1. Congress in Action
Chapter 12

2. Chapter 12 Section 1
Congress Organizes

3. Congress Convenes Opening Day in the House
January 3rd, every odd numbered year
111th Currently
The clerk of the House in the preceding term presides
They take roll then chose Speaker to be permanent presiding officer
They are then sworn in by the Dean of House (longest standing member)
Choose nonmember positions
House clerk, sergeant at arms, chief administrative officer, and chaplain
Decide on rules that it will adopt
Lastly members are appointed to committees by House vote

4. Congress Convenes Opening Day in the Senate
A more continuous body
Do not have to reorganize at the beginning of every term
Old and new members are sworn in, and missing positions must be filled.
Short and easy first day

5. State of the Union Address
House notifies Senate when they are organized
Organize joint committee to communicate with President
Within a few weeks he makes his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress

6. Presiding Officers Speaker of the House
Most important and powerful
Always choose speaker from among its members
Duties are to preside and keep order
Speaker usually does not vote, but is called upon to break any ties
Next in line after VP for the Presidential office

7. Presiding Officers President of the Senate
This office is held by the Vice President
Not as powerful because not a member of Senate
Cannot speak or take the floor, but may vote to break a tie
President pro tempore, serves when VP cannot be there
Senator Byrd (WV)

8. Party Officers
The party caucus is a closed meeting of the members of each party in each house.
The floor leaders:
Majority and minority floor leaders are next important after the Speaker
They are legislative strategists, try to steer floor action for their parties’ benefits.
They are assisted by party whips
Essentially assistant floor leaders

9. 111th U.S. House leadership Republican Leadership
The following members were selected by House Republicans to serve in the leadership during the 111th Congress:
Position Member
Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio)
Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.)
Conference Chair Mike Pence (Ind.)
Policy Committee Chairman Thad McCotter (Mich.)
Conference Vice-chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.)
Conference Secretary John Carter (Texas)
Chairman of NRCC Pete Sessions (Texas)
Democratic Leadership
The following members were selected by House Democrats to serve in the leadership during the 111th Congress:
Position Member
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Calif.)
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.)
Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.)
Caucus Chair John Larson (Ct.)
Caucus Vice-chair Xavier Becerra (Calif.)
DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md)

10. 111th U.S. Senate Leadership
Democratic Leadership
On November 14, 2006, the Democratic caucus met in the Old Senate Chamber to decide on party leaders. Beginning in 2009, members of the 111th Congress (for the most part) kept that leadership. The following members were selected to serve in the leadership:
Position / Member
Majority Leader Chairman of Democratic Caucus Harry Reid (Nev.)
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.)
Vice-chair of Democratic Caucus Charles Schumer (N.Y)
Chairman of DSCC Robert Menendez (N.J.)
Conference secretary Patty Murray (Wash.)
Chair of the steering committee Debbie Stabenow (Mich.)
Republican Leadership
The Senate Republican caucus selected the following members to serve as their leadership:
Position / Member
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.)
Conference Chair Lamar Alexander (Tenn.)
Conference Vice-Chair John Thune (S.D.)
Policy Committee Chairman John Ensign (Nev.)
Chairman of the NRSC John Cornyn (Texas)

11. Committee Chairman Most work in House is done by committees
Committee chairmen become important
Seniority Rule: unwritten custom, just says important positions will be held by those in Congress the longest.

12. Committees in Congress
Chapter 12 Section 2
Committees in Congress

13. Standing Committees
They are permanent panels to which all similar bills are sent.
19 in House, 17 in Senate
9-75 members in House, in Senate
House members in 1 or 2, Senate 3 or 4
Most bills are decided in these committees before they ever reach the floor

14. STANDING, OR PERMANENT, COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS
HOUSE:
Agriculture -- Appropriations -- Armed Services Banking, Fiance and Urban Affairs -- Budget District of Columbia -- Education and Labor -- Energy and Commerce Foreign Affairs -- Government Operations -- House Administration Interior and Insular Affairs -- Judiciary -- Merchant Marine and Fisheries Post Office and Civil Service -- Public Works and Transportation Rules -- Science, Space and Technology -- Small Business Standards of Official Conduct -- Veterans' Affairs -- Ways and Means
SENATE:
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry -- Appropriations -- Armed Services Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs -- Budget Commerce, Science and Transportation -- Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works -- Finance -- Foreign Relations Governmental Affairs -- Judiciary -- Labor and Human Resources Rules and Administration -- Small Business -- Veterans' Affairs

15. House Rules Committee “traffic cop”
Even after bills clear their initial committee they must then clear the Rules Committee
The 13 member committee can speed up, delay, or prevent House action on a measure

16. Select Committees
Panels set up for a specific purpose, and for a limited time.
Members appointed by Speaker of House or President of the Senate

17. Joint and Conference Committees
Joint Committee: one composed of members of both houses.
Conference Committees: a temporary joint body created to iron out the differences in a bill.

18. HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ
Chapter 12 Section 3
HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

19. First Steps
A bill is a proposed law presented to the House or Senate for consideration.
Bills introduced in House by dropping them into a box on the clerk’s desk

20. Types of Bills and Resolutions
Joint Resolution: a proposal for some action that has the force of law when passed; usually deals with special circumstances or temporary matters
Concurrent Resolution: a statement of position on an issue, adopted by the house and senate acting jointly; does not have the force of law; does not require the President’s signature
Resolution: A measure dealing with some matter in one house; does not have the force of law; does not require the President’s signature

21. The Bill in Committee Majority of bills die in committee
Discharge petition: used to move bills to the floor that have been in committee for 30 days
Used in 2002 for Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

22. Scheduling Floor Debate
Five calendars in the House
Union Calendar; all bills having to do with revenues, appropriations, or government property
House Calendar; all other public bills
Private calendar; for all private bills
Correction Calendar; for bills taken out of order by unanimous consent, usually minor
Discharge Calendar; for petitions to discharge bills from committee

23. The Bill on the Floor
Committee of the Whole, only requires 100 members instead of quorum of 218
Debate: time limited to an hour without unanimous consent.
Speaker can force members to give up the floor
Voting: a bill can be voted on many times with its amendments
Final Steps: after second reading it is engrossed, meaning the bill is printed in final form. Approved then after third reading, and sent to President of Senates desk.

24. Bills in the Senate
Chapter 12 Section 4

25. The Bill in the Senate Introduced by senators
Given a number, read twice, then referred to committee
Less formal and less strict then the House
Only 1 calendar, not 5

26. Rules for Debate
Very limited in the House, almost unrestrained in the Senate
May speak as long as they want on whatever they want
“two-speech rule” no senator may speak more than twice on a given questions on the same legislative day.

27. HOMEWORK Chapter 12 Outline Due Next Class TEST NEXT CLASS
30 Multiple Choice Questions
Chapters over Congress