CONGRESS

Overview of Congress Bicameralism = Two houses House of Reps = closer to people Elected by the people Smaller districts 2 year term Entire body elected every 2 years Revenue bills must originate in the house

Overview of Congress Bicameralism = Two houses Senate designed to be removed from the people Originally elected by state legislatures Elected on an at large basis 6 year terms 1/3 up for election every 2 years = more continuity and stability

Overview of Congress House of Representatives Size Determined by congress (435 since 1911) Elected by districts Population of state determines # of Reps (increase in Sun Belts decrease in Frost Belt) Fixed terms Two years/ entire body up for re-election Term limits ruled unconstitutional in US Term Limits v. Thornton (added a qualification) Qualifications 25 years old, citizen for 7 years, residency in state

Overview of Congress Senate Size: 100 members Fixed Term: 6 years Qualifications: 30 years old, citizen for 9 years, resident of state House At least 25 years of age. A citizen of the United States for at least seven years prior to election. A resident of the state he or she is chosen to represent. Ohio’s 10 th Dennis Kucinich (move on soon?) Wife=Eliz abeth

Overview of Congress The Perks of the Job Members set own salary (27th amendment = raise takes effect next term) More Perks: travel allowance, staff, office space, franking privilege, insurance Legislative immunity—civil lawsuits Cannot be arrested or detained while going to or from a session of Congress

Leadership in Congress- House Speaker of the House- John Boehner 1.Presides over House 2.Appoints select and conference committees 3.Appoints Rules Committee members and Chair 4.Assigns Bills to committees 5.Third in line for Presidency

Leadership in Congress- House Majority Leader- Eric Cantor 1.Partisan Position- chosen by party members 2.Floor leader/ legislative strategist 3.Minority leader- John Boehner

Leadership in Congress- House Majority Whip- Kevin McCarthy 1.Assistant floor leader 2.Inform leaders on mood of the House 3.Keep count on important votes 4.Persuade party members to vote with party 5.Minority whip = Steny Hoyer

Leadership in Congress- Senate VP- Joe Biden 1.President of the Senate 2.Presides over Senate 3.Votes in case of a tie 4.Ceremonial Job

Leadership in Congress- Senate President Pro Tempore- Daniel Inouye Custom—longest Serving Senator 1.Ceremonial Job 2.Presides in Absence of the VP 1.Third in line for the presidency

Leadership in Congress- Senate Majority Leader- Harry Reid 1.True leader in Senate 2.Recognized first for all debates 3.Leads majority party 4.Influences committee assignments 5.Influences agenda with Minority leader (Mitch McConnell) Senate minority leader: Mitch McConnell

Leadership in Congress- Senate Minority Leader and party whips function the same as they do in the House Minority Whip Jon Kyl

Party Committees- House and Senate Assigning Party Members to Standing Committees 1.Democrats use the Steering Committee 2.Republicans Use the Committee on Committees Functions: assign legislators to Committees, advise party leaders

Committees 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

Committees Committee functions: Handle legislation Conduct investigation of exec. Branch on an as-needed basis Conduct oversight of exec. Branch agencies on an ongoing basis. Darrell Issa— House Oversig ht and Govt. Reform

Committees Selection of members: Importance of getting on the right committee (where you can best represent your constituents) Assigned by Steering committee or Committee on Committees Party with majority in Congress has majority of seats on committee Selection of Committee chairs Secret ballot in party caucus or conference of leaders. Seniority rule generally followed. Advantages of seniority rules: experience, stability, expertise. Disadvantages of seniority rules: conservative bias/status quo, rural bias (why would this be the case?)

Committees Standing committees are the permanent committees of Congress. They have both legislative and oversight powers. House Standing: Rules (most powerful of all) Ways and means (deals with tax bills) Appropriations (spending) Budget Armed Services

Committees Standing committees are the permanent committees of Congress. They have both legislative and oversight powers. Senate Standing: Finance (tax bills) Appropriations (spending) Budget Foreign Relations (prestigious) Treaty and ambassador work Judiciary: screen judicial nominees

Committees Conference committees: Temporary committees comprised of members of both houses Develop compromise language for a bill when versions differ After conference committee sends bill back - no amendments are allowed and bill is generally passed “Third House of Congress” Other Committees Select: temporary purpose in House Joint: Both houses for temporary purpose

