1. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congress

2. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Representatives and Senators The Members 535 Members – 100 Senators and 435 Representatives. House members – At least age 25 and U.S. citizens for 7 years. Senators – At least age 30 and U.S. citizens for 9 years. All members must reside in state from which they are elected. LO 12.1 To Learning Objectives

3. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Representatives and Senators The Members (cont.) African Americans make up about 10% of the House members and 13% of the total population, and 1 Senator is African American. Hispanics make up 5.5% of the House members and 15% of the total population, and 3 Senators are Hispanics. To Learning Objectives LO 12.1

4. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Representatives and Senators The Members (cont.) Asian Americans – 4 House members and 2 senators. Native Americans – 1 House member. Females make up more than 50% of the population, but only 17% of the members of Congress with 72 in the House and 17 senators. To Learning Objectives LO 12.1

5. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Representatives and Senators The Members (cont.) Descriptive representation is representing constituents by mirroring their personal, politically relevant characteristics. Substantive representation is representing the interests of groups. To Learning Objectives LO 12.1

6. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.1

7. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Representatives and Senators Why Aren’t There More Women in Congress? Fewer women than men become major party nominees for office. Women with children run for office less than men because of child care responsibilities. Women are less likely than are men to run when they perceive their odds to be poor. To Learning Objectives LO 12.1

8. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.1

9. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections Who Wins Elections? Incumbents – Those already holding office. In congressional elections, incumbents usually win. House elections – 90% of the incumbents seeking reelection win and most of them win with more than 60% of the vote. LO 12.2 To Learning Objectives

10. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.2

11. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections The Advantages of Incumbency Advertising – Ads in newspapers and on television. Credit Claiming – Servicing the constituency through casework and pork barrel. Position Taking – Voting and responding to constituents’ questions. To Learning Objectives LO 12.2

12. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections The Advantages of Incumbency (cont.) Weak Opponents – Not well known or well qualified and lack experience and organizational and financial backing. Campaign Spending – The typical incumbent outspent the typical challenger by a ratio of more than 3 to 1 in Congressional races in 2008. To Learning Objectives LO 12.2

13. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections Role of Party Identification Most Congress members represent constituencies in which their party is in the clear majority. Most people identify with a party, and they reliably vote for their party’s candidates. About 90% of voters who identify with a party vote for the House candidates of their party. To Learning Objectives LO 12.2

14. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections Defeating Incumbents One tarnished by scandal or corruption becomes vulnerable to a challenger. Redistricting may weaken the incumbency advantage. Major political tidal wave may defeat incumbents. To Learning Objectives LO 12.2

15. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections Open Seats Greater likelihood of competition. Most turnover occurs in open seats. Usually occurs when a Congressmen retires or dies while in office. To Learning Objectives LO 12.2

16. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Congressional Elections Stability and Change Incumbents provide stability in Congress. Change in Congress occurs less frequently through elections. When it does occur, it usually means a major shift in power between political parties. To Learning Objectives LO 12.2

17. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Lesson #2 Congressional Organization, Leadership, and Committees.

18. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy American Bicameralism Bicameral Legislature – A legislature divided into two houses. The U.S. Congress and all state legislatures except Nebraska’s are bicameral. (Nebraska is Unicameral) LO 12.3 To Learning Objectives

19. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.3

20. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy American Bicameralism (cont.) House Rules Committee – The committee in the House that reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House. Rules Committee is responsive to the House leadership because the Speaker of the House appoints the committee’s members. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

21. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy American Bicameralism (cont.) Filibuster – A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill. Sixty members present and voting can halt a filibuster. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

22. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Congressional Leadership Speaker of the House – An office mandated by the Constitution and chosen by the majority party. Majority leader – The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House, or the party’s manager in the Senate. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

23. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.3

24. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Congressional Leadership (cont.) Whips – Party leaders work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers for votes on bills favored by the party. Minority Leader – The principal leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

25. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Congressional Leadership (cont.) President of the Senate – The United States Vice President. Vice presidents can vote to break a tie. Modern vice presidents are active in representing the president’s views to senators. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

26. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Congressional Leadership (cont.) Despite their stature and power, congressional leaders cannot always move their troops. Power in both houses of Congress is decentralized. Leaders are elected by their party members and must remain responsive to them. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

27. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Committees and Subcommittees Standing committees – Subject matter committees that handle bills in different policy areas. Joint committees – Few subject matter areas with membership drawn from House and Senate To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

28. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.3

29. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Committees and Subcommittees (cont.) Conference committees – Formed when the Senate and the House pass a bill in different forms to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill. Select committees – Created for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

30. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Committees and Subcommittees (cont.) More than 9,000 bills are submitted by members in the course of a two-year period. Every bill goes to a committee, which has virtually the power of life and death over it. Legislative oversight – How the Congress monitors bureaucracy. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

31. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Committees and Subcommittees (cont.) Committee assignments help members get reelected, gain influence, and make policy. New members express committee preferences to party leaders. Those who have supported their party’s leadership are favored in the selection process as parties try to grant committee preferences. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

32. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Committees and Subcommittees (cont.) Committee Chair – Dominant role in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills on the floor. Seniority System – Members who have served on the committee the longest and whose party is the chamber majority become chair. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

33. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Caucuses: The Informal Organization of Congress Caucus (congressional) – A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Caucuses are composed of members from both parties and from both houses and their goal is to promote the interests around which they are formed. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

34. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.3

35. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy Congressional Staff Personal staff – They provide constituent service and help with legislation. Committee staff – They organize hearings, and research and write legislation. Staff Agencies – CRS, GAO, and CBO provide specific information to Congress. To Learning Objectives LO 12.3

36. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Lesson #3 The Law Making Process and Linkage Institutions in Congress

37. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Congressional Process Bills About 9,000 bills are introduced in each Congress. A bill is a proposed law, drafted in legal language. Anyone can draft a bill, but only a member of the Congress can introduce a bill. LO 12.4 To Learning Objectives

38. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Congressional Process How a Bill Becomes a Law Bill Introduction – By a member. Committee Action – Subcommittee hearings and committee rewrites. Floor Action – Votes, debates, and amendments offered. Conference Action – Compromise bill to iron out differences. Presidential Decision – Sign bill into law or veto bill. To Learning Objectives LO 12.4

39. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.4

40. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Congressional Process Presidents and Congress: Partners and Protagonists Presidents attempt to persuade Congress that what they want is what Congress wants. Presidents have many resources to influence Congress. Presidents must win at least 10 times and their leadership of Congress is at the margins. To Learning Objectives LO 12.4

41. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Congressional Process Party, Constituency, and Ideology Party Influence – Party leaders cannot force party members to vote a particular way, but many do vote along party lines. Polarized Politics – Differences between Democrats and Republicans in Congress have grown considerably since 1980. To Learning Objectives LO 12.4

42. To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman LO 12.4

43. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Congressional Process Party, Constituency, and Ideology Constituency Opinion – On the controversial issues, members are wise to vote based their constituency opinion. Member Ideology – The dominant determinant of member’s vote on most issues is their ideology. To Learning Objectives LO 12.4

44. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman The Congressional Process Lobbyists and Interest Groups 35,000 registered lobbyists represent 12,000 organizations seeking to influence Congress. The bigger the issue, the more lobbyists will be working on it. Lobbyists try to influence legislators’ votes. Congress can ignore, reject, and regulate the lobbyists. To Learning Objectives LO 12.4

45. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Understanding Congress Congress and Democracy Not representative – Leadership and committee assignments. Congress does try to respond to what the people want, but some argue it could do a better job. The 535 members of Congress are responsive to the people, if the people make clear what they want. LO 12.5 To Learning Objectives

46. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Understanding Congress Congress and Democracy The central legislative dilemma for Congress is combining the faithful representation of constituents with making effective public policy. Congress tries to be both a representative and an objective policymaking institution. To Learning Objectives LO 12.5

47. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Understanding Congress Congress and the Scope of Government More policies by Congress means more service to constituencies. More programs that get created, the bigger the government gets. Contradictory – Everybody wants government programs cut, but just not their programs. To Learning Objectives LO 12.5