Glossary
(Media) bias: a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned
Media bias refers to a widespread bias in mass media that affects how stories and topics are presented
Budget Reconciliation Process: Budget reconciliation is a process in the United States Senate that can be used to pass legislation with a simple majority (51 votes) for budget and finance-related measures. All other legislation generally requires 60 votes in order to pass. The reconciliation process can only be used a certain number of times over the course of a year and the Senate parliamentarian has jurisdiction over which provisions can be included in it.
Child Tax Credit: The Child Tax Credit is an existing tax benefit that provides money to families who have children. The amount varies depending on how many children are in a household and the annual income of the family.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964: signed into law on July 2, 1964, by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Civil Rights Act prohibits discriminatory practices in public spaces, paved the way for integration in schools and other places, including making employment discrimination illegal on the basis of race. It also paved the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which further protected minorities and other marginalized groups.
Read more: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Exoneration: the act of officially clearing someone from blame or criminal charge
Infrastructure: Infrastructure includes tangible and intangible entities that provide the capacity for systems like transportation, water, energy, and technology to function. It can encompass structures like roads, bridges, waterways, radio towers, and energy grid
Medicaid Coverage Gap: Medicaid is an insurance program for some low-income individuals, people with disabilities, children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Coverage varies by state, and many states have income limits well below the poverty line. People with income above these income limits but below the poverty level have difficulty obtaining health insurance coverage because they are not covered by government programs and cannot afford private insurance. These individuals are in the Medicaid coverage gap.
Provision: A provision within the law is a statement that provides for a particular function. It is akin to a stipulation and can be compulsory.
Pundit: A pundit is a person who comments on and provides information about certain topics in which they are perceived to be experts. They frequent television newscasts and provide written commentary in newspapers.
Redlining: a discriminatory practice that denied financial and other services to “hazardous” neighborhoods that were predominantly minority or ethnic communities, which led to the underdevelopment of neighborhoods of color, food deserts, and lack of healthcare and other services.
(Racial) Segregation: the systematic separation of racial or ethnic groups in everyday life. In the United States, racial segregation was the period between post-Civil War Reconstruction to 1964 that saw discrimination and segregation of facilities and services like housing, medical care, education, and employment along racial lines.
SNAP: SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal nutrition service that provides assistance to low-income families. The program gives monetary benefits that can be used to purchase certain types of food.
Subsidize: A subsidy is a payment usually from the government to certain industries or companies that reduces the cost of goods and services. It is generally intended to keep the price of products low enough to be marketable. Dairy subsidies are given to farmers in order to reduce the price of milk for consumers.
Referendum: (From Merriam-Webster) n. the principle or practice of submitting to popular vote a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body or by popular initiative.
Annexation: (From Merriam-Webster) n. the act of annexing something or the state of being annexed : the addition of an area or region to a country, state, etc.
