Chapter 11

Congress as a Career: Election to Congress Using incumbency to stay in Congress The service strategy: taking care of constituents Campaign fundraising: raking in the money Redistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.2

3

4

5

Congress as a Career: Election to Congress Pitfalls of incumbency Disruptive issues Personal misconduct Turnout variation: the midterm election problem Primary election challengers General election challengers: a problem for senators A new threat: super PACs © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.6

Parties and Party Leadership Party caucus—closed session Party unity in Congress Parties are the strongest force within Congress Heightened unity seen through roll-call votes © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.7

8

Parties and Party Leadership Party leadership in Congress House leaders Speaker of the House Elected by the House membership By default, a member of the majority party Said to be the second-most-powerful official in Washington, after the president House majority leader House majority whip © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.9

Parties and Party Leadership Party leadership in Congress Senate leaders Majority party leader is the most powerful senator The vice president presides over the Senate; however, has power only to cast tie-breaking vote Senate president pro tempore presides over the Senate in the vice president’s absence Largely an honorary position held by the majority party’s senior member © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.10

Committees and Committee Leadership Committee jurisdiction Bills introduced must be referred to the proper committee for deliberation Committee membership Typically mirrors the party ratio of the body Committee chairs Typically senior members of the majority party Committees and parties: Which is in control? © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.11

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.12

How a Bill Becomes a Law Committee hearings and decisions Most work on legislation is done in committee From committee to the floor Rules for debate are defined Leadership and floor action Debate, changes, and vote by full membership Conference committees and the president Reconcile differences between similar legislation © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.13

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.14

Congress’s Policymaking Role Lawmaking function of Congress Makes laws authorizing federal programs Broad issues: fragmentation as a limit on Congress’s role Congress in the lead: fragmentation as a policymaking strength © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.15

Congress’s Policymaking Role The representation function of Congress Representation of states and districts Representation of the nation through parties Oversight function of Congress Sees that executive branch carries out the laws faithfully © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.16

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.17

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.18

Congress: An Institution Divided Pro (advantages): Culturally representative of nation Diverse interests represented Cons (disadvantages): National interest subjugated to special interests Disproportionate influence of the minority © 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.19