All terms in this list:

bicameral: Having, or pertaining to, two separate legislative chambers or houses.

term: A limitation, restriction or regulation.

session: A period devoted to a particular activity; a training session.

convene: To come together; to meet; to unite.

adjourn: To postpone.

apportion: To divide and distribute portions of a whole.

special session: meeting that deal with emergency situation

reapportion: To apportion again; to redistribute or reallocate.

off-year election: occur in nonresidential years

at-large: elected from the state as a whole, rather than from a particular district

gerrymander: To divide a geographic area into voting districts in such a way as to give an unfair advantage to one party in an election.

incumbent: imposed on someone as an obligation, especially due to one's office

continuous body: all seats are never up for election at the same time

cinstituency: the people and interests the senators represent

delegate: a person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy

trustee: To commit (property) to the care of a trustee; as, to trustee an estate.

partisan: An adherent to a party or faction.

politico: A bad politician.

bill: proposed laws

floor consideration: acted upon by the full membership of the House or Senate

oversight function: checks to see that executive branch agencies are carrying out the policies that congress has set by law

franking privilege: allows then to mail letters and other materials postage-free by substituting their facsimile signature for the postage