1. Congress
Unit 4-Chapter 11

2. Legislative Branch
Article 1
Bicameral
Reasoning of Founding Fathers:

3. Structure of Congress House vs. Senate
Two Houses meet for 2 year terms beginning Jan 3rd of odd number years. CURRENTLY 114th Congress until January, 2017.
Each term divided into 2 one year sessions. Rules of organization and election of leaders, assignment of committees etc. takes place then.

4. How Congress is Organized
Bicameralism: Legislature divided into 2 houses.
The House-Lower House
435 members, 2 year terms of office.
Initiates all revenue bills, more influential on budget. “power of the purse”.
Limited debates and more rules.
Always elected by the people
The Senate-Upper House
100 members, 6 year terms of office.
Gives “advice & consent”, more influential on foreign affairs.
Unlimited debates protects minority
Indirect then direct election

5. The Representatives and Senators as of Oct 2015
The Members- 535 total: 435 in HOR, 100 in Senate
Characteristic
House
Senate
Democrat
188 44
Republican
246/1 vacancy 54
Independent
2 (caucus with Dems)
Male
79.8%
80%
Female
20.2%
20%
Minority Members
20.7% 7%
Average Age 57 61

6. The Representatives and Senators The Job—MAKE PUBLIC POLICY
Salary of $174, ,000 for the “rank and file” with retirement benefits (More for leadership positions)
Given Office space in D.C. and at home and staff
Travel allowances and mail privileges. (FRANKING)
But, there’s often 10 to 14 hour days, lots of time away from the family, and lots of pressure from different people/groups to “make policies to assist their own needs”

7. THEORIES OF CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION
Representative Delegate aka The Delegate Model or Descriptive Representation : representing constituents by mirroring their opinions
“Rule by the people”
Trustee Model: advocate for long-term interest of the nation, more individual decisions made….
Substantive Representation : advocate on behalf of specific groups (interest groups).
Party ID- responsive to needs and wants of own Party- this is becoming more common in current era of divided government and polarization (ex. roll-call votes and Whip’s responsibility)

8. THE JOB: Non Legislative Powers-most are checks and balances found in Article 2
Electoral powers-
Amendment powers-
Impeachment-
Executive powers of Senate- approve appointments of President and treaties
Investigative of exec and judicial/ Oversight of executive branch

9. THE JOB: Legislative Powers Delegated/Enumerated/Expressed
Legislative: power to make laws or policies
Expressed- Article 1 Section 8 (collect taxes for the general welfare, regulate interstate commerce, maintain an army and navy etc.)
Implied powers- “necessary and proper” or elastic clause. Article I, Section 8, Clause 18
Limitation on Powers- Article I, Section 9 (no bills of attainder/ex post facto), and Tenth Amendment (Reserved Powers)

10. Congress’s Policymaking Role

11. Committees and Subcommittees
Most work of Congress is accomplished through committees which are further divided into subcommittees.
Divides work
Allows for study, specialization and testimony; HEARINGS---
Speeds up process

12. How Congress is Organized The Committees and Subcommittees
The Committees at Work: Legislation and Oversight
Committees work on the 11,000 bills every year.
Most hold hearings and “mark up” meetings.
Serve as a reference for other members.
Oversight involves hearings and other methods of pressuring the executive branch into action.
As the size of government grows, oversight grows too.

13. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
The Committees and Subcommittees
Four types of committees:
Standing (permanent) committees: subject matter committees handle different policy areas. ( Armed services, Foreign )
Joint committees: few policy areas- made up of House & Senate members.
Conference committees: resolve differences in House and Senate bills before they go to President for signing.
Select committees: created for a specific purpose. (9-11)
Caucuses: informal group who share a common purpose or sets of goals. (Black or Women’s Caucus)

15. Lawmaking Process Legislation: Bill: A proposed law.
Anyone can draft a bill, but only members of Congress can introduce them.
More rules in the House than in the Senate.
Party leaders play a vital role in steering bills through both houses.
Countless influences on the legislative process.

16. How a Bill Becomes a Law see next slide
Committee hearings and decisions after Bill is introduced
Most work on legislation is done in committee; may be PIGEON- HOLED….
From committee to the floor
Rules for debate are defined and bill is “MARKED UP”
Leadership and floor action
Debate, changes, and vote by full membership
Conference committees
Reconcile differences between similar legislation before it goes to President

18. Legislative Tactics The Committee system Pork barrel legislation
Logrolling
Riders and Amendments
Lobbying and Caucuses- may form voting blocs
Filibuster and Cloture
Threat of presidential veto and supermajority to override

19. 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?

20. How Congress is Organized The Committees and Subcommittees
Getting on a Committee
Members want to get on the right committee. Members will try to serve on committees that has policy related to their district.
Members want committee assignments that will help them get reelected and gain influence.
New members express their committee preferences to the party leaders.
Support of the party and its leaders is important in getting on the right committee.

