Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning CONGRESS Chapter Eleven

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Learning Outcomes 1. Describe the major powers of the Congress as granted by the Constitution. 2. Explain the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate with regard to their constituencies, terms of office, powers and political processes. 3. Describe the processes of reapportionment and redistricting. 2

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Learning Outcomes 4. Discuss the importance of committees to the lawmaking process and to the ability of members of the Congress to do their jobs. 5. Describe the leadership structure in each house of Congress, noting the differences between the House and the Senate. 6. Demonstrate how a bill becomes a law and explain how the different processes in the House and the Senate influence legislating. 3

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Functions of Congress  Lawmaking  Representation  Service to constituents  Oversight  Public education  Conflict-resolution 4

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Functions of Congress  Representation function:  Often at variance with lawmaking function  Trustee view of representation  Instructed-delegate view of representation  Politico style (combination) 5

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Functions of Congress  Service to constituents:  Casework and “hillstyle”  Ombudsperson role  Oversight function:  Committee hearings and investigations  Budgeting  Nomination review  Special commissions 6

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Functions of Congress  Public-education function:  Public hearings  Bureaucracy oversight  Debate on major issues  Conflict-resolution function:  Resolves societal conflicts  Interest groups seek help to resolve grievances 7

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Powers of Congress  Enumerated Powers  Right to collect taxes and spend  Regulate commerce  Power to declare war  Necessary and Proper Clause  Checks on Congress  Presidential veto  Supreme Court  Elections  House vs. Senate bills 8

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning House-Senate Differences  Size and rules  House = 435 representatives; more formal rules  Senate = 100 senators; looser procedures  Debate and filibustering  Senate has filibuster and cloture  Prestige  Senators generally enjoy more recognition and prestige 9

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Differences between the House and the Senate 10

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Congresspersons and the Citizenry: A Comparison  Compared to average Americans, members of Congress are:  Older  Disproportionately white and male  High-status occupations  Wealthy  But gender and ethnic diversity increasing 11

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Characteristics of the 112 th Congress,

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Congressional Elections  Elections decentralized: conducted by state governments according to federal guidelines  One-third of seats chosen every two years  Territories/Washington DC – nonvoting delegates  Candidates  May be self-selected or recruited by party  Average cost $1.4 million for House, $9.7 million for Senate  Presidential coattails (if president popular) 13

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Midterm Gains and Losses by the Party of the President,

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Power of Incumbency 15

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Congressional Apportionment  Reapportionment : allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census  Redistricting: redrawing of boundaries of districts within each state  Gerrymandering 16

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Original Gerrymander 17

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Congressional Apportionment  Redistricting after 2010 Census  Controlled mostly by Republicans  Packing and cracking  Nonpartisan redistricting  Predominantly by county  More competitive  “Minority-majority” districts  Constitutional challenges 18

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The First Congressional District of Ohio 19

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Congressional Districts of Iowa 20

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Fourth Congressional District of Illinois 21

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Perks and Privileges  Permanent professional staffs  Privileges and immunities  Caucuses: another source of support  Party caucuses most important  Other examples:  Democratic Study Group  Rust Belt Caucus  Congressional Women’s Caucus 22

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Committee Structure  Power of committees  “Little legislatures”  Chairpersons have significant authority  Schedule hearings and formal action on bill  Determine which committees act on legislation  Discharge petitions 23 Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning

The Committee Structure  Types of committees  Standing Committees  Select Committees  Joint Committees  Conference Committees  House Rules Committee  Selection of committee members  Appointed  Seniority system (informal process) 24

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Standing Committees of the 112th Congress,

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Formal Leadership House Leadership  The Speaker  Majority Leader  Minority Leader  Whips Senate Leadership  Vice President  President pro tempore  Majority Leader  Minority Leader  Whips Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning 26

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning Leadership in the Senate 27

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning How Members of Congress Decide  Party membership is major determinant of how members vote, but not the only factor  Conservative coalition  “Crossing over”  Logrolling, earmarks, and “pork” 28

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning How Members of Congress Decide  How a bill becomes law  Must pass through both houses of Congress  “Money bills” must start in the House  Similar steps in both chambers  Study, discussion, hearings, markup  Scheduling and debate  Conference committees  Joint resolutions 29

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning How a Bill Becomes Law

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning How Much Will the Government Spend?  Preparing the budget  Fiscal year cycle (October 1– September 30)  Office of Management and Budget  Congress faces the budget  Authorization  Appropriation  Budget resolutions 31

Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning The Budget Cycle 32