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The United States CongressSuppose you were an idiot. And
suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
Mark Twain
More partisan and unifiedMore loyalty to partyMore structured and organizedMajority rules alwaysLimited debate and amendments
The House of Representatives
Senators more powerful individuallyLess party-oriented and party- dependentLooser rules of debate and amendmentsMinority can block the majority
(the “filibuster”)
The Senate
Special Rules of the Senate
Unlimited debate
Bills brought to floor by consent of party leaders
Filibusters (can be ended by a “cloture vote”,60 votes)
The “hold” put on bills“non-germane” amendments
Structure of the HouseChosen from the Majority Party
Speaker of the House:
John Boehner (R - OH)
Elected by House members
Only Congressional office mentioned by the Constitution
Duties: controls debate, approves committee assignments, designates which bills are considered by the House
Structure of the House
The Majority Leader
Eric Cantor (R – VA)
The Majority Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R- CA)
Structure of the House
The Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi (D – CA)
The Minority Whip
Steny Hoyer (D- MD)
Structure of the Senate
President of the Senate:
Joseph Biden
Duties:
presides over the Senate
can not vote unless there is a tie
rarely present in the Senate
Structure of the Senate
The Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D – NV) The Majority Whip
Richard Durban ( D - IL)
Structure of the Senate
The Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell ( R - KY)
The Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R – AZ)
The Committees
Four Types:
Standing (permanent)
Joint (for investigations)
Select (info gathering)
Conference (to reconcile
different bills from
House and Senate)
The Committees Most Important (House)
Sander Levin (D-MI)
Norm Dicks (D- WA)
Jerry Lewis (R – CA)Louise Slaughter
(D – NY)
David Dreier (R –
CA)
Ways and Means
David Camp (R – MI)
Rules
Appropriations
Energy and Commerce
Henry Waxman (D – CA)
Fred Upton (R – MI)
The Senate CommitteesAppropriations
Daniel Inouye (D
– HA)
Thad Cochran (R – MS)
Judiciary
Patrick Leahy (D
– VT)
Finance
Max Baucus (D
– MT)
Charles Grassley (R – IA)
Foreign RelationsJohn
Kerry (D –MA)
Richard Luger (R – IN) Budget
Jeff Sessions (R – AL)
Kent Conrad (D – ND)
(Orrin Hatch
R – UT)
The Committees
Chair Positions:
Based on seniority
Majority party holds chairs
Power to hold or move bills forward or “pigeonhole” them
Conducts hearings
The CommitteesStaff
Does research
Gathers information
Assigned to committees
or to Congress itselfRep. Sam Hall (R – TX)
Powers of CongressNon-legislative:
Investigative (i.e. Watergate)
Power to subpoena witnesses and gather information
Powers of Congress
Non-legislative:
Electoral – chooses president when no majority is achieved in Electoral College
Powers of CongressNon-legislative:
Executive – Senate Confirms appointments of the president
Also confirms
treaties
Powers of CongressNon-legislative:
Impeachment: House files charges,
Senate acts as jury, Chief Justice presides
Powers of CongressNon-legislative:
Amendment: two thirds of House and Senate needed to send amendments to States (3/4 needed for ratification)
Powers of CongressTypes
Expressed: Article I, Section VIII, clauses 1 - 17
Implied: “necessary and proper” (clause 18)
(the “Elastic Clause”)
“To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers…”
The Electoral ConnectionAdvantages of the
incumbent:
“franking” or unlimited mailings to home district
The Electoral ConnectionAdvantages of the incumbent:
Money and the ability to raise money
The Electoral Connection
Constituency service
Advantages of the incumbent:
Bill Flores – R – TX 17)
The Electoral Connection
Credit claiming
Name recognition
Position taking
Advantages of the incumbent:
The Electoral ConnectionAdvantages of the incumbent:Lack of quality opponents
Ignorant voters
The Electoral ConnectionReasons for defeat:
Scandal Re-districting
Re-alignment of electorate: 1932, 1994, 2006, 2010?
The Electoral ConnectionUsually nonfactors:
Foreign Policy Economy “coattails”
Can be factors occasionally (2006, 2008, 2010)
How a Bill Becomes A Law!
How a Bill Becomes A Law!
Bill is introduced by a member in House
YouTube - I'm Just a Bill
Hello, Bill!
How a Bill Becomes A Law!
Member of Congress submits bill, read by clerk, and then put in “the hopper”
Can be “killed” by Speaker or sent forward to Rules Committee
How a Bill Becomes A Law!Bill sent to the Rules Committee, to
determine which committee is to work on it (or it can be “pigeonholed”)
Bill dies
How a Bill Becomes A Law!
Sent to the Committee, assigned to a subcommittee
Subcommittee holds hearings, performs studies, and makes revisions (“mark-up”)
How a Bill Becomes A Law!
Subcommittee reports it back to full committee
Committee can either:
Approve it
“pigeonhole” it
Kill it!
How a Bill Becomes A Law!Back to the Rules
Committee
Sets guidelines on:
length of debate
amendments, yes/no
type of vote
put on the calendar
How a Bill Becomes A Law!Full House Debate
YES – on to the Senate
NO – bummer!
Bill is killed!
How A Bill Becomes a Law!Bill introduced to the Senate by a member
Assigned to appropriate committee by Senate leadership (no Rules Committee in the Senate)
McConnell Reid
How A Bill Becomes a Law!Subcommittee hearings, mark-ups, etc.
Report to the full committee
Committee can kill it or pass it
Sends it to the Senate leadership to be put on the calendar
How A Bill Becomes a Law!
How A Bill Becomes a Law!
Full Senate debate, filibusters, amendments, final vote
If yes: conference committee
If no: big bummer!
How A Bill Becomes a Law!Conference Committee
made up of both House and Senate members
works out differences in the two bills
Sent back to original
body for final vote
No debate or
amendments
Yes or No
How A Bill Becomes a Law!
Sent to President
If signed:
IT’S A LAW!
Veto: sent back to Congress for possible 2/3 override
Influences on LegislationThe President The Courts
Events
Interest Groups
The Media
Influences on Legislation
The Party
Constituent demands
Crazy , Right Wing, God-
fearin’ Conservatives
AP Government Classes