pigeonhole

Definition

The act of a committee chair refusing to schedule consideration of a bill, letting it die through strategic neglect in a metaphorical filing cubby. It's assassination by bureaucratic inaction.

Example Usage

The healthcare reform bill was pigeonholed by the committee chair, who scheduled hearings on postal service naming conventions instead.

Origin

From the small compartments in desks where papers were sorted and often forgotten; parliamentary use dates to 19th century

Fun Fact

Roughly 90% of bills introduced in Congress are pigeonholed and never receive votes, making committee chairs more powerful than most members realize—they're gatekeepers who mostly keep the gate closed.

Source: Legislative process studies and committee procedure documentation

Related Terms

Intermediate

franking

The privilege allowing legislators to send mail to constituents at taxpayer expense, theoretically for official business. In practice, it's publicly funded campaign literature with a congressional seal instead of a stamp.

🏛️ Government / Politics

Beginner

Primary

An election before the real election where party members argue about who should get to argue in the actual election. It's a tournament arc where the prize is the privilege of enduring six more months of attack ads.

🏛️ Government / Politics

Advanced

astroturf lobbying

Corporate or special interest lobbying disguised as genuine citizen advocacy, creating fake grassroots campaigns to influence policy. The political equivalent of hiring extras to pretend to be fans.

🏛️ Government / Politics

Advanced

concurrent resolution

A legislative measure passed by both chambers that doesn't require presidential approval and doesn't have the force of law, making it the political equivalent of a strongly worded letter. Used for housekeeping and symbolic gestures.

🏛️ Government / Politics

Advanced

vote pairing

An informal agreement between legislators to both abstain on a vote, allowing them to miss the vote without affecting the outcome. It's the honor system in a dishonorable system.

🏛️ Government / Politics

Intermediate

Referendum

When the government says "we can't decide, so you deal with it" and lets citizens vote directly on an issue. It's democracy's version of asking the audience, and just like on game shows, the audience doesn't always get it right.

🏛️ Government / Politics

Translate This Term

See “pigeonhole” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

ilymtylm

i love you more than you love me...