1. Insert Title Text POLS-101 - Week 10 - Professor Roe Topic: US Congress

2. Write down on a sheet of paper answers to the following questions: What do you know about congress? What comes to mind when you hear the word congress? Do you vote or have you participated in a political campaign for someone in Congress? Tonights Warm-Up

3. Framers of Constitution gave Congress the power of making legislature from Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution: “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.” Article I, Section 8, the “enumerated powers” which defined the powers and responsibilities of Congress and “elastic clause” which enhanced the enumerated powers and gave Congress the power to pass legislation necessary to carry out its powers. Congress - Constitutional Foundations

4. 113th Congress Bicameral Legislature (2 yr session) (1/3/2013 - 1/3/2015) Congress Requirements: 1) House of Representatives a. Based on Population b. 2 year terms c. Apportionment - Regardless of state size, state is guaranteed 1 seat (Congressional districts - U.S.Constitution) 1929 federal law set House seats at 435 total members representing the 50 states. Congress - Constitutional Foundations

5. Congress Requirements: 2) Senate a. 6 year terms (Rotates every 2 years based on Class) b. Equal Representation - Two senators from each state (100 Total) Class 1 - 33 senators who were elected in November 2012 and are up for reelection on November 2018 Class 2 - 33 senators who were elected in November 2008 and are up for reelection on November 2014. Class 3 - 34 senators who were elected in November 2010 and are up for reelection on November 2016. Classes in each US State: Classes 1 and 2 Classes 2 and 3 Classes 1 and 3 Congress - Constitutional Foundations

6. Congress - Race, Gender and Religion

7. Congress - Representation 112th Congress to the 113th, Democrats have increasingly represented racial diverse districts while Republicans have increasingly white districts.

8. Congress - Redistricting After the US Census (every 10 yrs) determines the state populations, the state legislatures or independent commissions draw the boundary lines, and in the case of state legislatures, the party that controls the state legislature will usually try to draw district lines in a way that will help them win elections. ●In 2008 CA voters approved Prop 11 which created an Independent Commission (CA Citizens Redistricting Commission) to redraw CA state districts lines instead of the CA State Legislature. ●In 2010 CA Prop 20 allows for this same Commission to also redraw congressional district lines. Results: ●California now has some of the most competitive districts in the nation. ●Half a dozen incumbents on both sides have lost seats to the new districts and California’s “top two” primary system. ●In the previous 10 years, incumbents were so safe that only one Congressional seat changed party control in 255 elections.

9. Gerrymandering ●Districts are drawn in unusual shapes to influence a certain political party or group ●Districts lines drawn to ensure demographics favor the party in power History: Name originated from Elbridge Gerry governor of Massachusetts in 1812 when he redrew a legislative district that looked like a salamander. Daily Show Gerrymandering Video

10. Reapportionment US Supreme Court (Wesberry vs. Sanders) 1964 - “One Person, One Vote” ●Districts must contain, as close as possible, equal number of people. ●Court case invoked the 14th amendment principle that no state can deny to any person “the equal protection of the laws.”

11. Incumbency Factor - US Senate The incumbent factor shows that overwhelming an incumbent of Congress will win 80- 90% of the time as shown below for the US Senate and US House of Representatives (Next Slide) Re-election Rates from 1964-2010.

12. Incumbency Factor - US House of Representatives

13. Incumbency Factor Why are incumbents almost always reelected? ●Gerrymandering - districts drawn in favor of one political party. ●Name Recognition - universally recognized in their districts especially if they just won the previous years. Access to media and mentioned in press regularly. ●Office Staff - sizable staff both in Washington, D.C. and back home in their states or districts. ●Time - full time with access to voters and donors vs challenger has to raise own money. ●Money - most significant advantage is that incumbents raise more money (See Table Below of Incumbents vs Challengers; source FEC). Candidate Status U.S. HouseU.S. Senate Incumbents $456,859,509$223,964,295 Challengers $112,498,172$79,852,117 Open-Seat Candidates $127,051,491$238,890,389 TOTAL $696,409,172$542,706,801

14. How Congress Works ●Each political party meets to decide its leaders; approve committee assignments, committee and subcommittee chairs, reach agreement on legislative objection. ●The majority party in house selects Speaker of the House and majority party in Senate selects President Pro Tempore and majority leader. ●The minority party in house and senate select each of their leaders. How Congress Works Video by US Historical Society US House of Representatives Committees Link: http://www.house.gov/committees/ http://www.house.gov/committees/ US Senate Committees Link: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_with_teasers/co mmittees_home.htm

15. Senate and House Majority and Minority Leaders Kevin McCarthy (R) House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D) House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R) House Majority Whip Harry Reid (D) Senate Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D) Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R) Senate Minority Leader John Cornyn (R) Senate Minority Whip John Boener (R) Speaker of the House Joe Bidden (D) Vice President and President of the Senate Patrick J. Leahy (D) President Pro Tempore

