1. “Little Congresses” and the Committee Process
Fitz- AP Government
“Little Congresses” and the Committee Process

2. Does this represent America?

3. Demographic Make-up of America
OR DOES THIS?

4. IF THE U.S. HOUSE REPRESENTED WOMEN FULLY
222 REPRESENTATIVES
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 75

5. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Committees and Subcommittees
Standing committees: subject matter committees that handle bills in different policy areas
HOUSE
Rules
Sets conditions for debate
Ways and Means*
SENATE
Finance
Judiciary
Confirms justices to bring to a floor vote
Question to ponder: Why did the Framers give the HOUSE the power to initiate revenue bills?

6. Requesting Committee Assignments

7. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Committees and Subcommittees
Joint committees: a few subject-matter areas—membership drawn from House and Senate
Housekeeping rather than measures

8. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Committees and Subcommittees
Conference committees: resolve differences in House and Senate bills

9. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Committees and Subcommittees
Select committees: created for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation

11. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
The Committees at Work: Legislation and Oversight
Legislation
Committees work on roughly 11,000 bills every session
Only about 1,000 make it here

13. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Legislative oversight
Monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy through committee hearings
As publicity value of receiving credit for controlling spending has increase, so too has oversight grown
Oversight usually takes place after a catastrophe

15. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Seniority System-Getting on a Committee
Three purposes: reelection, gain influence, and make policy.
New members express their committee preferences to the party leaders.
Those who have supported their party’s leadership are favored in the selection process.

16. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Getting Ahead on the Committee
Committee chair: the most important influencer of congressional agenda
Manages bills before floor debate
Most chairs selected according to seniority system
Members who have served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress become chair

17. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Caucuses: The Informal Organization of Congress
Caucus: a group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic
Logrolling
Caucuses pressure for committee meetings and hearings and for votes on bills.
Caucuses can be more effective than lobbyists.

18. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Congressional Staff
Personal staff: constituent service=CASEWORK
Committee staff: organize hearings, research and write legislation, target of lobbyists
Staff Agencies: provide specific information to Congress
Congressional Budget Office
Government Accounting Office

21. “Little Congresses” and the Committee Process
Key Terms and Ideas
Explanation and Significance
Standing Committees:
House
Ways and Means
Finance
Judiciary
Joint Committees
Select
Conference
2 Purposes:
Legislation
Oversight
Seniority System
Caucuses
Logrolling
Casework