Congress

Constitutional Foundations Bicameral legislature Senate: Upper House House: Lower House Powers of Congress Congressional Powers Senate Powers House Powers

Congressional Elections Advantages of Incumbents: Visibility and name recognition Credit for service to constituents Advantage in raising campaign funds Safe districts and gerrymandering

The Incumbent Advantage

Legislative Districts Reapportionment Redistricting Malapportionment Gerrymandering

Racial Gerrymandering NC Congressional District 12—1992 to 1997

Racial Gerrymandering NC Congressional District 12—1998

Post 2010 Districts

What reform could look like:

Alternate for future: Single Transferable Vote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8XOZJkozfI

Who are the Members? The job Demographics of Congress

Organization of Congress Leadership in the House Speaker of the House Majority/Minority Leaders Whips Leadership in the Senate Vice President President Pro Tempore Majority/Minority Leaders and Whips

Organization of Congress Committee System Standing Committees Select Committees Conference Committees Assignment to Committees

Organization of Congress Caucuses Congressional Staff Staff Agencies

Organization of Congress Special Procedures in the House Rules Committee Open/Closed Rule Special Procedures in the Senate Amendments Filibusters

The Legislative Process Introduction Committee Action Floor Action Conference Committee Presidential Action

Influences on Legislation President Party Ideology Constituents Lobbyists and Interest Groups

Other Congressional Action Oversight of Other Branches Oversight of the Bureaucracy Casework Investigations

Congress and Democracy? The Public Good Earmarks and Pork Reciprocity and Logrolling Theories of Representation Substantive representation Descriptive representation

Congress and Democracy Access to Legislators Ethics rules Campaign finance rules Incumbent Advantage Term limits? Campaign finance reform?