1. Chapter 13: Congress
Unit 4

2. Congress Versus Parliament
Copyright © 2013 Cengage
Congress
Independent representatives of districts or states (decentralized)
Work = representation, individual voting, establishing laws
Parliament
Loyal to national party leadership
Work = debate & party voting to keep Prime Minister and cabinet members in power

3. POWERS OF CONGRESS Article 1, section 8 from pocket constitutions!
Taxes
Borrow money
Regulate commerce (trade) – foreign & interstate
Naturalization & bankruptcy laws
Coin/Print money & establish counterfeit laws/punishments
Establish post offices
Issue patents & copyrights
Create lower federal courts
Establish laws, control & punishments concerning the seas
Declare war
Raise & support army/navy
Provide for militia through states (National Guard)
Necessary and Proper Clause**

4. Bicameral Structure
2 Chambers: House of Reps & Senate 113th Congress: January 2013 – January 2015 ** based off of 2012 midterm elections Party Polarization: Majority of the 2 major political parties opposing the other Post 1970s = GREAT increase in party polarization in congress and decrease in bipartisan compromise

5. Polarization in Congress
CLICK ON THE LINK
Congress: In the Real World
2. Select “In the Real World” from the right tab
3. Click on the “VIDEO” tab and watch video

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Note: A party vote occurs when the specified percentage (or more) of one party votes against the specified percentage (or more) of the other party.
Sources: Updated through 2008 by Zach Courser; NES data as reported in 2001–2002; Harold W.
Stanley and Richard G. Niemi, Vital Statistics on American Politics (CQ Press, 2001), 211. Reprinted by
permission of Congressional Quarterly, Inc.

7. Why Polarization in Congress post 1970s?
Prior to 1970s:
“Seniority based” leadership
- much experiences and practiced the “art” of the political deal (bipartisan compromise)
Established Interparty coalitions to obtain chairmanships
Post 1970s:
“Disappearing center”
- conservative democrats and liberal republicans = EXTINCT!
NOT “senior based” leadership
- congressmen = more bold and set in political ideologies than older more experienced congressmen

8. Party Unity Lower today than 100 years ago, but…..
Ideology important variable explaining party voting (members vote with their party 80% of the time)
Polarization trends:
HR = 36%; S = 37%
HR = 73%; S = 69%
HR = 43%; S = 49%
WATCH FIRST 3 MIN – Stewart on Congress

9. Congressional 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

10. Who’s in Congress?

11. Who’s in Congress?

13. House of Reps 435 members (population of state) 2 year terms
MUST be 25 yrs. Old
MUST be U.S. citizen for 7 years
MUST be resident of state representing
* Power to impeach (formally accuse)
* Handle bills dealing with money (taxes/spending)
233 Republicans
3 Vacancies
201 Democrats

14. Senate 100 members (2 per state) 6 year terms MUST be 30 yrs. Old
MUST be U.S. citizen for 9 years
MUST be resident of state representing
* Handles foreign/ratification treaties
* Approves presidential appointments
* Hold impeachment trials and remove officials from office
53 Democrats
2 Indep. (Caucusing with Dems)
45 Republicans

15. House v. Senate Senate House 435 members; 2 yr terms
Low turnover
Speaker bill referral hard to challenge
Scheduling/rules controlled by majority party with powerful Rules Committee (controls time of debate, amends., etc)
Senate
■ 100 members; 6 yr terms
■ Moderate turnover
■ Referral decisions easily challenged
■ Scheduling/rules agreed to by majority & minority leaders

16. House v. Senate: IN COMMITTEE
■ Debate limited to 1 hour
■ Members policy specialists
■ Emphasizes tax & revenue policy
■ More formal & impersonal
Senate
■ Unlimited debate unless cloture invoked
■ Members policy generalists
■ Emphasizes foreign policy
■ More informal & personal

17. Congress: The Basics Explained
CLICK ON THE LINK
Congress: The Basics
2. Select “The Basics” from the right tab
3. Click on the “VIDEO” tab and watch video

18. Congressional Elections
Incumbency!! REELECTION RATES = 90% average

19. Congressional Elections
Marginal Districts: close/competitive elections (less than 55% of vote) Safe Districts: incumbent landslide election (more than 55% of vote) ** DIFFERENCE MAKER = $ and name recognition!! ** Elections where there is no running incumbent = MORE COMPETITION and more spending

20. House Leadership mentioned in Article 1, section 2 of the Constitution
Speaker of the House:
- Majority party (R) elected
* GOAL = pass legislation favored by majority party
POWER Phase #6 – “powerful speaker”
Selects chair memberships of committees
Selects 9 of the 13 members on the House Rules Committee
Appoints ALL members of select committees and conference committees
Determines which bills go to which committee for action
Determines which bills reach the floor and runs vote

