1. Chapter 12
Congress

2. Qualifications
HOUSE: 25 years old; citizen for 7 years; live in the state you represent
SENATE: 30 years old; citizen for 9 years; live in the state you represent

3. American Bicameralism
The House
435 members, 2-year terms of office
Initiates all revenue bills, more influential on budget
House Rules Committee
Limited debates
The Senate
100 members, 6-year terms of office
Gives “advice & consent,” more influential on foreign affairs
Unlimited debates (filibuster)

4. Bicameral Legislature
Two house Congress
House of Reps. = 435 members
5 non-voting members = Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, Washington D.C., American Samoa
Senate = 100 members
Connecticut the Constitutional Convention

5. 115th Congressional Statistics: Senate

6. 115th Congressional Statistics: House of Representatives

7. Congressmen from Georgia
2 Senators, 14 House of
Representatives
Members
David Perdue
Republican
Since Jan 6, 2015
Next Election in 2020
David Scott
Representative for Georgia's 13th congressional district
Since Jan 7, 2003 (Next Election in 2018)
Democrat
John “Johnny” Isakson
Since Jan 4, 2005
Next Election in 2022

8. The Representatives and Senators
The Job
Salary of $174,000 with retirement benefits
Office space in D.C. and at home with staff
Travel allowances and franking privileges- sending mail without payment of postage
Requires long hours, a lot of time away from family, and pressure from others to support their policies

9. Incumbency in Congress
Individuals who already hold office usually win 90% of elections

10. Congressional Elections
The Advantages of Incumbents
Advertising:
The goal is to be visible to your constituents
Frequent trips home, use of newsletter, and technology
Credit Claiming:
Service to constituents through:
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

11. Congressional Elections
The Advantages of Incumbents
Position Taking:
Portray themselves as hard working, dedicated individuals
Occasionally take a partisan stand on an issue
Weak Opponents:
Inexperienced in politics, unorganized, and underfunded
Campaign Spending:
Challengers need to raise large sums to defeat an incumbent
PACs give most of their money to incumbents
Does PAC money “buy” votes in Congress?

12. Servicing the Constituency
Constituents: citizens that the Congressperson represents
Casework: helping constituency as individuals (cutting through red tape to give people what they think they have a right to get
Pork Barrel: List of federal projects, grants and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges and institutions

13. Money in electing Congressmen
Most of the turnover in the membership in Congress results from vacated seats, particularly in the House
It costs a great deal more money to elect a congressperson than to elect a president
2000, all presidential candidates spent a total of $200 million
2000, general election Senate races alone cost $350 million

14. Comparing the Senate and the House of Representatives

15. House of Representatives
More centralized, hierarchical, less anarchic
Party loyalty to leadership and party-line voting more prevalent
Leaders do more leading
Speaker appoints committee members
Five calendars based on kind of bill
House can impeach officials (16 so far)

16. House Rules Committee Most important committee in the House
Reviews most bills coming from a house committee before they go to the full House (traffic cop)
Gives each bill a “rule”, which schedules the bill on the calendar, allots time for debate, and can even specify what kind of amendments to bill can be offered
Initiates all revenue bills in House

17. Senate Less disciplined, less centralized Ratifies treaties
Confirms important presidential nominations
Tries impeached officials
Party leaders schedule bills
Pro Tempore seniority rule

18. Congressional Leadership

19. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Congressional Leadership
The House
Led by Speaker of the House—elected by House members
Presides over House
Major role in committee assignments and legislation
Assisted by majority leader and whips
The Senate
Formally lead by Vice President
Really lead by Majority Leader—chosen by party members
Assisted by whips
Must work with Minority leader

20. Speaker of the House Most important person in Congress
Presides over House
Makes committee assignments
Appoints party’s legislative leaders
Exercises substantial control over which bills get assigned to which committees

21. Other Congressional Leaders
Majority Leader in each house
Minority Leaders in each house
Whips: A member of a legislative body, charged by his or her party with enforcing party discipline and ensuring attendance
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Senate Minority Leader:Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)

22. House of Rep. Leaders House Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R)
House Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D)

23. Whips…in the Senate Richard Durbin (D) Minority whip
John Cornyn (R) Majority whip

24. Whips...in the House Steve Scalise (R) Majority Whip
Steny Hoyer (D) Minority Whip

25. Legislative Oversight
Congress’s monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy (hearings)

26. Committees in Congress

27. Committees in Congress
Standing committees: Permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specified subject matter area are referred
Joint committees: Legislative committee composed of members of both houses (usually permanent also)
Conference committees: Temporary joint committee created to reconcile any differences between the two houses’ versions of a bill
Select committees: Legislative committee created for a limited time and for some specific purpose; also known as a special committee

29. House STANDING Committees
There are 19 standing committees in the House of Representatives.
Representatives are normally assigned to one or two standing committees.
The most important committees in the House are: Rules, Ways and Means, Appropriations, Armed Services, Judiciary, International Relations, and Agriculture

30. Senate STANDING Committees
There are 17 standing committees in the Senate.
Senators are normally assigned to three or four committees.
The most important committees in the Senate are: Foreign Relations, Appropriations, Finance, Judiciary, Armed Services, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

31. Important Facts about Committees
Committees are where most bills receive thorough consideration.
The fate of most bills is decided in the various standing committees.
Most bills DIE in the committees (action) to which they are referred!!!

32. Congressional Caucus
Informal organization of Congresspersons who share some interest on characteristics
Promote the interests around which they are formed
Interest group within Congress

33. Congressional process

34. The Congressional Process