16. How Congress Works Speaker of the House ●Presiding over meetings of the House. ●Appointing members of joint committees and conference committees. ●Scheduling legislation for floor action. ●Deciding points of order interpreting the rules with the advice of the House parliamentarian. ●Referring bills and resolutions to the appropriate standing committees of the House. President of the Senate (Vice President of US) ●Votes only if there is a tie. ●Rarely is present for meetings. President Pro Tempore (Pro Tem) ●Elected, usually a member of the majority party. ●Presides in Vice Presidents absence. ●Mostly a ceremonial position like the president of Senate. Majority/Minority Leaders in House ●Elected by their parties in closed door caucus by secret ballot. ●Majority and Minority leaders serve as spokesperson for their parties and manage/schedule legislative and executive business. ●Majority and Minority Whips are second in line and gather votes on major issues. Majority/Minority Leaders in Senate ●Elected by the party caucuses ●Majority and Minority leaders serve as spokespeople for their parties and manage/schedule legislative and executive business. ●Majority and Minority Whips are second in line and gather votes on major issues.

17. Congressional Leadership Committee Chairs: ●Committee chairs are always members of the majority party ●Have most seniority ●Most consecutive years on a particular committee ●Based strictly on time served on committee ●Chairperson of committees schedules meetings, determine order of hearing bills, can lead debates when bills reach floor of chamber for full vote

18. Congressional Leadership Committee Types: ●Standing Committees ○20 permanent committees in House & 16 in Senate ○Responsible for a particular area of public policy ○Foreign policy, agriculture, defense, labor, judiciary ○House committees average 35-40 in House ○Senate committees average 20-25 in Senate ●Select Committees ○Created to perform specific tasks & are disbanded after they are done. Ex. Select Committee on Benghazi (Attack on US Embassy in Benghazi on 9/11/2012) ●Joint Committees ○Compose of members of Senate & House. Ex. Economy, Taxation, Library of Congress. ●Conference Committees ○Special joint committees form temporarily to work out differences in House & Senate versions of a particular bill

19. How Congress Works Committee Jurisdiction 1946 Legislative Reorganization Act Requires that each bill introduced in Congress be referred to the proper committee Jurisdiction The policy area in which it is authorized to act-must be sent to it for deliberation

20. How a Bill Becomes Law

21. Committee Hearings and Decisions ●Bill is a proposed legislative act ●Bills are prepared by executive agencies, interest groups, member of Congress ●Only Members can formally submit a bill for reconsideration ●Only about 10% of bills that committees consider reach the floor for a vote ●Other bills are tabled or “killed”

22. How a Bill Becomes Law Committee Hearings and Decisions ●If a bill has merit, subcommittees will schedule hearings,invite testimony by lobbyist, administrators, & experts who inform members on suggested policy ●In full committees & subcommittees can revise a bill in House ●Senate bills can only be amended by all Senators

23. How a Bill Becomes Law From Committee to the Floor House Rules Committee ●Schedules bill, limits debates ●Allow for open or closed rule (Amendments) ●House is too large to operate effectively without strict rules for the handling of legislation by full chamber Senate has No Rules Committee

24. How a Bill Becomes Law Cloture (Senate Only) ●All Senate bills are subject to unlimited debate unless a 3/5 majority of the full ●Senate votes and limits debate to 30 hours Filibuster (Senate Only) A procedural tactic whereby a minority of senators prevent a bill from coming to a vote by holding the floor & talking until other senators give in & the bill is withdrawn from consideration Daily Show Rand Paul Filibuster

25. How a Bill Becomes Law Leadership and Floor Action Conference Committee ●Irons out differences of 2 versions of a bill ●Compromise and come up with 1 version ●Final vote from House & Senate for approval ●Members of the conference committees are usually appointed from the House & Senate standing committees that worked on the bill originally ●Final version sent to president

26. How a Bill Becomes Law President has 10 days ●Signs bill, it becomes Law. ●Veto, refuse to sign, kills bill sent back to Congress with reasons for veto. ●Congress can override the veto with 2/3 vote of both Houses bill becomes Law. ●If president does not sign or veto within 10 days except Sundays, and Congress in session Bill becomes law ●Pocket Veto - If Congress is not in session bill dies if president takes no action.

27. Things to Consider ●What’s a district? ●What is Gerrymandering? ●Redistricting? ●Importance of Incumbent ●Advantages of Incumbent ●Disadvantages of Incumbent ●Filibuster ●Cloture ●4 options the President has with a bill ●Senators have Congressional Districts? No - They represent the whole state. ●House have Congressional Districts, based on population. ●How many districts does California have? Hint: 53 They have 53 House of Representatives. Every state is guaranteed 1 representative.