Congress Ch 11

Getting Into Congress Qualifications House Qualifications Senate Informal Qualifications Demographics

Organizing Congress Bicameral Parties (Conference/Caucus) Caucuses Committees

How to Vote Delegate Trustee Politico "Cue Givers"

Structure of the House Presiding Officers o Speaker o Speaker Pro Tempore "Power Players" o Speaker o Majority Leader o Majority Whip o Chair of Majority Caucus or Conference

Structure of the Senate Presiding Officers o President (Vice President of the US) o President Pro Tempore o Junior Members "Power Players" o Majority Leader o Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip) o Chair of Majority Conference

It's All About Committees Standing Special/Select/Ad Hoc Joint Conference Commitee Membership Committee Chair (Seniority Rule) Ranking Member Committee on Committees/Steering Committee Party Ratios

It's All About Committees - House RULES! Appropriations Ways and Means Armed Serviced Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union

It's All About Committees - Senate Appropriations Finance Judiciary Armed Services Foreign Relations

Legislative Process-House Introduction Committee SubCommittee Committee Rules Full House

Legislative Process - Senate Introduction Standing Committee SubCommittee Standing Committee (Unanimous Consent Agreement) Full Senate

Legislative Process Conference Committee Conf Committee Report Approval (House/Senate) Presidential Action Approve – Sign Approve - No Signature Veto “Pocket” Veto (Rare)

Powers of Congress - Legislative Make Law Veto Override Tax/Spend/Borrow Treaty (Treaties have the weight and effect of law in the US)

Powers of Congress - Executive Structure Executive Branch Control Executive Branch Budget Approve Executive Branch Appts (Senate) Impeach and Remove Executives Elective President/Vice President (If EC Fails) Legislative Oversight Legislative Veto

Powers of Congress - Diplomatic Ratify Treaties (Senate) Approve Diplomats Approve State Dept Appts (ie Sec of State) “Agreements” (ie NAFTA) Tax and Spend

Powers of Congress - Military Declare War "Authorization for the Use of Military Force" Control Military Budget Confirm Appointments to Defense Dept Confirm Military Officers Make Rules for Military Treaties Draft

Powers of Congress - Judicial Structure Judiciary Set Jurisdiction of Federal Courts Confirm Judges (Senate) Impeach and Remove Judges

Congress and the President Tense Relationship - by design Divided Government Power of the Veto Foreign Policy/Military Policy

Congress and the Bureaucracy Iron Triangle (Sub Government) Issue Networks Legislative Oversight Funding Legislative Veto

Congress and the Courts Confirmation dysfunction - "Borking" Occasional ideological antagonism (increasing) Senatorial Courtesy

Congress and the “Folks Back Home” Casework/Ombudsman Pork/Earmarks Getting Reelected Franking Privilege

Norms of Behavior Specialization Work Horse/Show Horse Reciprocity o Logrolling Apprenticeship - Not Any More Personal Courtesy - Not Any More