Terms starting with "G"

Guidance Guidance is an agency document that explains how the agency interprets a rule or statute, or sets out its enforcement or inspection practice — without itself being a legislative rule. As the Congressional Research Service explains, guidance is subject to fewer procedural requirements than rules that carry the force of law, which is both why agencies use it and why it is contested. Guide to Law Online The Guide to Law Online is the Law Library of Congress's annotated guide to free online sources of legal and governmental information. It links to primary materials — constitutions, codes, court decisions, and agency pages — for the U.S. federal government, each state, and nations around the world. It is a starting point for research, not a legal authority itself. Gridlock Legislative gridlock is difficulty advancing legislation when the lawmaking process encounters collective-action problems. A Senate filibuster can also delay or block legislative action. Grievance A grievance is a complaint about a wrong or problem. In U.S. civics, people can present grievances to government by petitioning for redress—that is, asking the government to address the complaint. The First Amendment protects the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. Gross Domestic Product GDP measures the value of goods and services produced by a nation's economy, minus the value of goods and services used up in production. BEA also calculates it as personal consumption expenditures, gross private domestic investment, net exports, and government consumption expenditures and gross investment. Guarantee Clause Article IV, Section 4, known as the Guarantee Clause, commits the United States to guarantee each state a republican form of government and to protect states against invasion. It also provides for protection against domestic violence when requested by a state legislature, or by its executive when the legislature cannot meet. The Supreme Court has generally treated disputes about whether a state government is republican as political questions for the political branches, rather than questions for federal courts to decide. Gubernatorial Gubernatorial means relating to a state governor or the governor’s office. The term can describe a governor’s authority or an action taken by a governor. Grant Program A grant program is an organized federal effort that awards grants for a defined public purpose, with its own eligibility rules, application process, and award amounts. Agencies publish their programs as funding opportunities on Grants.gov. The federal grant system distinguishes these discretionary programs from entitlements, which pay anyone who meets statutory eligibility. Grassroots Lobbying An advocacy strategy aimed at influencing legislation by mobilizing the general public to contact their elected representatives, rather than lobbying the lawmakers directly. Green Card A Green Card is the common name for Form I-551, the Permanent Resident Card, and is proof of lawful permanent resident status. After a person is admitted to the United States as a permanent resident, the card is mailed to them. Grant A grant is a payment by which the government funds projects and organizations to provide public services and stimulate the economy, as Grants.gov puts it — one of the main ways federal money flows to states, localities, institutions, and individuals. Unlike a loan, a grant does not have to be repaid, but it comes with terms: recipients must use the money for the approved purpose and report on it. Grant of Certiorari A grant of certiorari is the Supreme Court's order agreeing to hear a case. The modern practice grew out of the Judiciary Act of 1925, which made the Court's docket largely discretionary. Four justices' votes are required to grant certiorari — the "rule of four" — even though the Court's rules otherwise require a majority to act.