Individuals can invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination to refuse to testify before investigatory bodies, including congressional committees.
October 28, 2025
high
temporal
Constitutional privilege used in oversight and investigatory proceedings.
The U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom is the United States government's highest civilian honor.
October 14, 2025
high
temporal
Definition and status of the Presidential Medal of Freedom within U.S. honors.
Virginia's local government structure includes counties and independent cities.
October 08, 2025
high
structural
General description of Virginia's sub-state political subdivisions.
A free press is commonly described as a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
medium
normative
General democratic principle about the role of an independent press in democratic governance.
Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts are U.S. states that are officially designated as 'commonwealths.'
high
descriptive
Terminology used in the official names of certain U.S. states.
Some U.S. states assign authority to draw congressional district boundaries to nonpartisan or independent redistricting commissions, while other states give that authority to the state legislature.
high
process
Describes common institutional mechanisms for allocating redistricting authority.
A ballot measure can change which entity has authority to redraw congressional district lines in a state, including transferring authority between a nonpartisan commission and the state legislature.
high
process
Describes how direct democracy tools can alter redistricting arrangements.
Mid-cycle redistricting refers to attempts to redraw congressional district boundaries outside the regular decennial (post-census) redistricting cycle.
high
definition
Defines the term used when redistricting is pursued between scheduled, census-driven cycles.
U.S. naturalization grants an individual legal citizenship but does not change the individual's place of birth, ethnicity, or cultural identity.
high
legal
Distinguishes legal citizenship status from immutable or self-identified characteristics such as birthplace and ethnicity.