Congress & the Legislative Process

Congressional Membership Congress changes every odd year (2 years) on Jan House Speaker John Boehner (R) – 113 th Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R) Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) Senate President Joe Biden Presiding Leader Harry Reid (D)  111 th, 112 th, 113 th Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Chap 6 Warm Up 1. Why were the money powers granted to Congress by the founders? 2. On what types of issues did the Founders restrict congressional actions with the addition of the Bill of Rights? 3. How does Congress exercise its power of legislative oversight? 4. Why has the power shifted back and forth between the President and Congress over the years?

State Legislature (CA) Ballotpedia.org/California_State_Legislature or 1. Name of 2 Houses 2. Membership (for each house) 1. Female/Male 2. Democrats/Republicans/Independents 3. Term of Office for each house 4. Salary for each house

Founders’ Intentions Most powerful branch of government Representative assembly Accessible to the people

Constitutional Powers of Congress Establish and maintain the armed forces Declare war Raise taxes and borrow money Spend money for the general welfare Regulate interstate commerce Do what is "necessary and proper“

The specific natures of each chamber… House requirements Twenty-five years of age Seven years of citizenship Two-year term Senate Requirements Thirty years of age Nine years of citizenship Six-year term

Review 1. Why was Legislative Branch considered the most powerful branch of govt? 2. How did the Judicial Branch take power from the Congress? 3. In your opinion, should there be a 3 rd major political party?

House Structure Centralized and relatively organized Less debate Restricted access to the floor Individual members have limited power Functions Originate all revenue bills Agents of local interests

Senate Structure More regional and national in concerns and constituencies The “elite” house of the legislature - (Senators appointed by state legislatures until Seventeenth Amendment) (1913) More deliberative: no time limits on speaking Filibuster: speak as long as they want to oppose an action (subject to cloture)

Review 1. Which house in Congress is more powerful? Explain 2. Do we have enough diversity within the Congress? Explain 3. In your opinion, is allowing members of Congress unlimited terms productive to America? Explain.

Ch 7 Warm Up 1. Why is it easier to defeat legislation then to pass it? 2. Is it possible for all members of Congress to be aware of all bills under consideration? Why or why not? 3. What specific groups and individuals influence the legislators’ decisions? 4. How does the need to weigh the interests of their constituents affect national policy decisions by the members of Congress?

Congressional roles / functions Instrument for policy Perform constituency service (intervene on behalf of citizens, help with other requests) Oversight Budgeting / fiscal roles

Congressional behavioral tendencies Members of Congress are motivated by re-election Distributive tendency: pork-barrel legislation funds local work projects to bring federal money to the states (again: fuels hyperpluralism dynamic)

Legislative process: how a bill becomes a law

Committee System Core of Congress where bills are considered Committees allow members to specialize in policy areas and become experts Congressional division of labor achieved through committees Committee chairs act as "gatekeepers“ Standing committees have fixed membership, officers, rules, staff, and offices Majority party sets rules and chooses officers Majority party always has most committee members Jurisdiction is defined by subject matter of legislation

Internal structure: types of committees Standing committees Conference committees Joint committees Select committees

Examples of committee jurisdictions Farm subsidy bills go to Agriculture Committee Highway bills go to Transportation Committee GI Bill benefits go to Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Review Explain how a bill becomes a law – minimum 4 step. How can we create legal change within our own community?