1. Structure, Organization,
How Congress Works
Structure, Organization,
& Legislative Process

2. Warm up: Get into groups of 4, analyze page 1 of your packet, and come up with answers to questions 1-3

4. Political Parties & Congress
Political parties have been central to Congressional operation since 1789
House and Senate leadership is organized strictly by political party
Majority party in Congress establishes the floor agenda (including, in the House, its rules of procedure)
Majority Members chair committees and preside over session

5. Party Leadership in Congress
Congressional leadership positions are structured by the Constitution, by chamber rules and by tradition
Members are elected to party and committee leadership by their party peers
Leaders are in charge, but are accountable to those who elected them
MAIN IDEA: THE MAJORITY PARTY HAS A LOT OF POWER!!!!!

6. Running Two Very Different Chambers
House
Majority rule
Strict limits on debate due to size (435 members)
“Top down” management
Rules Committee establishes ground rules for considering major bills- by far most POWERFUL committee.
Senate
Minority rights
Few debate limits due to size (only 100)
“Bottom up” control
Most legislative and executive business is conducted by unanimous consent

7. Part II: Leadership Purpose of leadership:
Organizing and unifying party members
Scheduling work
Making certain lawmakers are present for key floor votes
Distributing and collecting information
Keeping the House or Senate in touch with the President
Influencing lawmakers to support their party’s position.

8. Congressional Leadership Positions
Presiding Officers
Speaker of the House
Vice President
President Pro Tempore
Floor Leaders
Majority /Minority
Leaders
Whips
Party Caucus Chairs
Standing Committee
Chairs/Ranking Members

9. Speaker of the House Position established by U.S.
Constitution (Art. 1, § 2, cl. 5)
Second in line of Presidential succession, behind V.P.
Position wears “two hats”
Speaker controls the overall legislative agenda of the House
Oversees appointment of committee chairs and members
Serves as national spokesperson of the majority party
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R- WI)

10. House Majority Leader Chosen by majority party Assists Speaker
Plans party’s legislative program
Steers important bills through the House
Party leader
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23)

11. House Minority Leader
Elected by members of the minority party to serve as their leader and spokesperson
Seeks to amend or even block majority party agenda
Provides counterpoint to
the majority party
Responsible for minority party members’ committee assignments and ranking member assignments
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12)

12. House Majority & Minority Whips
“Whip” comes from British fox hunting: the “whipper-in”
Responsible for counting and mobilizing votes
Helps disseminate
scheduling information
Serve as floor leaders
in their absence
Tries to INFLUENCE VOTING!!!
Majority Whip Steve Scalise (LA-1)
Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5)

13. President of the Senate
Also the Vice President of the United States
Chief presiding officer (constitutionally) of the Senate
Cannot participate in floor debate
Casts vote only in case of tie
NO REAL POWER unless a tie
1st in line for succession of president
Mike Pence

14. President Pro-Tempore
Chosen by majority party; often most senior member
Presides over Senate in absence of vice- president
Elected and voting member of the Senate
3rd in line of succession for president
President Pro-Tempore Orrin Hatch (R- UT)

15. Senate Majority Leader
Chosen by majority party
Majority. party leader in Senate
Steers party’s bills through Senate
Plans Senate’s work schedule in consultation with Minority Leader
Makes sure majority members attend important sessions
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY)

16. Senate Minority Leader
Chosen by minority party
Minority party leader in Senate
Develops criticisms of bills from majority party
Consults with Majority Leader re: Senate’s work schedule
Tries to keep members working together
Minority Leader Harry Reid (NV)

17. Senate whips Same functions as the House!
“WHIP” the party into shape to make sure the vote together!

18. Assignment
Complete CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP matching Part A ONLY.

19. Part II: Committees
"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.”
- Woodrow Wilson

20. The Work of Committees 20 House committees; 16 Senate Gather
information
Make legislative recommendations
Perform oversight

21. Part IV: Legislative Committees:
Function and Purpose

22. Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose
1. Consider bills (a.k.a. “mark-up” bills)
A bill with a member’s mark-up notes

23. Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose
2. Maintain oversight of executive agencies
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing re: the Department of Defense Budget (May, 2006)

24. Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose
3. Conduct investigations
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006

25. Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose
4. Make the work of Congress more EFFICIENT!
VS.

26. How to get appointed to a committee
SENIORITY MATTERS!!!
Those who were members of Congress longest get the best committee positions
Also gets the leadership positions within the committee
Seniority matters!

27. Types of Committees
Standing Committees - permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities
Subcommittees – formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees
Select or Special Committees - groups appointed for a limited purpose and limited duration
Joint Committees - includes members of both chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks
Conference Committee - includes members of House & Senate to work out differences between similar bills

28. Standing Committees

29. House Standing Committees
Agriculture Appropriations Armed Services Budget Education & Workforce Energy & Commerce Financial Services Government Reform House Admin. International Relations
Judiciary Resources Rules Science Small Business Standards of Official Conduct Transportation & Infrastructure Veterans Affairs Ways & Means

30. Most powerful committee in the House
Rules committee determines which bills come to the floor.
Without support from this committee your bill will most likely die.

31. House Committee on Rules

32. Senate Standing Committees
Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, Transportation Energy & Natural Resources Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs

33. Special, Select Committees
House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming
Senate Select Committee on Ethics
House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence
Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

34. Joint Committees Joint Economic Committee Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on Taxation hearing

35. Title: Resolution Artist: Bob Gorrell
Date: 12/28/06 Source:

36. Finish your matching activity!