[ 4.5 ] Congress at Work—Organization and Committees

[ 4.5 ] Congress at Work—Organization and Committees Key Terms Speaker of the House John Boehner president of the Senate, Joe Biden president pro tempore Patrick Leahy party caucus floor leaders majority leader. minority leader. whips. committee chairmen seniority rule standing committees subcommittees select committee, joint committee conference committee Learning Objectives Describe how and when Congress convenes. Compare the roles of the presiding officers in the Senate and the House. Identify the duties of the party officers in each house. Describe how committee chairman are chosen and explain their role in the legislative process. Explain how standing committees function. Describe the responsibilities and duties of the House Rules Committee. Describe the role of select committees. Compare the functions of joint and conference committees.

Congress Convenes What comes to mind when you hear the word Congress? It is, in fact, a very complex enterprise, and much larger than most people realize. * Some 30,000 men and women work for the legislative branch today Congress appropriates some $5 billion every year to finance its own many-sided operations.

Congress Convenes Congress convenes every two years—on January 3 of every odd-numbered year. The House has formal organizational meetings at the beginning of each term to determine committee membership and standing officers. The Senate has fewer organizational issues to address at the start of each term… WHY? because it is a continuous body Article II, Sec. 3?...Purpose? When Congress is organized, the President presents a State of the Union message to a joint session of Congress. This message, in which the President reports on the state of the nation as he sees it, is given annually. Original Intent? Modern Application??

The Presiding Officers Article I, Section 2, Clause 5 Article I, Section 3, Clause 4 Significance? The Speaker of the House The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the acknowledged leader of the majority party. The Speaker’s main duties revolve around presiding over and keeping order in the House. The Speaker names the members of all select and conference committees, and signs all bills and resolutions passed by the House. The President of the Senate The job of president of the Senate is assigned by the Constitution to the Vice President. The president of the Senate has many of the same duties as the Speaker of the House, but cannot cast votes on legislation. The president pro tempore, the leader of the majority party, is elected from the Senate and serves in the Vice President’s absence.

The Presiding Officers

Party Officers Reflections of Both?? The Party Caucus What section of the Constitution dictates the organization of majority/minority party leaders? Washington’s Warning John Stewart Mill “A party of order or stability, and a party of progress or reform, are both necessary elements of a healthy state of political life.” Reflections of Both?? The Party Caucus The party caucus is a closed meeting of the members of each party in each house which deals with matters of party organization. The Floor Leaders The floor leaders are party officers picked for their posts by their party colleagues. The party whips assist the floor leaders and serve as a liaison between the party’s leadership and its rank-and-file members.

Party Caucus This chart shows party strength at the start of the past 15 terms of Congress. Analyze Charts What is the largest majority each party has held in each house over the past 30 years?

115th Congress

Most work is done in committee Chair holds a “strategic post” Committee Chairs The bulk of the work of Congress, especially in the House, is really done in committee. Thus, committee chairmen—those members who head the standing committees in each chamber—hold very strategic posts. The chairman of each of these permanent committees is chosen from the majority party by the majority party caucus. Note the title chairman is used here because this is the form historically used in Congress, although some committees have moved to chair or chairwoman when led by a woman. These men and women are always ranking members of the majority party. Bullet Points? Most work is done in committee Chair holds a “strategic post” Majority party chooses the Chair The Chair is always a “ranking member”

Committee Chairmen and Seniority Rule The committee chairmen are the members who head the standing committees in each chamber of Congress. The chairman of each of these permanent committees is chosen from the majority party by the majority party caucus. Seniority Rule The seniority rule, an unwritten custom, holds that the most important posts will be held by those party members with the longest records of service in Congress. The head of each committee is often the longest-serving member of the committee from the majority party. Criticisms of the seniority rule??

Standing Committees Standing committees are permanent panels in Congress to which bills of similar nature could be sent. Most of the standing committees handle bills dealing with particular policy matters, such as veterans’ affairs or foreign relations. The majority party always holds a majority of the seats on each committee (the lone exception being the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct).

