lower chamber
Legislature's popular branch
A lower chamber is one of two houses in a bicameral legislature, typically the one with more members, shorter terms, and seats apportioned by population.
In the U.S., the House of Representatives is the lower chamber; in Britain, the House of Commons.
The designation "lower" is historical and doesn't imply lesser power—lower chambers often control budget legislation.
The bill passed the lower chamber but stalled in the Senate.
Population-based legislative chamber
- CommonsUK's elected legislature
- CongressU.S. lawmaking body
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- BundestagGerman federal parliament
Duma · National Assembly · bicameral · legislative body · deputies · representatives · members · seats
Minimum for valid proceedings
- motionChange in position
- amendmentChange to official text
- markupAdded percentage for profit
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
reading · vote · roll call · floor debate · committee hearing · agenda · minutes · adjournment
Formal eloquent discourse
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
- rebuttalFormal response disputing claims
- interjectionEmotional outcry word class
- crossbenchSeats for independents
bipartisanship · partisanship · floor speech · point of order · opening remarks · closing arguments · deliberation · rhetoric
House of Representatives member
- congresswomanFemale federal legislator
- legislatorElected maker of laws
- member of parliamentElected legislative officeholder
- assemblymanState legislature member
assemblywoman · deputy · representative · backbencher · frontbencher · speaker · majority leader · minority leader
Electoral district's voters
- districtBounded administrative area
- electorateEligible voting body
- voterBallot-casting citizen
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
democracy · popular vote · proportional · direct election · reelection · candidacy · ballot · polling
House of Representatives
Population-based legislative chamber
- CommonsUK's elected legislature
- CongressU.S. lawmaking body
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
Bundestag · Duma · National Assembly · bicameral · legislative body · deputies · representatives · members · seats · lawmaking
quorum
Minimum for valid proceedings
resolution · reading · vote · roll call · floor debate · committee hearing · agenda · minutes · adjournment · recess
oratory
Formal eloquent discourse
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
- rebuttalFormal response disputing claims
- interjectionEmotional outcry word class
crossbench · bipartisanship · partisanship · floor speech · point of order · opening remarks · closing arguments · deliberation · rhetoric · heckling
congressman
House of Representatives member
- congresswomanFemale federal legislator
- legislatorElected maker of laws
- member of parliamentElected legislative officeholder
assemblyman · assemblywoman · deputy · representative · backbencher · frontbencher · speaker · majority leader · minority leader · whip
constituency
Electoral district's voters
- districtBounded administrative area
- electorateEligible voting body
- voterBallot-casting citizen
mandate · democracy · popular vote · proportional · direct election · reelection · candidacy · ballot · polling · constituents
- chambersbedchamber, antechamber