1. Lawmaking – 115th Term of Congress Session 1
Janda Chapter 11

2. We will be looking mostly at the U.S. Congress
The process is pretty much identical in the Ohio General Assembly, few procedural differences.
Local lawmaking is an unbelievable mess  We’ll look at that as well

3. 115th Congress January 2017
– Jan 2019
(Elected fall of 2016)

4. Senate
House
We have a “Bicameral Legislature” (2 House)

5. United States Senate Two per state, represent everyone in the state,
That is, everyone in the state votes for these people
Since 17th Amendment (1913)
Staggered elections (1/3)
United States Senate

6. Senate: 6 year term, no term limits Must be 30 years-old
Article I of the Constitution:
Senate: (Upper House)
Senate: 6 year term, no term limits
Must be 30 years-old
9 year resident of the U.S.
Resident of that state upon election
United States SENATE

7. United States House Based on Population of the States
OH - 16 total districts
Beavercreek: 10th Congressional District
Only people of that district vote for these people
Entire House up for election every two years
United States House

9. House: 2 year terms, no term limits House: Must be 25 years-old
Article I of the Constitution:
House (Lower House)
House: 2 year terms, no term limits
House: Must be 25 years-old
7 year resident of U.S.
Resident of that state upon election
United States HOUSE

10. Rob Portman (R-OH) Junior Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Senior Sen.
Your U.S. Senators

11. Your U.S. Representative
Mike Turner (R-OH 10th)
Your U.S. Representative

12. A Breakdown of the Congress
115th Congress
A Breakdown of the Congress

13. 46 Democrats 52 Republicans
Two “Independents”
Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Angus King (I-ME)

14. 194 Democrats 241 Republicans  
+6 Delegates

16. 115th Congress Demographics

17. 115th Congress Demographics

18. 115th Congress by the numbers
46 African-Americans in the House 3 in the Senate (FYI: 13% of population is black)
Barack Obama was only the 5th African-American U.S. Senator in American History
115th Congress by the numbers

19. 115th Congress Demographics

21. House and Senate Leadership

22. House vs. Senate : Two very different “events” “Staggering”
Opening Day
House vs. Senate : Two very different “events”
“Staggering”

23. U.S. Senate Leadership Constitutionally Mandated Officers President
President Pro Tempore
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
(1977)
VP Mike Pence (as of )

24. U.S. Senate Leadership Political Party Leaders – Majority Party
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

25. U.S. Senate Leadership Political Party Leaders – Minority Party
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Dick Durbin (D-Ill)
Chuck Schumer(D-NY)

26. U.S. House Leadership Paul Ryan (R-WI 1st) Speaker of the House
“The House shall select its Speaker and other officers”
Speaker of the House
Paul Ryan
(R-WI 1st)

27. U.S. House Leadership Political Party Leaders – Majority Party
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Steve Scalise (R-LA 1st )
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 22nd)

28. U.S. House Leadership Political Party Leaders – Minority Party
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Steny Hoyer
(D-MD 5th)
Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA 8th)

29. Majority/Minority Leaders $193,400
“Senators and Reps shall receive compensation for their services”
Vice-President
$231,900
Speaker
$223,500
Majority/Minority Leaders
$193,400
President Pro Tempore: $180,000 per year
Typical Member of Congress
$174,900

30. Parking, Eateries, Elevators, Gyms Tennis Court in the Hart Bld.
HOUSE
$944,671 for staff of up to 18
($168,411 max per staffer)
$256,574 Travel Expenses
Parking, Eateries, Elevators, Gyms
Tennis Court in the Hart Bld.
Lifetime memberships (until Jack Abramoff)
Free Airport Parking
Booked on multiple flights
Personal Subway System

31. Leadership
Multiple leadership positions beneath these positions mentioned. For example, Sen. Portman is one of the “deputy whips” in the Senate.

32. Majority and Minority Leaders (The Floor Leaders)
Represent the party on the Floor
Serve as spokespersons
Advocate their parties' policies and viewpoints
Unite the party
Block opponents legislation

33. Majority and Minority Whips
Assist Party Leader
Help party leader get bills passed
Keep party members informed
Make sure all party members are present for votes on important measures

34. Congressional Committees and Sub-Committees
Majority Party controls the Chair
Chair controls the bills
“Seniority Rule” (in that committee) Seniority dictates leadership
Senior Minority member is the “Ranking member”

35. FOUR Types of Congressional Committees
Standing Committees
Select Committees (usually investigative)
Joint Committees
Conference Committee

36. Senate version: Rules and Administration Committee.
House Rules Committee
Decide the rules for how a bill will be handled in the full House session – a very powerful committee
Senate version: Rules and Administration Committee.

37. Powerful, experienced members are in leadership
Positives
Negatives
Powerful, experienced members are in leadership
Eliminates fights within the party
Ignores ability; rewards length of service
“Seniority Rule”

38. Committees have a counterpart in the other House
Every Bill must have somewhere to go in each house of Congress
Committees have a counterpart in the other House
Senate & House Armed Services (BIG $)
Senate & House Budget Committees
Senate & House Appropriations
Senate & House* Judiciary
(impeachment)

39. Similar, but different name
House Foreign Affairs
Senate Foreign Relations* (treaties)
House Ways and Means Committee (taxes)
Senate Finance Committee (taxes)

40. Congressional Committees by the numbers:
Roughly 20 standing Comm. in the House; 17 Senate
Range from approx members in House comms;
Usually15-30 in the Senate

41. Your lawmakers:
Sherrod Brown: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Appropriations; Finance; Banking, Housing and Veteran’s Affairs; Select Committee on Ethics
Rob Portman: Budget; Finance; Energy and Natural Resources; Homeland Security and Government Affairs
Mike Turner: House Armed Services Committee; House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform