Congress PL0B48D6833A0FC48A PL0B48D6833A0FC48A

Goals for today: Re-cap congressional elections & explain forms of gerrymandering Re-cap congressional elections & explain forms of gerrymandering Describe organization of Congress and impact of that organization Describe organization of Congress and impact of that organization Describe leadership positions Describe leadership positions Discuss role of political parties in Congress Discuss role of political parties in Congress Explain the role of committees Explain the role of committees Relate Fiscal Cliff to above Relate Fiscal Cliff to above

Factors Affecting Congressional Elections: Redistricting –Types –“Rules” –Supreme Court Incumbency Advantage Factors that diminish impact of incumbency

Know Your Leaders

Organization of Congress Bicameral—different characteristics of each body Leadership Role of Party Role of Committees Impact of organization

HOUSE LEADERSHIP Republicans: Speaker Majority Leader Chairman of Conference Policy Committee Committee on Committees National Republican Congressional Committee Research Committee Speaker of the House (John Boehner R-Ohio) Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) Minority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

HOUSE LEADERSHIP Democrats: Minority Leader Minority Whip Chairman of the Caucus Steering & Policy Committee Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (D-SC)

SENATE LEADERSHIP President of the Senate (Vice President) President Pro Tempore (majority party) Democrats: Majority Leader Majority Whip Chairman of Conference Policy Committee Steering Committee Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Majority Leader Henry Reid (D-NV) President Pro Temp Patrick Leahy (D-CTI) Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) President of the Senate Joe Biden (VP)

SENATE LEADERSHIP Republicans: Minority Leader Minority Whip Chairman of Conference Policy Committee Committee on Committees Republican Senatorial Committee Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Role of Party faces-in-congress/113th-congress/ faces-in-congress/113th-congress/

Legislative Committees: Type of Committees Roles of Committees Why is committee assignment important m/watch/tue-december /girls-on-the-sidehttp:// m/watch/tue-december /girls-on-the-side

House Standing Committees Agriculture Appropriations Armed Services Budget Education & Workforce Energy & Commerce Ethics Financial Services Homeland Security House Admin. International Relations Judiciary Natural Resources Oversight and Reform Rules Science, Space, Tech Small Business Transportation & Infrastructure Veterans Affairs Ways & Means

Senate Standing Committees Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, Transportation Energy & Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance Foreign Relations Governmental Affairs Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Homeland Security Judiciary Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans Affairs

Joint, Select, Conference Committees, Joint Committees: Joint Economic, Joint Taxation, House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming Senate Select Committee on Ethics House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Three Functions of Congress Representation Lawmaking Oversight

The Legislative Obstacle Course

The Hopper

"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee- rooms is Congress at work.” - Woodrow Wilson

Fact: About 10,000 bills are introduced in Congress every year, but only about 150 are signed into law. 1.Explain why so few bills become law. 2.Is that a good thing or a bad thing? 3. 3.Should the legislative process in Congress be reformed? If yes, what changes would you recommend? If not, why not? Source: Source: /

How a bill really becomes a law: ndmentshttp://politics.nytimes.com/congress/bills/111/hr3590/ame ndments Riders, “Christmas tree” bill, omnibus legislation Role of leadership—how can push legislation through ‘log-rolling’ Use of filibuster President’s role Role of ‘pork barrel’ content/uploads/2010/05/howlawsmadeWIRTH2.jpghttp:// content/uploads/2010/05/howlawsmadeWIRTH2.jpg

Types of Legislation Public v. Private Authorization Appropriations Sunset Law

Oversight tello.obsession.hearings.cnn?iref=videosearchhttp:// tello.obsession.hearings.cnn?iref=videosearchhttp:// tello.obsession.hearings.cnn?iref=videosearchhttp:// tello.obsession.hearings.cnn?iref=videosearch /the-global-war-in-your-pantshttp:// 2008/the-global-war-in-your-pantshttp:// 2008/the-global-war-in-your-pantshttp:// 2008/the-global-war-in-your-pants /best-damn-sports-hearinghttp:// 2008/best-damn-sports-hearinghttp:// 2008/best-damn-sports-hearinghttp:// 2008/best-damn-sports-hearing

Source: Date: 5/6/06http://bigpicture.typepad.com/