Chapter 13 Congress

Learning Objectives In what respects is Congress “the first branch” of American national government? Why do most Americans and many experts now view Congress as “the broken branch”? What are the main differences between a congress and a parliament? How has the legislative productivity of the U.S. Congress varied over time? Are the American people as deeply divided in partisan and ideological terms as their representatives in Congress now appear to be? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives How closely do members of Congress mirror the American people in terms of gender, race, and other demographic characteristics? Does Congress normally do what most citizens want it to do? Should Congress run under strong leadership? Should Congress act more quickly? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Introduction WHO GOVERNS? TO WHAT ENDS? Are members of Congress representative of the American people? Does Congress normally do what most citizens want it to do? TO WHAT ENDS? Should Congress run under strong leadership? Should Congress act more quickly? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Introduction Framers’ view of Congress “First branch” of government Holds most national government powers Essential to federalism Maintains separation of powers Linchpin of checks and balances Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Introduction Contemporary Americans’ view of Congress “Broken branch” of government Unable to address problems effectively Too responsive to special interests Nonstop campaign fundraising and/or corruption Unlikely to fix itself Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Consistent with this broken branch view, in recent decades, public approval of Congress has rarely ranged much above a third.

The Powers of Congress Constitution: Article 1, section 8 To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises To borrow money To regulate commerce with foreign nations/among states To establish rules for naturalization and bankruptcy To coin money, set its value, and punish counterfeiting To fix the standard of weights and measures To establish a post office and post roads To issue patents and copyrights to inventors/authors Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Powers of Congress Constitution: Article 1, section 8 To create courts inferior to the Supreme Court To define/punish piracies, felonies on high seas, and crimes against law of nations To declare war To raise and support an army and navy; make rules for their governance To provide for a militia To exercise exclusive legislative powers over seat of government, federal facilities To “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the fore-going powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States.” Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Congress versus Parliament Independent representatives of districts or states Primary system; voters choose among individual candidates Principal work is representation and action Parliament Loyal to national party leadership Voters choose among national parties Principal work is debate Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. A real parliament, such as that in Britain, is an assembly of party representatives who choose a government and discuss major national issues. A congress, such as that in the United States, is a meeting place of the representatives of local constituencies—districts and states.

U.S. Congress Members of Congress in 2013: Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Jeff Malet Photography/Newscom Members of Congress in 2013: Base salary $174,000, plus generous benefits Large office and staff Additional allowances for travel, communication etc. Franking privileges

The Evolution of Congress Bicameral (two chamber) legislature House of Representatives Senate Centralization vs. decentralization Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Evolution of Congress House History: Six Phases Phase One: The Powerful House Phase Two: The Divided House Phase Three: The Speaker Rules Phase Four: The House Revolts Phase Five: The Members Rule Phase Six: The Leadership Returns Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Being big makes it hard for the House of Representatives to be powerful unless some small group runs it.

The Evolution of Congress Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Source: The New York Public Library/Art Resource, NY A cartoon from Puck in 1890 expressed popular resentment over the “Millionaires Club,” as the Senate had become known.

Who Is in Congress? Gender and Race Becoming less male and less white 2013: fewer lawyers and former members of armed forces Senate changed more slowly First woman Speaker–Nancy Pelosi (2007) Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. In 2013, about 1 in 6 members of Congress was serving their first term.

Blacks, Hispanics, and Women in Congress, 1971–2013 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 13.1 Source: Congressional Quarterly , various years.

Who Is in Congress? Incumbency Most incumbents win Marginal districts Safe districts Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Re-election Rates for House and Senate Incumbents, 1964–2012 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Figure 13.1 Sources: For 1964–2008 data, The Center for Responsive Politics; 2010 data compiled by author; and 2012 data drawn from The Center for Responsive Politics, OpenSecrets.org, accessed by Jesse Crosson, May 28, 2013.

Who Is in Congress? Party Redistricting has little overall effect Impact of major electoral convulsions Conservative coalition emerges in 1960s and 1970s (then declines) Growing ideological partisanship Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Representation and Polarization Representational View–members vote to please their constituents Organizational View–members vote to please fellow members of Congress Attitudinal View–members vote on the basis of their own beliefs Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Organization of Congress: Parties and Interests Party Organizations The Senate President pro tempore (honorific) Majority leader (power) Minority leader Whips Policy Committee Standing committees Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Organization of Congress: Parties and Interests Party Organizations The House of Representatives Speaker of the House Majority leader (floor leader) Minority leader Whips Committees Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner won re-election in his party in 2013 to lead the chamber for a second term.

The Organization of Congress: Parties and Interests Party Voting Party Votes in the House, 1877-2010 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Figure 13.2 Note: A party vote occurs when the specified percentage (or more) of one party votes against the specified percentage (or more) of the other party. Sources: Updated through 2008 by Zach Courser; NES data as reported in 2001–2002; Harold W. Stanley and Richard G. Niemi, Vital Statistics on American Politics (CQ Press, 2001), 211.

The Organization of Congress: Parties and Interests Caucuses Advocates a political ideology or advances a regional, ethnic or economic interest Examples: Democratic Study Group Tuesday Lunch Bunch Congressional Black Caucus Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Organization of Congress: Committees Standing Committees Select Committees Joint Committees Conference Committees Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Usually the ratio of Democrats to Republicans on a committee roughly corresponds to their ratio in the House or Senate.

The Organization of Congress: Staffs and Specialized Offices Tasks of Staff Members: constituent problem-solving, legislative functions Staff Agencies Congressional Research Service Government Accountability Office Congressional Budget Office Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

How a Bill Becomes Law Introducing a Bill Study by Committees Floor Debate – The House Floor Debate – The Senate Methods of Voting Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. In the House, a voice vote consists of the members shouting “aye” or “no”; a division (or standing) vote involves the members standing and being counted. Only during a roll-call vote are names recorded (done electronically since 1973.)

How a Bill Becomes Law Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Figure 13.3

How a Bill Becomes Law Legislative Productivity How to measure? How to evaluate changes in legislation? Divided government Earmarks How has post-9/11 Congress legislated on homeland security issues? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning?. All rights reserved.

How a Bill Becomes Law Reforming Congress Term limits? Pork-barrel legislation Franking privilege Congressional Accountability Act (1995) Price of citizen-oriented Congress is a pork-oriented Congress Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Congress and President Propose Alternative Deficit Reduction Plans Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Click picture to play video

Congress and President Propose Alternative Deficit Reduction Plans Taking a closer look: Should Congress or the president have greater control over the federal budget? Does the budget conflict support the “broken branch” view of Congress? Which view (representational, organizational, attitudinal) is most reflective of the current Congress? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.