| Act |
A bill or measure passed into law. Also used to describe
a comprehensive piece of proposed legislation with multiple components. |
| Adjourn |
To end a legislative day. |
| Adjourn Sine Die |
To end the congressional session. |
| Administrative Assistant (AA) |
The Congressperson’s chief of staff. |
| Amendment |
A proposal to change, or an actual change to, a given piece of legislation. |
| Appropriation |
Legislation to provide specific funding for an authorized program. |
| Authorization |
Authorizes a program, specifying its general purpose and broadly,
how that purpose is to be achieved, and sets a funding ceiling for the
program. |
| BXA |
Bureau of Export Administration |
| Bill |
A proposed law. |
| Budget |
An annual proposal that outlines anticipated Federal revenue and designates
program expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year. |
| Calendar |
The list of bills or resolutions to be considered by committees, or
by either chamber. |
| CBO |
Congressional Budget Office |
| Chairperson |
Member of the majority party who presides over the work of a committee
or subcommittee. |
| Committee Report |
A committee’s written statement about a given piece of legislation.
Committee reports are especially important because they often contain
implementing and enforcing language for the legislation. |
| Congress |
Refers to the 2-year cycle of activities of the legislative branch.
For example, the "108th Congress" began January 2003, and includes
a 2003 and a 2004 "session". Proposed legislation introduced
during a 2-year Congress may be taken up at any time during that period,
but once Congress has ended, pending measures are no longer viable and
must be introduced anew in the next Congress in order to be considered. |
| Congressional Research Service |
Congressional support agency that provides political analysis and
information at the request of individual members of Congress. |
| Continuing Resolution |
A joint resolution of Congress to provide continued funding for government
agencies, generally at the same rate as the previous year’s appropriation,
that have not yet been funded through the enactment of regular appropriations
bills. |
| DHS |
Department of Homeland Security |
| DOD |
Department of Defense |
| DOE |
Department of Energy |
| EOP |
Executive Office of the President |
| EPA |
Environmental Protection Agency |
| Fiscal Year |
The financial operating year of the Federal government, beginning
October 1st and ending September 30th of the next calendar year. |
| GAO |
General Accounting Office |
| General Accounting Office |
Congressional support agency that reviews and evaluates the management
of Federal programs and activities, primarily at the request of individual
Members of Congress. |
| GPO |
Government Printing Office |
| GSA |
General Services Administration |
| HHS |
Department of Health and Human Resources |
| HUD |
Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| IG |
Office of the Inspector General |
| Joint Committee |
A committee consisting of Members of both the House and the Senate. |
| Joint Resolution |
Joint resolutions, which are essentially the same as bills, usually
focus on a single item or issue. They are designed as either "HJ
Res" (when originating in the House) or "SJ Res" (when
originating in the Senate). |
| Legislative Assistant (LA) |
The professional staff member in a Member’s office in charge
of a particular issue or issue area. |
| Majority Leader |
Leader of the majority party in either the House or the Senate. |
| Mark-up |
The review and possible revision of a piece of legislation by committee
members. |
| Minority Leader |
Leader of the minority party in either the House or the Senate. |
| NAE |
National Academy of Engineering |
| NAS |
National Academy of Science |
| NASA |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NIH |
National Institutes of Health |
| NIST |
National Institute of Standards and Technology |
| NRC |
National Research Council |
| NSF |
National Science Foundation |
| OMB |
Office of Management and Budget |
| OS |
Office of the Secretary |
| OSTP |
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy |
| Pocket Veto |
When the President withholds approval of a bill after Congress has
adjourned, thereby killing the bill without a formal veto. |
| President of the Senate |
The Vice President of the United States officially presides over the
Senate. Except in times of a very important debate, a President pro tempore
is elected. |
| Quorum |
The number of Senators or Representatives who must be present in the
respective chambers before business can be conducted. |
| Ranking Member |
Member of the majority party on a committee who ranks first in seniority
after the chairperson. |
| Ranking Minority Member |
The minority party member with the most seniority on a committee. |
| Reauthorization |
Sanctions anew, usually with changes, a previously approved program. |
| Recess |
Marks a temporary end to the business of Congress, and sets a time
for the next meeting. |
| Resolution |
A formal statement of a decision or opinion by the House, Senate,
or both. |
| Rider |
A provision added to a bill so that it may "ride" to approval
on the strength of that bill. Riders are generally attached to Senate
appropriations bills. |
| Speaker of the House |
The presiding officer in the House of Representatives. The Speaker
is elected by the majority party in the House. |
| Table a Bill |
A motion to remove a bill from consideration. |
| Unanimous Consent |
A procedure for adopting noncontroversial measures without a vote. |
| VA |
Department of Veterans' Affairs |
| Veto |
Disapproval of a bill or resolution by the President. |
| Whip |
A legislator who is chosen as assistant to the leader of the party
in the House or the Senate and whose job is to marshal support for party
strategy. |
Advancing the Science and Technology of Light
