Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests Chapter 11

Congress as a Career Election to Congress Election to Congress Using incumbency to stay in Congress Using incumbency to stay in Congress The service strategy: taking care of constituents The service strategy: taking care of constituents Campaign fund-raising: raking in the money Campaign fund-raising: raking in the money Redistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents Redistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 2

Congress as a Career Election to Congress Election to Congress The pitfalls of incumbency The pitfalls of incumbency Disruptive issues Disruptive issues Personal misconduct Personal misconduct Turnout variation: the midterm election problem Turnout variation: the midterm election problem Strong challengers Strong challengers Safe incumbency and representation Safe incumbency and representation Who are the winners in Congressional elections? Who are the winners in Congressional elections? © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 3

Party Leadership in Congress House leadership House leadership Speaker of the House Speaker of the House Elected by the House membership Elected by the House membership By default a member of the majority party By default a member of the majority party Said to be the second-most-powerful official in Washington, after the President Said to be the second-most-powerful official in Washington, after the President © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 4

Party Leadership in Congress Senate leadership Senate leadership Majority party leader is the most powerful Senator Majority party leader is the most powerful Senator The Vice President presides over the Senate; however has power only to cast tie-breaking vote 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 VP absence, Senate president pro tempore presides over the Senate in the VP absence, Largely a honorary position held by the majority party’s senior member Largely a honorary position held by the majority party’s senior member © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 5

Party Leadership in Congress The power of party leaders The power of party leaders Relatively weak compared to the power exercised by party leaders in other democracies Relatively weak compared to the power exercised by party leaders in other democracies Have grown stronger in recent years as partisan divide has become more dramatic Have grown stronger in recent years as partisan divide has become more dramatic © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 6

The Committee System Committee jurisdiction Committee jurisdiction Bills introduced must be referred to the proper committee for deliberation Bills introduced must be referred to the proper committee for deliberation Committee membership Committee membership Typically mirrors the party ratio of the body Typically mirrors the party ratio of the body Committee chairs Committee chairs Typically the senior member of the majority party Typically the senior member of the majority party Committees and parties: who is in control? Committees and parties: who is in control? © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 7

How a Bill Becomes a Law Committee hearings and decisions Committee hearings and decisions Most work on legislation is done in committee Most work on legislation is done in committee From committee to the floor From committee to the floor Rules for debate are defined Rules for debate are defined Leadership and floor action Leadership and floor action Debate, changes, and vote by full membership Debate, changes, and vote by full membership Conference Committees and the President Conference Committees and the President Reconcile differences between similar legislation Reconcile differences between similar legislation © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 8

How a Bill Becomes a Law © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.9

Congress’s Policymaking Role Lawmaking function of congress Lawmaking function of congress Makes laws authorizing federal programs Makes laws authorizing federal programs Representation function of congress Representation function of congress Represents the interests of constituents Represents the interests of constituents Oversight function of congress Oversight function of congress Sees that executive branch carries out the laws faithfully Sees that executive branch carries out the laws faithfully © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 10

Congress: Too Much Pluralism? Pro (advantages): Pro (advantages): Diverse interests represented Diverse interests represented Cons (disadvantages): Cons (disadvantages): National interest subjugated to special interests National interest subjugated to special interests © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 11