Standing Committees Then-chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Undersecretary of Defense Dov Zakheim testify before a 2003 Senate Appropriations Committee Why is Appropriations a standing committee?.

Critical Thinking The Seniority rule is an unwritten rule that committee chair positions go to the longest serving member of the committee. Pros & Cons?? How did Committee Chairmen traditionally control legislation. As Congress has become more partisan what has happened to the power of Committee chairmen?

Standing Committees Chairing a committee is viewed as a powerful role and a badge of honor. Analyze Charts What conclusions can you draw about committees' jurisdictions based on their titles? What will have changed on this chart for 2015?

Members appointed by leadership Select Committees At times, each house finds a need for a select committee, sometimes called special committees. They are panels set up for some specific purpose and, most often, for a limited time. The Speaker of the House or the president of the Senate appoints the members of these special committees, with the advice of the majority and minority leaders. Bullet Points: Specific purpose Temporary Members appointed by leadership

The House Rules Committee and Select Committees The Rules Committee decides whether and under what conditions the full House will consider a measure. This places great power in the Rules Committee, as it can speed, delay, or even prevent House action on a measure. The Select Committees Select committees are panels established to handle a specific matter and usually exist for a limited time. Most select committees are formed to investigate a current matter.

How does the italicized statement above violate the founders’ intent? Joint and Conference Committees A joint committee is one composed of members of both houses. Some of these are select committees set up to serve some temporary purpose. Most are permanent groups that serve on a regular basis. Because the standing committees of the two houses often duplicate one another’s work, many have long urged that Congress make much greater use of the joint committee device. Bullet Points: Members from both houses both temporary and permanent Handle duplication How does the italicized statement above violate the founders’ intent?

Joint and Conference Committees A joint committee is one composed of members of both houses. Examples of joint committees include the Joint Economic Committee, the Joint Committee on Printing, and the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress A conference committee—a temporary, joint body—is created to iron out differences between bills passed by the House and Senate before they are sent to the President.

Joint and Conference Committees This chart describes four long-standing and permanent joint committees. Analyze Charts Why are some matters dealt with by joint committees?

Review Legislative Committees: Function and Purpose

Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose 1. Consider bills (a.k.a. “mark-up” bills) A bill with a member’s mark-up notes

Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose 2. Maintain oversight of executive agencies Oversight Hearing on Bengahzi

Legislative Committees: Function & Purpose 3. Conduct investigations New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006

Quiz: The Presiding Officers Why is it important that the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate vote to break a tie? A. so that the president of the Senate can participate in Senate business B. so that Congress is not at a standstill because of a single vote C. so that the Speaker can exercise legislative power D. so that Congress upholds tradition

Quiz: Party Officers Why is it important that party whips serve as a liaison between the party's leadership and rank-and-file members? A. because the whips tell the leadership the number of votes that can be counted on B. because the leadership doesn't often interact with the rank-and-file members C. because the rank-and-file members don't often know which way to vote D. because the whips let each group know what the other is doing

Quiz: Committee Chairs A committee chair could be out of touch with current public opinion by A. being too old. B. coming from a gerrymandered district. C. having served too many years in Congress. D. coming from a district in which they run unopposed.

Quiz: Standing Committees It is important that Congress have standing committees A. so that Congress upholds its traditions. B. so that chairpersons can have a special role in Congress. C. so that members become knowledgeable on a particular topic. D. so that presiding officers don't have to deal with particular bills.

Quiz: Select Committees Why is congressional oversight an essential part of the lawmaking process? A. It allows Congress to ensure State governments are following current laws. B. It allows Congress to ensure federal agencies are following current laws. C. It allows Congress to interpret the Constitution. D. It allows Congress to interpret the Bill of Rights.

Quiz: Joint and Conference Committees Why is it important for Congress to form a conference committee? A. so that a bill gets passed and there aren't further delays in Congress B. so that important parts of a bill get cut completely in order to satisfy both houses C. so that a bill is shorter and less complicated D. so that a bill gets passed and members of Congress can go home