Legislative Process Vocabulary

noun a person or group that includes members from two different political parties

adjective relating to or involving two political parties

• The bipartisan committee reached a compromise on the new legislation.
• The bipartisan group of lawmakers worked together to pass the bill.
• It's rare to see a bipartisan agreement in politics these days.
• Their friendship was like a bipartisan relationship, always finding common ground.

noun a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote

• The senator called for a cloture vote to end the debate on the bill.
• Let's schedule a cloture so we can finally vote on this issue.
• I can't believe they're using cloture to rush this through.
• Sometimes we need to use cloture in our own lives to put an end to unnecessary arguments.

noun the detailed or complicated facts of a situation or activity

preposition used to indicate movement from the inside to the outside of something

• It is important to thoroughly understand the ins and outs of the contract before signing it.
• I'll show you the ins and outs of this new software program so you can use it effectively.
• Let me teach you the ins and outs of this game so you can start winning.
• Learning the ins and outs of public speaking can greatly improve your communication skills.

noun the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics, by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation

• The practice of logrolling in politics involves exchanging favors to gain mutual support for legislative actions.
• I heard they were logrolling to get that new bill passed in Congress.
• Politicians are always logrolling to get what they want.
• In a figurative sense, logrolling can also refer to people working together to achieve a common goal.

noun a person who leads a political party that has fewer members in a legislative body than the opposing party

• The minority leader in the Senate is responsible for representing the views of the minority party.
• The minority leader is like the captain of the losing team in politics.
• The minority leader is basically the head honcho of the underdogs.
• Being the minority leader is like leading a small band of rebels against the ruling party.

noun a formal proposal or plan for a course of action, especially in a political context

• The committee has proposed a programme motion to expedite the legislative process.
• They're trying to speed things up with a programme motion.
• Let's push things along with a programme motion.
• The programme motion is like hitting the fast forward button on this process.