21. How Congress is Organized The Committees and Subcommittees
Getting Ahead on the Committee: Chairs and the Seniority System.
The chair is the most important position for controlling legislation and deciding what the committee does
Chairs were chosen strictly by seniority until the 1970’s, now are chosen by SOH and Senate Majority Leader. How does this lead to DIVIDED GOVERNMENT?

22. Parties and Party Leadership
Party caucus/conference—closed sessions to determine committee assignments etc.
Party unity in Congress has led recently to Polarization
Parties are the strongest force within Congress
Heightened unity seen through roll-call votes and job of the WHIPS---

23. Leadership in Committees
Chairpersons are members of majority party.
Chosen by caucus-democrats or conference-republicans
Set agenda
Assign members to subcommittees
Decide if they will hold public hearings and witnesses
Manage floor debate when presented to Full House or Senate

24. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Congressional Leadership
The House
Lead by Speaker of the House- elected by House members.
Presides over House.
Major role in committee assignments and legislation.
The Senate
Officially lead by Vice President.
Really lead by Majority Leader- chosen by party members.
Must work with Minority leader.

25. Parties and Party Leadership
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

26. Parties and Party Leadership
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

27. Election to Congress House
Each State guaranteed at least 1 representative
Practices related to determining representation
Apportionment (today 1 rep per 650,000 people)
Reapportionment and Census-Constitutional req.
Congressional districting and redistricting
Gerrymandering and problems with (See Workbook)

28. Election in the Senate Article I and F. Fathers—indirect election
Originally members chosen by State Legislatures
17th Amendment: Direct election of Senators Broadened scope of democracy

29. Congressional Elections
The Advantages of Incumbents ( Incumbency Effect )
Name recognition and media access--More Visible to Constituents (def)-
Franking and free travel
Credit Claiming
Service to individuals in their district.
Casework: specifically helping constituents get what they think they have a right to.
Pork Barrel: federal projects, grants, etc. made available in a congressional district or state.

30. Congressional Elections The Advantages of Incumbents (def)
Position Taking:
Portray themselves as hard working, dedicated individuals.
Occasionally take a partisan stand on an issue.
Often supported by Interest groups they have helped
Weak Opponents:
Most opponents are inexperienced in politics.
Most opponents are unorganized and underfunded.

31. Rates of Incumbent Re-elections

32. Congressional Elections
Money in Congressional Elections
Open seats are expensive (retirements, resignations)
Do PACs and interest groups buy candidates?
Spending lots of money does not guarantee a win but, (absent a scandal,) it usually helps.
Figure 12.3

33. Congressional Campaign Expenditures

34. Congress as a Career: Election to Congress
Possible Pitfalls of incumbency
Disruptive policy issues coupled with partisan stands and at times, Personal misconduct--may face massive voter retaliation.
They may get drawn out of their district. (Gerrymandering)
Primary election challengers and General election challengers: a problem for senators
Super PACs and independent expeditures (527’s)
Turnout variation: the midterm election problem---

35. Allocation of PAC Contributions between Incumbents and Challengers

36. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Congressional Staff
Personal staff: Work for the member. Mainly providing constituent service, but help with legislation too.
Committee staff: organize hearings, research & write legislation, target of lobbyists.
Staff Agencies: provide specific information to Congress.
CRS
GAO
CBO

38. The Congressional Process
Presidents and Congress: Partners and Protagonists
Presidents have many resources to influence Congress
In order to “win” in Congress, the president must win several battles in each house with major leaders of Congress.
Presidents have the power of veto, the State of the Union to try to influence legislation

39. The Congressional Process
Party, Constituency, and Ideology
Party Influence: Party leaders cannot force party members to vote a particular way, but many do vote along party lines.
Constituency versus Ideology: Most constituents don’t know how their member voted on any particular issue. It is difficult for constituents to influence their member.

40. The Congressional Process
Lobbyists and Interest Groups
There are over 26 lobbyists for every member of Congress- the bigger the issue, the more lobbyists will be working on it, submitting legislation, testifying at hearings, networking and lunches and campaign spending….
Lobbyists can be ignored, shunned and even regulated by Congress or listened to.
Ultimately, it is a combination of lobbyists and others that influence members of Congress.

41. Influences on Congress
Constituents
Other lawmakers and staff
Party influence
President and Bureaucratic agencies
Lobbyists and interest groups
THE IRON TRIANGLE

42. Understanding Congress
Congress and Democracy
While it is a representative body, it doesn’t necessarily represent the people, just their interests.
Congress does try to respond to what the people want, but some argue it could do a better job.
Interest groups and the exec branch exert the most influence on what Congress does.

43. Understanding Congress
Congress and the Scope of Government
The more policies Congress works on, the more ways they can serve their constituencies.
The more programs that get created, the bigger government gets. (Hyper-pluralism)
Everybody wants government programs cut and lower taxes, just not their programs.

44. Internet Resources
Bills and laws in various stages
House of Representatives
U. S. Senate
Roll Call
Center for Responsive Politics
CSPAN
Each item is hyperlinked to the website in the book.