Chapter 7 Outline Gov

8/3/2019 Chapter 7 Outline Gov

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Chapter 7 Outline

y The Constitution and the legislative branch of government Article I Senate: 6 year terms

y Originally elected by states until 17th amendment-then by people

House: 2 year termsy Elected in each district

o Apportionment and Redistricting 435 Limit in House Apportionment: number of seats per state adjusted Redistricting: Redrawing district lines to divide

reapportioned reps

o Constitutional Powers of Congress Shared Powers between houses: make laws, declare war,

raise army, coin money, regulate commerce, establish

federal courts, rules of immigration, necessary and

proper laws

y How Congress is organized Election of new leaders top priority for new congress

(every 2)

o The House of Representatives House has more people= more rules and structure Speaker of the House: The chambers most powerful

position; elected at the beginning of each new congress;

member of the majority party; oversees house business;

official spokesperson; second in line for presidential

succession; Newt expanded power of speaker

Other House Leaders: Majority and minority leadersy Majority Leaders: 2nd most important person in

house; helps speaker with scheduling

y Minority Leadery Whips: elected by party members in caucuses;

whip dems and repubs into line on partisan issues

o The Senate Presiding officer is the VP


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Official chair: pro tem- selected by majority party andpresides in absence of VP; stays in office until change in

majority party

Majority Leader: true leader ofSenate- less power thanspeaker of the house

Smaller= less ruleso Role of Political Parties in Organizing Congress

Parties play key role in committee systemo The Committee System

Standing Committees: bills referred to for consideration Joint Committees: expiate business between houses and

focus public attention on major matters

Conference Committees: joint committees that reconciledifferences in bills

Select/Special Committees: temporary committeesappointed for specific purposes

Committee Membership: Usually seek committeeassignments that have access to pork (legislation that

allows reps to bring money and jobs into their districts)

reelected easier

Committee Chairs: lots of power and prestige; House-interviews for loyalty to party Senate- Elected by Seniority

y The Members of Congress Must attempt to appease two constituenciesparty

leaders, colleagues, and lobbyists in D.C. and constituents

at home

o Running for Office and Staying in Office Incumbency: helps members to stay in office once elected

o Congressional Demographics Better educated, richer, more male, more white, mostly

lawyers

o Theories of Representation Trustees: listen to opinions of their constituents and can

be trusted to use good judgment for final decisions

(according to Burke)

Delegates: Vote solely the way the constituents want themto- must be willing to vote against personal preference

Politicos: depends on issue


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y How Members make decisionso Party

Indicate how to vote Partisanship still plays role

Committees help to provide campaigning supporto Constituents

Want to please them so that they are reelectedo Colleagues and Caucuses

Usually turn to people educated on subject of bill forinformation

Logrolling/Vote trading: one congress member supportsbecause outcome doesnt affect him in exchange for

someone else saying yes to something that does affect his

area

o IG, Lobbyists, PAC To provide information Pressure groups use grassroots appeals (bottom up) Give campaign funding in order to gain votes

o Staff and Support Agencies Members rely on staffs for info on pending legislation Prepare summaries of bills Can be very influential of how congressman votes

y Law Making Function of Congress Organization allows it to fulfill constitutional responsibilities System of multiple vetoes Stages: subcommittee; house full committee; house rules

committee; the house; the senate subcommittee; the full

senate committee; the senate; floor leaders in both

houses; house-senate conference committee; the

president

o How bill becomes a law: Textbook version Approved by one or more standing committees and both

chambers, and, ifHouse and Senate versions differ, each

house must accept a conference report resolving those

differences.

Bill may be killed during any of those stages House and Senate have parallel processes Filibusters: unlimited debate on a bill


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Cloture: Only one way to end a filibuster- motion require4svotes of 60 members to limit debate to no more than 30

additional hours

Vetoes: denies

President can sign the bill-becomes a law; President canveto bill; President can wait full 10 days and bill becomes

law; If Congress adjourns before 10 days president can

choose not to sign bill- considered pocket vetoed

Pocket veto: allows bills stashed in presidents pocket todie

o How Bills Really Become a Law The China trade act of 2000 Trade Act of 1974: President can grant any nation most

favored trade status- brings favorable US tariff treatment.

y Limited when it came to communist nations- Chinacould only get it a year at a time

y Clinton administration pushed a bill to stop year-by-year approval

y Legislation extended to PNTRy China joined WTO in 1999/2000y Clinton released $10 million ad campaigny Allowed 3 hours of debate by Rules Committee-

closed to amendments

y Campaigned to put pressure of bill approvaly Passed in house and was transmitted to Senatey Senate permitted amendmentsy Bill signed bill onto law

y Congress and the President Constitution set up to where Congress and president would

have discreet powers and check one another

Pres usually has more power but Congress can impeacho Shifting Balance of Power

Between president and congress Seesawed over time Many times president called fourth to make important

decisions about legislature

o Congressional Oversight of the Executive Branch


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Oversight: congressional review of the activities of anagency, department, or office.

Increased since 60s Checking on possible abuses of powerby military, government officials, and president.

Ability to question is key

Congressional review: a process whereby congress cannullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of

legislative disapproval

Foreign Affairs Oversight: Foreign affairs control splitbetween executive and Congress; President has become

increasingly powerful in FA; War Powers Act; President has

to consult with Congress and withdraw troops if Congress

doesnt declare ware in 60 days.

Confirmation of Presidential Appointments: Senateoversights through ability to confirm key members of

executive

Impeachment Process: Congress oversight of President;House and Senate control how process operates

y Congress and the Judiciary Power ofJudicial Review: review constitutionality of laws

passed by Congress

Congress over Judiciary: establish size of supreme court;senatorial courtesy: presidents, when selecting district

court judges, defer to the senator in whose state the

vacancy occurs

Congress over Judicial: setting the jurisdiction of thefederal courts- signals when congress things courts have

gone too far

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Chapter 7 Outline Gov