government

Definition

Yes.  The word "yea" is used in oral voting and also written or spoken when announcing vote results.

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. John Doe No. 1 v. Reed, 130 S.Ct. 2811, 2833–34 (2010).

See also

• Aye

• Nay (contrast)

Definition

Acting in the capacity of.  After identifying a person, the word "qua" may be added to signify that the rest of the statement pertains to that person acting in the capacity of whatever title or position comes after "qua." 

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. New Jersey v. Delaware, 552 U.S. 597, 600 (2008).

See also

• Sine qua non

Definition

An abbreviation for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  Formerly called the Veterans Administration, this federal government body provides benefits and services to military veterans and their families. 

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. Shinseki v. Sanders, 129 S.Ct. 1696 (2009).

See also

• Military

• Military law

• Martial law

 In administrative law, a provision that allows a congressional resolution (passed by a majority of congress, but not signed by the President) to nullify a rulemaking or other action taken by an executive agency.  At one time, legislative veto provisions were relatively common, and went along with many congressional delegations of power to administrative agencies (e.g. congress would give the INS power to regulate immigration, but retain the power to overrule any of their decisions by legislative veto).

 A veto power that allows the executive to cancel specific parts of a bill (usually spending provisions) while signing into law the rest of the bill.  While states give their governors a line-item veto, the Supreme Court has declared a federal line-item veto unconstitutional.  Clinton v. City of New York, 524 U.S. 417 (1998).

The power of one person or body to prohibit a course of action chosen by another.  In a political context, "veto" usually refers to the power of a chief executive to block or complicate passage of a legislative bill by refusing to sign it into law.

Article One, Section Seven of the U.S.

 The principal in administrative law that congress cannot delegate its legislative powers to agencies.  Rather, when it instructs agencies to regulate, it must give them an "intelligible principle” on which to base their regulations. Whitman v. American Trucking Associations, Inc., 531 U.S.

One of the most important principals in administrative law, established by the Supreme Court in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984). The case raised the issue of how courts should treat agency interpretations of statutes that mandated that agency to take some action. The Supreme Court held that courts should defer to agency interpretations of such statutes unless they are unreasonable.  

 The Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 USC §500, et seq., establishes the governing framework of administrative law. It provides the procedures executive agencies can use to make rules and regulations, and the standards that court can use to review them.  

Definition

In a qui tam action, a private party called a relator brings an action on the government's behalf. The government, not the relator, is considered the real plaintiff. If the government succeeds, the relator receives a share of the award. Also called a popular action.