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HistoryCentral.com > American History > US Civic Terms > H
The Civics Glossary Hatch Act (1939) - formally known as the "Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities," called the "Hatch Act" after Senator Carl Hatch of New Mexico, who was its major sponsor. The purpose of the law was to calm fears that federal civil service employees might be able to wield extraordinary influence on the election of the President and members of Congress. As a result of the Hatch Act, federal employees may vote, but may not take an active part in partisan politics.
Hatch Act Rules - rules that regulate the actions of federal employees, as published by the US Merit Systems Protection Board. According to the Hatch Act rules, federal employees may engage in most political activities, including voting, campaigning in nonpartisan elections, wearing political buttons and contributing money to political campaigns. Among the political activities in which federal employees may not engage are: running for public office in partisan elections; campaigning for candidates in partisan elections; collecting money or selling tickets to political fundraising events; distributing campaign materials in a partisan election; organizing or managing a political rally or meeting; or working to register voters for only one party. Although these rules apply to almost all federal employees, they are stricter for military personnel.
"Hate" speech - type of speech which is used to deliberately offend an individual; or racial, ethnic, religious or other group. Such speech generally seeks to condemn or dehumanize the individual or group; or express anger, hatred, violence or contempt toward them.
Health Resources and Services Administration - part of the Public Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services. This administration provides grants for state, local, and private nonprofit health care facilities, like hospitals. It also provides medical and other health care services to various groups of individuals; such as Coast Guard personnel and their families, Native Americans, and federal prisoners. High Court - another term for the US Supreme Court.
Hobbes, Thomas (1588-1679) - British political theorist who argued that individuals formed governments because of their rational self-interest. One of the major intellectual figures of the Enlightenment, his most famous work is The Leviathan, published in 1651.
House majority leader - prominent position in the majority party, second only to the Speaker of the House in party authority. Like the Senate majority leader, the House majority leader helps promote the legislative agenda of the party in the House.
House minority leader - the head of the minority party in the House of Representatives. The minority leader represents the interests of the minority party by meeting with the majority leader and, in the case of the House, the House Speaker to schedule bills and rules for floor action.
House of Representatives - one of the two houses of the Congress, created in Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution. The House of Representatives has 435 members, called Representatives, who serve for 2-year terms. The number of Representatives from each state is determined by the state's population, so that states with large populations have more Representatives in Congress than states with small populations. |
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