1. Inside Congress

2. The First Branch of Government
The United States Congress

3. A Map of Congress

4. Congress is in session throughout the year & has regular recesses
House of Representatives is in session from Tuesday thru Thursday
Members are back in their district in other days
Senate is in session the entire week – thus senators travel home less frequently

5. Activities
Attending committee & subcommittee meetings & hearings
Meeting with staff to discuss legislation
Participate in floor debate & voting
Meeting with constituents
Caucusing with party members
Media appearance
Meeting interest groups

6. Congressman’s roles
Legislator
Most important role of congressman
Cast thousands of votes each session
Tax cuts, health care reform, entitlement spending
Judged by voting record

7. 2. Constituent Servant
Have to be re-elected
Help people solve problems, local businesses, bring money & projects to the home state
(ex) Senator Alfonse D’Amato (New York; 3-term) was nicknamed “Senator Pothole” because he was able to solve constituents’ problems.

9. 3. Representative
Represent views of their constituents in Washington
Put interest of the nation ahead of state
Delegate
4. Educator
Educate the public about issues
Town Hall meetings

10. Making Decisions Why do politicians vote a certain way?
Party Affiliation
Majority of the votes occur along party lines
Republicans vote one way; Democrats vote other way
Congressional leaders & whips enforce party discipline

12. Making Decisions 2. Constituency
Take into account views of constituency
Especially on high-profile or polarizing issues (i.e. gun control, abortion, gay rights, war on Iraq)
(ex) Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky (D – Pennsylvania) voted for President Clinton’s budget plan (which increased tax) and was voted out of office

13. Making Decisions 3. Presidential Pressure
Presidential persuasion weighs heavily on key Congressional votes
President prevails 75% of the Congressional votes when he announces a position
(ex) War on Iraq – many congress members voted for the war (including Hillary Clinton)
(ex) Bank Bailout – many congress members were pressured to vote yes

16. Making Decisions
President Lyndon Johnson was the master of “arm twisting” politics – putting pressure on Congress by the president (for his agenda of Great Society)

18. Making Decisions 4. Vote Trading
Strike a deal with another member and vote one way in return for the same favor in future vote
Very secretive
“Pork-barrel” – spending projects that use tax money to fund projects in certain districts

20. Making Decisions 5. Ideology
Members vote on their beliefs or philosophy about the role of government (abortion, gun control, first amendment issues)

21. Working with others
Congress works closely with three branches of government (with President, bureaucracy, and courts)
President
Tension between Congress & President
Designed to have tension & limit president
(check & balance of power)

22. During the 19th century, Congress was more powerful than president
However, after Theodore Roosevelt, presidents have become the dominant force in government

24. Events help the presidency to grow in power
Spoils System (Andrew Jackson)
Anti-Trust (Theodore Roosevelt)
Great Depression (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
World War II (FDR)
Cold War (Truman, Reagan)
War on Terrorism (Bush)

25. Using their popularity, presidents with clear mandates received the cooperation of Congress
Roosevelt - New Deal (Great Depression)
Kennedy – New Frontier
Johnson – Great Society
Reagan – Winning the Cold War
Bush – Iraq & Afghan War

26. 2. Courts
Senate confirms the judicial appointments
Congress shapes the court system & its ideological makeup

27. 3. Bureaucracy
Congress oversees the federal (central) bureaucracy
Congress decides the federal budget for each departments
Congress can hold committees & subcommittees hearings, conduct investigation, subpoena

28. Staff
Senate office employs 35 staff members
House office employs 17 staff members
Currently more than 10,000 staffers work in Congress (paid by taxpayers)

29. Congress is bicameral Bicameral (House and Senate)
different time perspectives
different rules and norms

30. Senate and House Senate House 6 year terms 100, prestige More moderate
generalists
Individuals senators are powerful
House
2 year terms
435
More partisan
specialists
Most individual Reps are not important

31. Bicameralism: Two Equal Chambers
House
435 members
Citizen representation
2 year terms
Hierarchical
Partisan
Committees and leaders dominate
Speaker and Rules Committee
Senate
100 members
State representation
6 year terms
Collegial
Less partisan
Members matter
more
Filibuster

32. Effect of Bicameralism
Fragmentation
Geography
435 and 100 people sharing power
What would policy be like if Congress was unicameral and elected in at large elections?

33. Senate vs. House
Early years, House was more prestigious than the Senate because it was elected directly by the people. (Senate became direct election after 1913)
(ex) President John Quincy Adams
After loosing his re-election in 1828, he returns to Massachusetts to win a House of Representatives seat. He served until his death.

34. How a Bill Doesn’t Become a Law— Congress as a law-defeating, not lawmaking institution