1. Introduction to Congress Institutions of Government #1

2. Rhetorical Question….

3. Fiscal Powers Collecting and Levying Taxes Borrowing Money Coining Money Punishing Counterfeiters

4. Military Powers Establishing a military force Organizing and arming the military Establishing Military Law Declare War

5. Trade Regulation Regulate Interstate Commerce (All commerce now considered Interstate) Cannot make laws that favor one state over another when it comes to trade

6. Miscellaneous Powers Establishing weights and measures Rules of citizenship Maintaining post office Protecting intellectual property Govern Washington D.C. Establish Federal Courts

7. Differences Between House and Senate House of RepresentativesAreaSenate 435 membersSize100 members 2 year termsTerm Length6 year terms Debate is limited Amendments are limited RulesUnlimited Debate Open Amendment Process Narrow (District) Constituency (Who They Represent) Broad (Whole State) High LevelPartisanship (Party Unity and Loyalty) More Independent Low Unless controversial Media AttentionGreater Generate Revenue Bills Impeach Officials PowersAppointment Confirmation Try Impeachment Hearings

8. Rules Differences Unlimited Debate in Senate Leads to a process known as the “Filibuster” A Filibuster is when an individual or a group of Senators attempt to keep debate alive on a bill they know they will lose.

9. The Filibuster

10. How to Stop a Filibuster “Cloture” must be established. (Official name is Rule 22 (1917) “Cloture” brings all debate to a close and forces a vote to take place Problem? It takes 60 votes to bring about cloture. Impact of this is….. Even though a group holds a minority in the Senate it can still block the passage of a bill

11. Parliament Candidates selected by the national party Voters choose between national parties, not multiple candidates Members of Parliament select the Prime Minister (Executive) Party members vote together on most issues Principal work is debate over national issues Members have very little actual power, very low pay, and few staff resources. Congress Candidates selected in primary elections Voters choose between multiple candidates from different parties Members do not select the chief executive. He is elected independently Party discipline is limited, not enduring Principal work is representation and action Members have a great deal of power, relatively high pay, and significant staff resources

12. Implications of Differences As a result of the differences the United States Legislative Branch is… Less unified More independent More representative of local issues Less organized More divided

13. Evolution of Congress Intentions of the Founders Oppose the concentration of power in a single institution To balance large and small states through Bicameralism To balance points of view: Federalism Expected Congress to be the dominant institution

14. Competing Values in Congress Centralization Allows congress to act quickly and decisively Requires… – Strong Central Leadership – Restrictions on debate – Little committee interfence Decentralization Allows for the protection of individual members and their constituencies Requires… – Weak leadership – Rules allowing for delay – Much committee activity

15. Centralization in the House and Senate The House of Representatives – Has become more and more decentralized over time – Partially a result of organization/rules changes – Catch 22: The large size of the House makes it difficult to be powerful without putting power in small leadership groups… but if those groups have too much power it will take power from individual members The Senate – Not as tense as the House due to smaller size and unique rules

16. Who is in Congress? Stats on the 112 th Congress (January 3 rd 2011- January 3 rd 2013) House has 362 men and 76 women Senate has 83 men and 17 women House has 361 Whites, 44 African-Americans, 25 Latinos, 7 Asians, and 1 Native American Senate has 96 Whites, 0 African-Americans, 2 Latinos, 2 Asians and 0 Native Americans

17. Gender and Race The House has a tendency to diversify faster than the Senate. Why? – Larger Size allows more opportunity – Racial breakdown of districts creates safer seats Members of color tend to advance to leadership positions faster than women due to greater seniority (safe districts, higher reelection rates)

18. Incumbency By the 1950s membership in Congress has become a career Most turnover seen after redistricting Incumbents still have greater electoral advantage

19. How do members of Congress vote? Representative View – Members vote to please constituents in order to get reelected Does not apply to all votes. Constituents must have a clear view and vote must be publicized. Applies in cases of civil rights and social welfare but not foreign policy. No clear relationship between those in safe seats or those in marginal seats.

20. How do members of Congress vote? Organizational View – Members vote based on cues from colleagues Applies when there is no vital constituent interests at stake Party is the principal cue Party members of the committee sponsoring the bill are most influential.

21. How do members of Congress vote? Attitudinal View – Members vote based on their ideology In the house the members ideology is more similar to the average voter. (WHY?) Senate is less representative of public opinion (WHY?) – Has it lead to a more polarized Congress? Since 1994 Congress has become more polarized along party lines. More hostility in Congress than in voters.