1. Congressional Committees in a Partisan Era
John Aldrich and David Rohde
Chapter 11.

2. Democratic Party Reform
Democratic Party Reform: Gateway to the Partisan Era
Many of the leadership tactics used by the Republicans in the 1990s reflected rules and procedural changes initially introduced by Democrats in the 1970s and 1980s.
Source of Party Reform and Rule Changes:
Despite their increased number, liberal Democrats did not have the votes they needed to advance their agenda. So, they decided to pursue rules changes as means of shaping party policy. …

3. Democratic Party Reform
Democratic Rule Changes:
Among the rules changes pursued by liberal Democrats were the following:
1) Altered Power of Committee Chairs (Traditionally Southern,
Conservative)
2) Changed Seniority System:
3) Introduced Secret Ballot for Chair Selection
4) Subcommittee Bill of Rights:
Sub Comm Chairs no longer Appointed by Chair, but were bid on in order of seniority.
5) Subcommittee Chairs granted more jurisdictional authority.

4. Democratic Party Reform
Democratic Rule Changes:
6) Enhanced Power of Party Leadership:
Speaker Given Power to Appoint Chair (and Democratic Members) of Rules Committee
7) Established Steering and Policy Committee:
Controlled by Speaker, and Responsible for
Committee Assignments.
8) Empowered Speaker to Refer Bills to More than One Committee, and Set Deadlines for Reporting.

5. Democratic Party Reform
Democratic Rule Changes: Outcomes:
Committee Chairs: Less Independent and More Partisan
Once independent, and more conservative Committee Chairs became dependent on Party leadership for their position.
House Rules: Growth in Special Rules
The Democratic Leadership’s control of the Rules Committee resulted in the proliferation of “special rules” to manage floor debate in ways desired by the leadership.
Examples:
Bar Amendments/Allow Specific Amendments
Alter Reporting Committee’s Report

6. Democratic Party Reform
Party Reform: Gateway to Partisan Era (219)
Democratic Reforms: Shifted Power from Committee to Floor to Leadership
Democratic: Become More Liberal (More Homogenous), This Lead to Strong Leadership
  Conditional Party Govt (CPG)
Homogenous parties are more likely to empower leaders.

7. Republican Party Reform
Republican Rule and Its Consequences: (222)
Rep Changes:
1. Ignored Seniority System
Bob Livingston: Appropriation Committee
Judiciary Committee
Commerce Committee
2. Change power of comms. And chair comms
Limited sub committees
Chairs controls comm., but leaders controls comm., chairs
3. Eliminated (and renamed) Committees
4. Appropriation Committee: Members Had to sign “letter of fidelity”

8. Republican Party Reform
Party Leaders and Committees (224)
 Leaders have expanded their power through the following tactics:
Influencing Bill Creation in Committee
Rep: Contract With America
Leadership decided what provisions would and would not be included
Rep: Free to Farm Act (1995)
Leadership threatened comm. That if it did not report the law Gingrich wanted, they would bring it directly to the floor.

9. Party Reforms Party Leaders and Committees (224)
Leaders have expanded their power through the following tactics:
Bypassing Committee and Post-committee Adjustments
Republican: Bypass Henry Hyde and Jud. Committee on gun leg (1994)
Democratic: 100 Hour Agenda: taken directly to the floor
Special Rules and Control of the Floor
  Democratic: wrote riles that barred amends
Republican: Medicare debate barred amends

10. Party Reforms Appropriations (229)
History of Appropriation Committee: Mostly Non-Partisan, With sub-comms serving as a check on excesses of authorizing committees.

11. Party Reforms Factors that Changed Appropriation Committee
Partisan Changes
Appropriation Committee: Central to Rep Revolution: Controls Fed Spending
Rep Strategy: Control Fed Agenda thru Budget
Used Special Rules: “Riders” to permit exceptions to regular order.

12. Party Reforms Factors that Changed Appropriation Committee
Institutional
Budget Committee created
Series of Reforms
House needed to adopt a budget
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings (1985): Balance Budget act
Budget Enforcement Act (1990): Pay as you go: programs had to be
deficit-neutral.