How Congress WorksHow Congress WorksPart 1:Part 1:
Who’s in Congress?Who’s in Congress?
Demographic Profile of Congress
Age GroupsAge Groups
EthnicityEthnicityGenderGender
PartyParty
Source: Source: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tthttp://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt
House-Senate DifferencesHouse-Senate Differences HouseHouse
435 members; 2 yr 435 members; 2 yr termsterms
Low turnoverLow turnover Speaker bill referral Speaker bill referral
hard to challengehard to challenge Scheduling/rules Scheduling/rules
controlled by majority controlled by majority party with powerful party with powerful Rules Committee Rules Committee ((controls time of debate, controls time of debate, amends., etc)amends., etc)
SenateSenate 100 members; 6 yr 100 members; 6 yr
termsterms Moderate turnoverModerate turnover Referral decisions Referral decisions
easily challengedeasily challenged Scheduling/rules Scheduling/rules
agreed to by majority & agreed to by majority & minority leadersminority leaders
House-Senate DifferencesHouse-Senate Differences HouseHouse
Debate limited to 1 Debate limited to 1 hourhour
Members policy Members policy specialistsspecialists
Emphasizes tax & Emphasizes tax & revenue policyrevenue policy
More formal & More formal & impersonalimpersonal
SenateSenate Unlimited debate Unlimited debate
unless cloture unless cloture invokedinvoked
Members policy Members policy generalistsgeneralists
Emphasizes foreign Emphasizes foreign policypolicy
More informal & More informal & personalpersonal
Party LeadershipParty Leadership
Bicameral Democratic Bicameral Democratic LeadershipLeadership
110th Congress110th Congress
Senate Republican Senate Republican LeadershipLeadership
110th Congress110th Congress
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Speaker (majority party)
Democrats:• Majority Leader• Majority Whip• Chairman of the
Caucus• Steering & Policy
Committee• Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee
Speaker of the HouseNancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Majority LeaderSteny Hoyer (D-MD)
Majority WhipJames Clyburn (D-SC)
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Republicans:• Minority Leader• Minority Whip• Chairman of
Conference• Policy Committee• Committee on
Committees• National Republican
Congressional Committee
• Research Committee
Minority LeaderJohn Boehner (R-Ohio)
Minority WhipRoy Blunt (R-MO)
SENATE LEADERSHIPSENATE LEADERSHIP
President of the Senate (Vice President)
President Pro Tempore (majority party)
Democrats:• Majority Leader• Majority Whip• Chairman of Conference• Policy Committee• Steering Committee• Democratic Senatorial
Campaign CommitteeMajority LeaderHarry Reid (D-NV)
President Pro TempRobert Byrd (D-WV)
Majority WhipRichard Durbin
(D-IL)
President of the Senate
Dick Cheney (R-WY)
SENATE LEADERSHIPSENATE LEADERSHIP
Republicans:• Minority Leader• Minority Whip• Chairman of
Conference• Policy Committee• Committee on
Committees• Republican Senatorial
Committee
Minority LeaderMitch McConnell
(R-KY)
Minority WhipTrent Lott (R-
MS)
Strength of Party Structure?
• Measure of party strength: 1.Ability of leaders to
control party rules and organization
2.Extent to which party members vote together in the House and Senate
• Senate: less party-centered and leader oriented
Party UnityParty Unity
• Lower today than 100 years ago, but…..Lower today than 100 years ago, but…..
• Ideology important variable explaining party Ideology important variable explaining party voting (members vote with their party 80% of the voting (members vote with their party 80% of the time)time)
• Party polarizationParty polarization - vote in which majority of - vote in which majority of democrats oppose majority of republicansdemocrats oppose majority of republicans
• Polarization trends:Polarization trends:o 1976 HR = 36%; S = 37%1976 HR = 36%; S = 37%o 1995 HR = 73%; S = 69%1995 HR = 73%; S = 69%o 2000 HR = 43%; S = 49%2000 HR = 43%; S = 49%
CAUCUSES
• Groups (may be bipartisan) meeting to pursue common legislative objectives
• Rivals to parties in policy formulation• Examples: Democratic Study Group, Congressional Black Caucus, Tuesday Lunch Bunch, Human Rights, Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, Out of Iraq Caucus,Rural Caucus, Travel & Tourism Caucus, House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children
"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.”
- Woodrow Wilson
Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:
Function and Function and PurposePurpose
Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:Function & PurposeFunction & Purpose
1. Consider bills (a.k.a. “mark-up” bills)
A bill with a member’s mark-up notes
Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:Function & PurposeFunction & Purpose
2. Maintain oversight of executive agencies
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing re: the Department of Defense Budget (May, 2006)
Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:Function & PurposeFunction & Purpose
3. Conduct investigations
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006)
Types of CommitteesTypes of CommitteesStanding Committees - permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities• Subcommittees – formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees
Select or Special Committees - groups appointed for a limited purpose and limited duration
Joint Committees - includes members of both chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks
Conference Committee - includes members of House & Senate to work out differences between similar bills
Standing CommitteesStanding Committees
House Standing CommitteesHouse Standing CommitteesAgricultureAppropriationsArmed ServicesBudgetEducation & WorkforceEnergy & CommerceFinancial ServicesGovernment ReformHouse Admin.International Relations
JudiciaryResourcesRulesScienceSmall BusinessStandards of Official Conduct
Transportation & Infrastructure
Veterans AffairsWays & Means
Senate Standing CommitteesAgriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
AppropriationsArmed ServicesBanking, Housing, & Urban Affairs
BudgetCommerce, Science, Transportation
Energy & Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
FinanceForeign RelationsGovernmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
JudiciaryRules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs
Special, Select Committees
• House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming
• Senate Select Committee on Ethics
• House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence
Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Joint Committees• Joint Economic Committee• Joint Committee on Printing• Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee Joint Committee on Taxation on Taxation hearinghearing
The Legislative Obstacle Course
How A Bill Becomes LawHow A Bill Becomes LawFact: About 5,000 Fact: About 5,000
bills are bills are introduced in introduced in Congress every Congress every year, but only year, but only about 150 are about 150 are signed into law.signed into law.
1.1. Explain why so few Explain why so few bills become law.bills become law.
2.2. Is that a good Is that a good thing or a bad thing or a bad thing?thing?
3. Should the legislative process in Congress be reformed? If yes, what changes would you recommend? If not, why not?
Source: Source: http://acswebcontent.acs.org/olga/legissummbilltolaw.pdhttp://acswebcontent.acs.org/olga/legissummbilltolaw.pdff
Title: Resolution Artist: Bob GorrellDate: 12/28/06 Source: http://www.gorrellart.com/
Artist: R.J. Matson, New York Observer & Roll CallDate: 1/18/07Source: http://www.cagle.com
Title: Imagine there’s no Congress Artist: Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-GazetteDate: 6/06/07 Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com/
Title: Senator Reid Can Handle the TruthArtist: RJ MatsonDate: 6/18/07Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com
Source: http://bigpicture.typepad.com/ Date: 5/6/06
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