Welcome! Seng AP Government What’s the opposite of Congress? PROGRESS

Constitutional review of congress Basis of Constitutional authority is found in Article I Important powers: levy taxes, coin money, declare war, regulate commerce Implied powers Overrides vetoes w/ 2/3s majority

Hard work; rigorous schedule Powerful position The job… Hard work; rigorous schedule Powerful position Office space in Washington and at home Congressional staff Travel allowances Franking

The Members 535 Members 100 Senators 435 Representatives

House Senate Requirements At least 25 years of age American citizen for seven years Resident of the district from which you are elected Senate At least 30 years of age American citizen for nine years Resident of the state from which you are elected

Typical Prior Occupations… Law Business Education Public service Agriculture Journalism Real Estate Medicine

Congressional Elections Held every two years in November Who wins? INCUMBENTS Incumbency advantage stronger in the House than in the Senate

Incumbency Advantages Name Recognition Credit Claiming Position-Taking Weak opponents Campaign spending Experience in running a prior, successful campaign

When an incumbent decides not to run again, the seat is open Open Seats When an incumbent decides not to run again, the seat is open Greater likelihood of competition

Gerrymandering Baker v. Carr (1962) Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)

Money in Congressional Elections Most congressional campaign funds come from individual contributions, but about one-third come from PACs PACs usually support incumbents

How Congress is organized… Bicameral legislature A legislature divided into two houses

Key Differences House Senate 6-year term 100 Relaxed Generalist Foreign policy 2-year term 435 Formal Specialist Tax policy

House Rules Committee House Unique to the House Reviews bills coming from committee before they go to the full House Schedules time for debate POWERFUL Remember, with 435 members, there has to be strict control of debate

Senate Filibuster – strategy unique to Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death Sixty members present and voting can halt a filibuster by voting for cloture

Speaker of the House Chosen by the majority party Second in line of succession for the presidency Presides over the House when in session Recognizes members who desire the floor Major role in making committee assignments Appoints party leadership Exercises control over which bills get assigned to which committees

Responsible for Majority Leader Scheduling bills Influencing committee assignments Rounding up votes in behalf of the party’s legislative positions Serving as a spokesperson for party positions and interests Serving as an intermediary in both intraparty and interparty negotiations

Leader of the minority party in the House or Senate Minority Leader Leader of the minority party in the House or Senate Essentially does the same things the majority leader does but only regarding the minority party

Whips Work with the Majority or Minority Leaders to count votes beforehand and lean on ‘maybes’ whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party

When members of Congress exchange support Logrolling When members of Congress exchange support

Four Types of Committees Standing committees separate subject-matter committees that handle bills in different policy areas [in both houses]

Four Types of Committees Joint committees committees on a few policy areas with membership from both houses

Four Types of Committees Conference committees formed when Senate and House pass a bill in different forms they hammer out the differences and report back to each house with a compromise bill

Four Types of Committees Select committees appointed for a specific purpose

Bills, Omnibus legislation, Riders Bill - proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language Omnibus legislation – miscellaneous bill Riders – stipulations attached to a bill, oftentimes does not relate to the content of the bill

Play a huge role in the committee agenda Committee Chairs Play a huge role in the committee agenda Schedule hearings, hire staff, appoint subcommittees, manage bills when brought to the House floor Seniority used to determine who would chair a committee, not this is not necessarily the case

How a bill becomes a law A bill is drafted and introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate The bill is referred to the House Committee The bill is referred to the Senate Committee The bill is referred to the House Subcommittee The bill is referred to the Senate Subcommittee House Committee Hearing Senate Committee Hearing House Subcommittee/ Committee mark up Senate Subcommittee/

Passes House Committee Passes Senate Committee How a bill becomes a law Passes House Committee Passes Senate Committee House Rules Committees calendars it for debate in the House Calendared for debate in the Senate Floor debate in the House in the Senate Full vote in the House Full vote in the Senate Conference committee mark up Second full vote

If president vetoes, 2/3 majority of both houses overrules How a bill becomes a law Bill is sent to the President President signs or Vetoes If president vetoes, 2/3 majority of both houses overrules LAW

What does this process mean for Congress? Congress is slow Congress is negative It is easier to stop legislation than to pass it Politicians need to be more pragmatic than principled for things to get done Have to reach a compromise for the process to work

Legislative Oversight Process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy Handled through hearings

Congressional Caucus A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic