1. Congress Lecture Contrasts with British Parliament
-parliamentary candidates are selected by their party
-congressional candidates run in a primary election, with little party control over their nomination

2. The Evolution of Congress
-Intent of the Framers
-Characteristics of evolution
-organization of the House has varied over the years
Phase one-powerful house
Phase two-divided house 1820’s
Phase three- rise of a powerful speaker
Phase four-the revolt against the speaker
Phase five-the empowerment of individual members
Phase six-the return of leadership
The future?

3. The Evolution of the Senate
Escaped many of the tensions encountered by the House
Major struggle about how its members should be chosen- 17th Amendment
Filibuster another major issue- Rule 22- cloture

4. Who is in Congress
Sex and Race
Incumbency
Party

5. Getting Elected to Congress
Determining fair representation
Majority-minority districts
Winning the Primary
Do members represent their voters?
Ideology and civility in Congress

6. Party Organization of the Senate
President pro tempore
Majority and minority leaders
Party whips
Policy committee
Committee assignments

7. Party Organization of the House
Speaker of the House
Majority Leader and Minority leader
Party Whip
Committee assignments
Democratic and Republican campaign committees

8. Party Impact The strength of the party structure Party unity
Caucuses- intra party, personal interest, and constituency concerns

9. Committees Legislative committees Types of committees
Committee practices

10. Staffs and Specialized Offices
Tasks of staff members
-constituency services
-legislative functions
-advocates
-information service
Specialized agencies- CRS, GAO, CBO

11. How a Bill Becomes a Law Introducing a bill Study by committees
Floor debate- House and Senate
Methods of voting
To the President

12. Reforming Congress Representative or direct democracy?
Proper gaurdians of the public will?
Decisive or deliberative Congress?
Term limits?
Reducing power and perks?

13. Ethics and Congress Separation of powers and corruption
Scandals continue
Problems with ethics rules

14. The Old and the New Congress
World War I to the early 1960’s
Early 1970’s to early 1980’s
Early 1980’s to present
*Reassertion of congressional power in the 1970’s set the stage for sharper legislative-executive conflicts