Expelling members from the Tennessee Legislature is an extraordinary measure that has been used only a handful of times since the U.S. Civil War.
October 08, 2025
high
political
Historical rarity of legislative expulsion in Tennessee.
In U.S. federal budget and appropriations practice, parties sometimes condition reopening government funding on whether policy issues (such as entitlement or subsidy changes) will be negotiated before or after a short-term funding measure.
high
process
Describes a recurring negotiation dynamic in U.S. congressional funding standoffs.
Independent U.S. senators can caucus with a political party; for example, Angus King of Maine caucuses with Senate Democrats.
high
structural
Describes how some independent senators align with party caucuses in the Senate.
Members of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence receive broader access to classified information than the average member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
high
institutional
Describes the relative security clearance and information access associated with House Intelligence Committee membership.
The U.S. Senate uses a 'hotline process' in which proposed legislation is circulated among lawmakers for consideration before it is placed on the floor for a vote.
high
temporal
Description of a procedural mechanism used by senators to vet and clear legislation prior to floor consideration.
The U.S. House of Representatives can consider resolutions to censure members, and those resolutions can include provisions to remove members from committee assignments.
medium
procedural
Forms of congressional disciplinary action and committee assignment authority.