1. Congress
U3, C11

2. Major Differences Between the House and Senate
Larger body (435 members)
Smaller body (100 members)
Shorter term (2 years); entire House up for reelection every two years
Longer term (6 years); 1/3 of Senate up for reelection every two years
Smaller constituencies (elected from districts within States)
Larger constituencies (elected from entire State)
Qualifications
25 years old
Citizen of US for 7 years
Inhabitant of State from which elected
-30 years old
-Citizen of US for 9 years
-Inhabitant of State from which elected
Less prestige
More prestige
Lower visibility in the news media
Higher visibility in the news media
Strict rules, limited debate
Flexible rules, nearly unlimited debate
Most work is done in committees, not on the floor
Work is split more evenly between committees and the floor
Initiate revenues bills and Impeachment
Approves or rejects treaties and presidential appointments; Removal from office

3. Electing Congress Incumbency Effect
Congressional elections offer voters chance to show approval of Congress’ performance or demonstrate their disapproval
Name recognition
Redistricting: gerrymandering
Casework: services for constituents
Campaign financing: challengers must spend large sums of money to run strong campaign against incumbent
Successful challengers
Incumbents vulnerable: age, lack of seniority, scandal, unfavorable redistricting

4. Whom do we Elect? Typical members of Congress:
Upper-class professionals
Lawyers and businesspeople
Increase in number of minorities
Descriptive representation: view that a legislature should resemble the demographic characteristics of the population it represents

5. Racial Gerrymandering Shaw v. Reno, 1993
Racial gerrymandering: drawing a legislative district to maximize chance that minority candidate will win election
Shaw v. Reno: North Carolina 12th Congressional district, attempt to increase minority representation
Outcome: “intensive and pervasive use of race” to protect incumbents and promote political gerrymandering violated 14th amendment
2001 case altered ruling slightly by finding race was not an illegitimate consideration in drawing Congressional boundaries as long as it was not the “dominant and controlling” factor

6. How Issues Get on the Congressional Agenda
Formal legislative process begins when a member of Congress introduces a bill
Someone must perceive that a problem exists or that an issue needs to be resolved
Highly visible event focuses national attention on a problem
Presidential support for an issue
Party leaders and committee chairs
Efforts of Interest Groups

7. School House Rock – “I’m Just a Bill”
How a Bill Becomes a Law
School House Rock – “I’m Just a Bill”

8. Congressional Committees
Committee Type
Description
House Example
Senate Example
Standing Committee
Permanent committee that specializes in particular policy area
Judiciary: jurisdiction over measures relating to law, courts and judges, immigration, interstate compacts
Environment and Public Works: pollution, highway construction and repair, fisheries, environment
Select (Special) Committee
Temporary committee created for specific purpose; disbanded after purpose fulfilled
Homeland Security: Border patrol, threats and counter-terrorism, cyber security, emergency response
Special Committee on Aging: retirement, elderly workers, healthcare for seniors
Joint Committee
Committee made up of members of both House and Senate; concern with particular policy areas
Joint Economic Committee: analyzes country’s economic problems
Conference Committee
Temporary committee created to work out the differences between Senate and House versions of a piece of legislation
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Committee: create new jobs and save existing ones; help the economy

9. Role of Committees Expertise and Seniority
Influence in Congress increases with member’s expertise
Seniority: years of consecutive service
Senior member of majority party becomes committee chair
Markup session: meetings at which subcommittees and committees debate and amend legislation
Importance of negotiation and compromise
Oversight: process of reviewing agencies’ operations to determine whether they are carrying out policies as Congress intended
Hearings
Requiring reports from agencies
Informal: contacts between committee and agency
Programs serve constituents
Extension of efforts to control public policy
Pluralism
Role of Committees

10. LEADERSHIP IN CONGRESS
HOUSE
SENATE
Presiding Officer and Party Leader
Presiding Officers
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
President Pro Tempore
Party Officers
Party Officers
Majority Floor Leader
Minority Floor Leader
Majority Floor Leader
Minority Floor Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip
Minority Whip

11. Leadership in Congress: House of Representatives
Leadership Position
Current Leader
Roles/Responsibilities
Speaker of the House
Represents his/her district
Leader of the majority party
Leader of the House
House Majority Leader
Schedule legislation for the floor
Plan the agenda
Work to advance the goals of the majority party
House Majority Whip
Counts votes
Whips up supports for majority legislation
Keeps members focused on party mission
House Minority Leader
Traditional role
Campaign for own party
House Minority Whip
Manages his or her party’s legislative program on the floor
Keeps track of legislation; Attendance

12. Leadership in Congress: Senate
Leadership Position
Current Leader
Roles/Responsibilities
President of the Senate
Vote if there is a tie
Ceremonial Position
President Pro Tempore
President if the Vice President is not there
Honorary position; most senior member of the majority party
Senate Majority Leader
Real power; schedules legislation; consult with minority leader about getting bills through Congress - compromise
Senate Minority Leader
Schedules legislation with majority leader; compromise
Senate Majority Whip
Keeps track of vote count; rallies support for legislation on the floor
Senate Minority Whip
Assist minority leader in coordinating votes of minority party on issues

13. Rules and Norms
Rules of Procedure (parliamentary procedure): scheduling of legislation, when and how certain types of legislation can be brought to floor, introduction of amendments
Facilitate cooperation; tool of majority
House
Amendments to bills must be germane (relevant) to bill at hand
Rules Committee: govern floor debate
Senate
Except in specified instances, amendments that are not germane to bill at hand can be proposed
Unanimous consent to set starting time and length of debate
Filibuster: talk a bill to death; Cloture: means of limiting debate
Norms: unwritten codes of behavior
Members show respect for colleagues during deliberations
Individual members should be willing to bargain with each other
Junior members of House and Senate serve apprenticeships and defer to party and committee elders (change in recent years)
Aggressive, impatient, ambitious junior legislators

14. Legislative Environment
Political parties
Limited resources to influence voting
Party leaders and committee chairs help organize rank-and- file members
President
Chief Legislator
Constituents
Members have to think about what the voters back home want
Interest groups
Source of useful information for members

15. Dilemma of Representation
Trustee: representatives obligated to consider the views of their constituents; not obligated to vote according to those views if think misguided
Delegate: legislator whose primary responsibility is to represent the majority view of his or her constituents, regardless of his or her own view