21. House Leadership: REPUBLICANS
Speaker of the House : John Boehner
Majority Leader: Eric Cantor
* elected by majority party
* assists Speaker, helps schedule business
Majority Whip: Kevin McCarthy
* “spokesperson”/reporter to majority leader on stance of committee members and voting trends to predict and schedule floor voting
* get the “inside scoop” on views/attitudes of controversial issues
* mobilizes members
Chairman of Conference
Policy Committee
Committee on Committees
National Republican Congressional Committee
Research Committee

22. House Leadership: DEMOCRATS
Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi
* elected by minority party
* coordinates with/opposes the majority leader
Minority Whip: Steny Hoyer
* “spokesperson”/reporter to minority leader on stance of committee members and voting trends to predict and schedule floor voting
* get the “inside scoop” on views/attitudes of controversial issues
* mobilizes members
Chairman of the Caucus
Steering & Policy Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

23. House Committees Standing Committee:
* 19 standing committees, 100+ subcommittees, 3 permanent select committees
Standing Committee:
permanent committees with specific responsibilities
Subcommittees :
formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees
** REFERENCE YOUR HOUSE COMMITTEE CHART from student group presentations!
Rules Committee
Appropriations Committee
Ways and Means

24. Appropriations Committee
March 2, 1865, the House separated the appropriating, banking and currency duties from the Committee on Ways and Means (established in 1789). It assigned them to two new committees:
Committee on Appropriations
Committee on Banking and Currency
** Handles the “appropriations” of money that bills and pieces of legislation receive. Until 1865, all "general" appropriations bills had been controlled in the House by the Committee on Ways and Means (also in charge of revenue measures) Membership of the Committee: 51 total members  29 R, 22 D
12 Subcommittees:
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Defense
Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
Financial Services and General Government
Homeland Security
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Legislative Branch
Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

25. Ways and Means Committee
U.S. CONSTITUTION
Article I, Section 7, of the Constitution of the United States provides as follows:
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution of the United States provides the following:
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and...To borrow Money on the credit of the United States.

26. Congressional Committees
Joint Committee:
committees composed of BOTH House and Senate members
Joint Economic Committee
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Conference Committee:
committee made up of Speaker appointed House and Senate members to draft an identical version of a bill/legislation
Select Committee:
committees appointed for certain purposes and for a limited time, INVESTIGATIVE by nature, go beyond the jurisdiction of standing committees
House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming
Senate Select Committee on Ethics
House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence

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29. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., holds a photo of an oil covered
Copyright © 2013 Cengage
AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., holds a photo of an oil covered
pelican as he questions BP CEO Tony Hayward on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 17, 2010, during the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee hearing on the role of BP in the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill.

30. Senate Leadership: Party Organized
DEMOCRATS
President of the Senate
(Vice President- Joe Biden)
President Pro Tempore
(majority party – Patrick Leahy)
Majority Leader (Harry Reid D-NV)
Majority Whip (Richard Durbin D-IL)
Chairman of Conference
Policy Committee (12+ senators of each party = choose bills to focus on)
Steering Committee (assigns senators to committees – 22 members)
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

31. Senate Leadership: Party Organized
REPUBLICANS
Minority Leader
(Mitch McConnell R-KY)
Minority Whip
(John Cornyn R- TX)
Chairman of Conference
Policy Committee (12+ senators of each party = choose bills to focus on)
Committee on Committees (assigns senators to committees – 18 members)
Republican Senatorial Committee
SENATE LEADERSHIP

32. Committee Changes/Reform: Party Dictated
DEMOCRATS (1970s)
Majority party selects committee chairs by secret ballot
Chairs cannot block legislation by refusing to send bill to subcommittee
ALL committees and subcommittees must be public (unless by vote to keep them closed)
ObamaCare Committee Hearing
Subcommittee chairs = elected by committee members
Subcommittee chairs can hire own staffers (without committee chair influence)

33. Committee Change/Reform: Party Dictated
REPUBLICANS (1990s)
Decreased # of committees and subcommittees
Committee chairs hire subcommittee chairs
Term limits:
CHAIRS (committees & subcommittees) = 3 terms/6 years total
SPEAKER = 4 terms/8 years total
- Chairs cannot cast vote for absent committee member

