Terms starting with "O"

Overturn The act of a higher court reversing or invalidating a decision made by a lower court, or the Supreme Court reversing its own prior precedent. Override Congress's power to enact a bill into law over the President's objection, by repassing it with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. Oversight The constitutional authority and practice of Congress to review, monitor, and supervise federal agencies, programs, and policy implementation to ensure they are acting within the law and using funds efficiently. Oversight Committee The Oversight Committee is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, responsible for investigating how the federal government operates and for exposing waste, fraud, and abuse. It holds hearings, issues subpoenas, and conducts investigations across virtually the entire federal government. It also has legislative jurisdiction over areas such as federal personnel systems, government procurement, the Postal Service, and the District of Columbia. Oversight Hearing An oversight hearing is a hearing at which a congressional committee examines how an existing law, program, or agency is working, rather than considering new legislation. Witnesses such as agency officials, inspectors general, and outside experts testify, and the committee may use the findings to recommend changes in law, funding, or administration. Oversight hearings are a key tool Congress uses to check the executive branch. Ordered Reported A measure is ordered reported when a full committee votes to approve it and formally sends it to its parent chamber, the House or Senate, with a recommendation. The committee then files a written report explaining the measure's purpose, findings, and estimated costs. A measure must be ordered reported before it can be scheduled for floor consideration in most cases. Ordinance A law or regulation enacted by a municipal government (such as a city or town council) to govern local matters within its jurisdiction. Original Bill An original bill is a bill whose text was drafted or approved in committee and then reported directly to the chamber without having been formally introduced first. Senate committees are authorized to report original bills within their jurisdictions, and some House committees have similar authority. The term can also refer to a bill in the exact form in which it was introduced, before any amendment. Original Jurisdiction The authority of a court to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, which is the authority to review decisions made by lower courts. Originalism A theory of constitutional interpretation asserting that the Constitution should be interpreted based on the original public meaning of the text at the time it was adopted, rather than adapting to modern values. Outsider Candidate A political candidate who runs for office without the backing of the established political party leadership, traditional donor networks, or the political establishment. Order An order is a decision issued by a court or other authoritative body directing that something be done or setting out the court's ruling on a particular point. Orders can be final or non-final, and a court must have jurisdiction over the parties before it may issue one. Orders from a lower court, such as a U.S. district court, can generally be appealed to a higher court.