Committees- examples Committee on judiciary checks Justice Department Committee on commerce checks Commerce Department Committee on national security checks Defense Department 95 percent of the 10,000 bills introduced die in committee Committee chair is from majority party Schedules hearings Selects subcommittee members Appoints committee staff

Evolution of Congress CENTRALIZATION 1.Strong central leadership 2.Restrictions on debate 3.Few opportunities to stall 4.Minimal committee interference 5.Streamlined legislative process 6.Minimal public scrutiny DECENTRALIZATION 1.Weak leadership 2.Few restrictions on debate 3.Stalling tactics 4.Powerful committees 5.Complicated legislative process 6.Close public scrutiny How should Congress do its job? Conflict over Distribution of Power over time

Evolution of Congress Founders Intentions Feared excessive power in single institution Fear of Mob rule Concern about manner of representation Belief that Congress would be dominant branch of government

Evolution of Congress EXAMPLE: Conflict over Distribution of Power A Strong Centralization in the House 1.Speaker Thomas Reed had strong powers including: -making committee assignments -Appointing committee chairs -Chairing the Rules committee 2.Joseph “Uncle Joe” Cannon continued Reed’s centralization Joe Cannon

Evolution of Congress Conflict over Distribution of Power B.Decentralization in the House C.1910 Revolt against Joe: -Speaker could no longer make committee assignments -Speaker could no longer appoint chairs -Speaker lost position on Rules Committee -Move towards decentralization -Individuals voted without fear of Speaker -Rules committee gained more power -Committee Chairmen gained power

Evolution of Congress Conflict over Distribution of Power B.Decentralization in the House 3.Decentralization in the 1970s - Individual members gained more power - More subcommittees - Power of subcommittee chairs rose (committee chair power declined) - More staff members - Reduction in the seniority system

Evolution of Congress Conflict over Distribution of Power Developments in the Senate 1.More naturally decentralized - Fewer members - no Speaker - lack a strong Rules Committee 2.Democratization of the Senate with passage of 17th amendment (1913) 3.Concern over length of floor debates -Use of filibuster -Cloture vote (3/5 of senators can move to end debate)

Evolution of Congress Recent Developments 104th Congress in 1994: Contract with America— the rise of Newt Gingrich and Tom De Lay

Incumbency Reelection rate in House 90% Reelection rate in Senate 80% Relatively few seats are seriously contested “Permanent Congress” Election of 1994 (104th) more a call against Dems than incumbents…same goes for ‘06 and Reps But… retirements open up a lot of seats each year

Incumbency Specific Advantages Franking privilege—free mail, whoopee Staffers Patronage Name recognition Casework Money, esp. from PACs

Incumbency Special Advantage: Gerrymandering Reapportionment: Redistribution of 435 seats in the House on the basis of changes in the state populations. a.Reps per state determined by pop. b.Census conducted every 10 yrs. c.Census shows populations changes and seats are allotted based upon new numbers

Incumbency Special Advantage: Gerrymandering Redistricting: When seats change, district boundaries must change. a.Party controlling state legislature redraws district boundaries. b.Gerrymandering = redrawing boundaries to favor party in power

Incumbency Special Advantage: Gerrymandering Origins of term: 19th century Governor Elbridge Gerry redrew lines himself with some having such strange shapes, they looked like salamanders. Party in Power keeps power by: “Packing”- concentrate opposition population in few districts “Cracking”- Disperse opp. Party throughout state to dilute their impact

Incumbency Special Advantage: Gerrymandering Effects of Gerrymandering 1.Party in power, STAYS in power 2.Safe seats are created 3.Odd-shaped districts 4.“Majority-Minority” districts created by racial gerrymandering

Incumbency Redistricting Requirements: 1.Districts must be as near equal in population as possible a.Baker v. Carr, 1962 “one man, one vote” principle applied to state leg districts to correct overrepresentation of rural areas. b.Wesberry v. Sanders 1964 applied principle to House districts 2.District lines must be contiguous 3.Racial gerrymandering is prohibited (Shaw v. Reno, 1993). Race may not be the primary factor in drawing district lines (Miller v. Johnson, 1995)

Gerrymandering