The system Created by the Founding Fathers of the United States to ensure that no one branch of government becomes to powerful.
- Committee
- A group of Members in either the U.S. House of Representatives or U.S. Senate that that work as a team to study national problems and suggest a solution.
- Constitution
- The document that outlines the United States government and its functions.
- Delegate
- A person sent to represent others. There are delegates from five territories—the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands—in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Districts
- Each State is divided into districts based on the State's population. Each district elects on Representative to serve in the House of Representatives.
- Founding Fathers
- The political leaders in the early days of the United States of America.
- Government
- The leadership of the United States of America.
- Hopper
- The special box used to collect introduced bills in the House of Representatives.
- House Chamber
- The room in which the House of Representatives meets.
- House Officers
- The Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Chaplain.
- House Rules
- Rules agreed on by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives on the first day of each new Congress.
- Laws
- A rule of conduct established and enforced by the authority, legislation, or custom of a given community, State, or nation.
- Library of Congress
- "America's Library," it is the largest library in the world. It is located across the street from the Capitol.
- Member Cloakrooms
- Rooms attached to the House chamber, one for Republicans and one for Democrats. Members meet in the rooms to talk privately, make phone calls, and get snacks.
- Members-elect
- People elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives who have not yet taken the Oath of Office.
- Oath of Office
- The pledge made by Members to serve their Country.
- Public Policy
- The basic course of action chosen to guide people in creating laws.
- Rebut
- To disagree by formal argument.
- Resident Commissioner
- The representative from Puerto Rico in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Resident Commissioner does not vote on bills, but does serve on committees.
- Statuary Hall
- The U.S. House of Representatives used to meet here. It is now home to part of the National Statuary Hall Collection—a collection of 100 statues, two from each state.
- Subcommittee
- A smaller committee that focuses on very specific topics.
- Veto
- A step the President can take to prevent a bill from becoming a law.