HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT 1 Congress at Work Section 1: Organization of Congress Section 2: The Committee System Section 3: How a Bill Becomes a Law Section 4: Congress and the Public Good CHAPTER 6

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 2 Section 1: Organization of Congress Objectives: What are the terms and sessions of Congress? How is congressional leadership organized? What are the rules of conduct in Congress?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 3 Section 1: Organization of Congress Terms and sessions of Congress: Terms begin on January 3 following the November election. Terms are divided into two one-year sessions. Sessions are continuous. No term limits are set on members.

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 4 Section 1: Organization of Congress Organization of congressional leadership: organized by political party, a majority party and a minority party House leaders—Speaker of the House of Representatives, majority and minority floor leaders, and majority and minority whips Senate leaders—U.S. vice president, president pro tempore, majority and minority floor leaders, and majority and minority whips

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 5 Section 1: Organization of Congress Rules of conduct: must meet constitutional qualifications follow rules of behavior, including in financial matters can discipline members with a censure or by expulsion

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 6 Section 2: The Committee System Objectives: What kinds of committees are there in Congress? How are committee assignments made? What kinds of staff help congressmembers and committees perform their work?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 7 Section 2: The Committee System Types of committees: authorizing appropriations standing subcommittees select joint conference

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 8 Section 2: The Committee System How committee assignments are made: based on member requests “running” for assignments of popular committees

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 9 Section 2: The Committee System Types of assistance to congressmembers and committees: personal staff committee staff agencies

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 10 Section 3: How a Bill Becomes a Law Objectives: How are bills referred to a committee? What is the purpose of committee hearings and markup sessions? What happens to a bill when it reaches the full House or Senate floor? What courses of action can the president take on a bill passed by Congress?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 11 Section 3: How a Bill Becomes a Law How bills are referred to a committee: referred by the Speaker in the House of Representatives referred by the presiding officer in the Senate

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 12 Section 3: How a Bill Becomes a Law Purpose of committee hearings and markup sessions: Committee hearings allow supporters and opponents for a bill to express their views. Markup sessions allow decisions to be made about the specific features of a bill.

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 13 Section 3: How a Bill Becomes a Law The course a bill takes when it reaches the full House or Senate floor: debated amended voted on

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 14 Section 3: How a Bill Becomes a Law Courses of action the president can take on a bill passed by Congress: sign it veto it allow it to become law by keeping the bill for 10 days without signing it while Congress is in session pocket veto it

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 15 Section 4: Congress and the Public Good Objectives: Do special interests obstruct Congress in promoting the public good? What is the main criticism of the committee system, and how does it affect the public good? What role does Congress play in promoting the public good?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 16 Section 4: Congress and the Public Good Influence of special interests on Congress and the public good: weak influence of interest groups 1.can promote the public good—not too much power 2.can hurt the public good—not a strong advocate strong influence of special interests can get out of control—override the public good 1.constituent interest in home districts 2.members’ personal beliefs 3.interests of members’ political party—the “party line”

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 17 Section 4: Congress and the Public Good Main criticism of the committee system and its effect on the public good: committees unrepresentative of Congress or the whole country concern that the system results in laws promoting narrow, local interests

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON Congress at Work 18 Section 4: Congress and the Public Good Congress promotes the public good by representing the local concerns of the people.

HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT 19 Chapter Wrap-Up 1.What types of committees are in Congress and why? 2.How are leaders in each house of Congress selected? 3.How are committee assignments made? 4.Who assists members of Congress with their work?

HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT 20 Chapter Wrap-Up 5.What are the six steps in the legislative process after a bill is introduced? 6.What are some major criticisms of Congress?