34. Congressional Behavior
3 Theories
Representational:
congressmen want reelection and vote to please and represent their constituents
* Focus on big issues that matter to constituents (civil rights, gun control)
Organizational:
congressmen want to please fellow members of congress, NOT constituents
* Party voting… all congressmen are NOT informed on all issues
Attitudinal:
congressmen vote how they please because conflicting pressure on issues cancel out

35. Organization of Congress
STAFFERS ** increased rapidly in the 20th century! Committee & Individual Staffers= work FOR legislators - routine chores - “handle” constituents - serve as communication link between constituents and legislators (inform legislators of district concerns, work to get legislator reelected)

36. Organization of Congress
STAFF AGENCIES * Work for congress as a whole  give congress specialized info. on issues/topics CRS (Congressional Research Service) - NEUTRAL information service (D & R) GAO (General Accountability Office) - serve congress… head appt. by president - policy and government investigation CBO (Congressional Budget Office) - advises on impact of program spending - tracks economic trends

37. resolution - a measure expressing opinions on policies or issues
Types of Resolutions
resolution - a measure expressing opinions on policies or issues
simple resolution – “house-keeping” or procedural measure needed only in one chamber (HR or S)
Ex. Rules Committee in House
concurrent resolution – legislative motion that must be approved by both chambers (HR & S), but does not have the force of law
Ex. Amendment process
joint resolution – measure approved by both chambers (HR & S) AND the president carries the force of law

38. Legislative Process: Bill  Law
1. Introduction of Bill:
proposed piece of legislation that has not yet been passed  markups
School House Rock
Senate:
Bill formerly read aloud on floor
Bill then given to clerk
Referred to committee by Steering Committee
House:
Bill dropped in hopper
Referred to committee by the Speaker

39. Legislative Process: Bill  Law
Bill Assigned to Committee and/or Subcommittee
- by speaker (HR) or Steering Committee (S)
- committee with proper jurisdiction
** most bills DIE in committee!
Hearing
- complicate the bill and the process
- witnesses testify, questioning, evidence presented (interest groups, congressmen, public support)
Rules Committee
- committee and subcommittee make changes that must be approved by the house
** Important for committee to introduce favorably
Discharge petition: HR majority (218) vote to bring bill to floor for vote (RARE)
Open rule: amendments can be made on the floor
Closed rule: limits/restricts debates and amendments that can be made to bill

40. Legislative Process: Bill  Law
Floor Action: HOUSE of REPS
Rules Committee schedules bills on calendar & decides whether amendments may be added
Earmarks:
hidden pieces of a bill that exempt or order the federal govt. to fund = causes conflict!
HR = limited debate (1 hour)
Floor vote: Recorded/Roll Call, Standing,
Voice

41. Legislative Process: Bill  Law
4. Floor Action: SENATE
Party leaders schedule bills for floor debate on
the calendar
Riders:
irrelevant amend. changes made to bill = conflict!
Filibuster:
senator speaking for extended amount of time to
delay or prevent measure from coming to vote
Senator Strum Thurman still holds the record for the longest filibuster - 24 hrs 18 min. on the 1957 Civil Rights Act
Ted Cruz Filibuster
Ted Cruz Filibuster Speech
Double Tracking:
majority vote to set filibustered bill aside temporarily for senate to move on with business
Cloture:
3/5 vote in Senate (60 members) to end filibuster

42. Legislative Process: Bill  Law
5. Chamber Voting
House of Reps  Senate
Approved bill must pass each chamber by a simple majority
Conference Committee
if both chambers do not agree on identical version
Voting on final version of the bill
Presidential Action (veto or signing into law)
* pocket veto, item line veto
Note: Congress can override veto with 2/3 vote in each house; only 4% of vetos have been overridden

43. Copyright © 2013 Cengage
Photo courtesy of the Office of the Clerk of the House
The electronic voting system in the House of Representatives displays each member’s name on the wall of the chamber. By inserting a plastic card in a box fastened to the chairs, a member can vote “Yea,” “Nay,” or “Present,” and the result is shown opposite his or her name.

44. How a Bill Becomes a Law Replace with jpeg, p. 343
Copyright © 2013 Cengage
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Replace with jpeg, p. 343

45. Legislative Productivity
Divided Government: When the executive branch party is opposite of one or both chambers of legislative branch Unified Government: Executive branch and both chambers of legislative branch are of the same party

46. Legislative Process: Bill  Law
Fact: About 5,000 bills are introduced in Congress every year, but only about 150 are signed into law.
PROJECT VOTE SMART!
Mock Congressional Legislation
Select legislation ideas for hopper
Vote on House Speaker
** READ/Access handout in order to carry this process through!
Who shall the speaker beeee???!

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