Terms starting with "R"

Recede In congressional procedure, to recede is for one chamber to withdraw its disagreement with an amendment or to give up an amendment it previously adopted, allowing negotiations or further action on the measure to proceed. A chamber may recede with or without proposing another amendment, depending on the question before it. Recess Appointment A recess appointment is a temporary presidential appointment made while the Senate is in recess under the Recess Appointments Clause. The appointment power is subject to constitutional limits, including judicial interpretation of what counts as a qualifying recess. Recommendation Recommendation is a government term used to understand public authority, official process, rights, responsibilities, or records. Reconciliation Budget reconciliation is a congressional procedure used for certain legislation affecting federal revenues, spending, or the debt limit. In the Senate it can allow qualifying measures to pass with a simple majority, subject to budget instructions and restrictions such as the Byrd Rule. Ranking Member A ranking member is the leading member of the minority party on a congressional committee or subcommittee. The ranking member works with the chair on committee business, questions witnesses, helps shape the minority's approach, and may lead minority oversight or legislative efforts. The exact role depends on chamber rules and committee practice. Ratification Ratification is formal approval that gives a document, agreement, or constitutional amendment legal effect under the applicable process. In the United States, the process differs for constitutional amendments, treaties, and other actions. Rational Basis Review Rational basis review is the most deferential standard courts use to judge whether a law or government action violates equal protection or due process. Under it, a law is upheld if any conceivable legitimate government interest could plausibly be served by the challenged classification, even if the law is overinclusive or underinclusive. The challenger carries the burden, and the law rarely fails this test; stricter review (intermediate or strict scrutiny) applies to classifications such as race, national origin, or fundamental-rights infringements. Rationale Rationale is a court and legal-process term used to describe cases, court authority, legal procedure, judicial review, opinions, or public legal records. Reapportionment Reapportionment is the allocation of the 435 voting seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states based on population counts from the decennial census. Redistricting is the separate process of drawing district boundaries within states. Reasonable Suspicion Reasonable suspicion is the Fourth Amendment standard that permits police briefly to stop a person, based on specific facts that would lead a reasonable officer to believe criminal activity may be occurring. It is less demanding than probable cause, which is required for arrests and most searches. During a brief investigative stop, an officer who reasonably believes the person is armed and dangerous may pat down outer clothing for weapons.