1. Congress: The First Branch of Government
Chapter 7
Congress: The First Branch of Government

2. Senator James M. Jeffords
7-2
Senator James M. Jeffords
Jeffords decided to leave the Republican party and gave the Democrats control of the Senate
Jeffords said he needed to represent his state more than his party
His departure represents the struggle member of Congress face- which majority do they support?

3. Congress and the Constitution
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Congress and the Constitution
Congress is established as the center of American government
The two chambers are organized differently with different leadership structures
Along with power, the Framers wanted controls on Congress

4. Congress and the Constitution
7-4
Congress and the Constitution
Representation: Selection and Size
Members should be selected from large areas and serve longer terms to enable them to do their job
The debate about proper selection and size continues today with neither liberals nor democrats being satisfied

5. Congress and the Constitution
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Congress and the Constitution
Bicameralism
Two houses were seen as another check on current political passions
Even the legislative duties were divided between the houses to reflect the different people that were expected to be in Congress

6. Congress and the Constitution
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Congress and the Constitution
Separation of Powers
Public opinion and political action were also separated amongst the different branches of government
Parliamentary democracies don’t have this division of power

7. Congressional Dominance
7-7
Congressional Dominance
Organizing Congress: The Emergence of the Party Caucus
Parties were not wanted by the Framers, yet the allow Congress to carry out its duties
Jefferson used parties in Congress to help him carry out his objectives
Party leaders and party caucuses then became significant political forces

8. Congressional Dominance
7-8
Congressional Dominance
The Rise of the Power of the House Speaker
Henry Clay transformed the normally unassuming role of Speaker to be party leader of the House of Representatives
Clay went on to further establish Congress as the dominant branch of government

9. Congressional Dominance
7-9
Congressional Dominance
President vs. Congress – Democrats vs. Whigs
The election of Adams in 1824 indicated to some that Congress had gained too much power and become corrupt
Adams and Clay created the Whig party in part to support the power of Congress
Jackson used his party to help his election in 1828 over Adams

10. Congressional Dominance
7-10
Congressional Dominance
President vs. Congress – Democrats vs. Whigs (continued)
Jackson made many decisions that angered some in Congress
Jackson and his allies worked to enlarge the party system
Parties allow public opinion to flow to both Congress and the president

11. Congressional Dominance
7-11
Congressional Dominance
The Emergence of the Citizen Legislature
High turnover didn’t allow for seniority
High turnover was caused in part by living conditions in Washington
Partisan competition and the high turnover contributed to an average citizen being in Congress

12. Congressional Dominance
7-12
Congressional Dominance
Congress at the Center of the Action
The Sumner-Brooks incident illustrates the central role Congress played
Congress became an educational center on politics for the rest of America
Even Lincoln and Johnson were unable to recast the president as the main institution for federal government

13. Congressional Dominance
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Congressional Dominance
The Height of Congressional Government
Party organizations wielded large amounts of power, even over congressional campaigns
Parties even exerted influence over the leadership of Congress, and even the presidency

14. Congressional Dominance
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Congressional Dominance
Party Government
Speaker Reed altered the way a quorum was counted and changed the way the rules committee operated
The Senate remained more independent with rules regarding filibusters and cloture
Parties were criticized for working against the interests of the many

15. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
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The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
A Revolution in the House
Speaker Cannon used his power to push through his proposals, not those of the president
The Progressive Movement rallied Republicans to join Democrats to change the rules of the House to strip the Speaker of many powers

16. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
7-16
The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
Senate Reform
The Senate was targeted for reform by Progressives as well
Ultimately the reforms ended the legislative appointment of Senators
Senators were now elected directly by the voters

17. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
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The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
The Emergence of Committee Government
Committees and their chairs became the dominant force in Congress, even greater than party
Eventually the president and Congress switched roles, with the president being the dominant force in political activities

18. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
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The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
The Growth of Committee Staff
Staff sizes grew considerably when the aim of committees changed to oversight of agencies within specific jurisdictions
Members of Congress used their increased staff to keep tabs on legislation and provide constituent service

19. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
7-19
The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
An Institution in Crisis
As members of Congress focused more on their committees and constituents, the executive branch took the policy lead
Public perception of Congress declined due to chairs that seemed out of touch with current political ideas

20. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
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The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
Going Along to Get Along
Fellow Texans Rayburn and Johnson used accommodation and compromise to lead Congress in the committee government era
Even when Eisenhower was in office, the two still worked to accommodate the president’s agenda

21. The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
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The Emergence of Congressional Professionalism
The Rules Committee Fight
The battle over Civil Rights remained because Congress did not follow presidential lead
The Rules Committee was weakened as the result of Rayburn’s work
This reduced a major roadblock in Congress

22. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
Two wars turned some public opinion away from presidents and back to Congress
Nixon outraged many in Congress by trying to take back control of government

23. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
Watergate
This scandal ultimately led to the first and only resignation of a president
Congress acted to restrict the activities of the president in several areas, specifically the budget and foreign involvements

24. The Resurgence of Congress
7-24
The Resurgence of Congress
Congressional Reform
Congress passed several rule changes regarding committee chairs and subcommittees in general
The new power of the subcommittees led to a variety of “new” policies from the government
Some power has slowly shifted back to the leaders of each house in Congress

25. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
The Limits of Congressional Oversight
As the administration became more detailed, Congress had to let the agencies retain leadership
As the staff and specialization of Congress continued, Congress began to resemble the executive branch

26. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
Divided Government and Institutional Combat
Party politics divided much of what Congress attempted to do in such a way that some items didn’t get done
Investigations became more common
Congress still opposed the president relating to the size of government

27. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
A New Congress
Clinton could not pass national healthcare even with a majority of Democrats in Congress
The revolution of 1994 saw attacks on Clinton and Congress
The leadership of Congress gained back much of the power that had been lost

28. The Resurgence of Congress
7-28
The Resurgence of Congress
The Renewal of Institutional Conflict
Republicans promised to reduce government, but did not do so
The parties still clashed over budget and benefit programs
This time, the president enjoyed more public support for his stance on the issues

29. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
Impeachment
The Independent Counsel’s report cited possible grounds for impeachment
The mid-term elections altered a little of the party numbers in Congress, but the House still impeached Clinton
Clinton avoided conviction on both charges when the Senate voted

30. The Resurgence of Congress
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The Resurgence of Congress
Contemporary Constitutional Questions
Bush still fights Congress on foreign policy issues, and in the use of executive privilege
Bush has gotten resolutions from Congress supporting his wars on terror and Iraq

31. Box 1 – Nuts and Bolts How a Bill Becomes a Law
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Box 1 – Nuts and Bolts
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Bills are referred to committees where most of the legislative activity takes place, with the House having more
The Senate is less formal and uses the House to screen for important issues
Conference committees are often used to iron out differences in the bills

32. Box 2 – Nuts and Bolts Life on the Floor of Congress
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Box 2 – Nuts and Bolts
Life on the Floor of Congress
Even though many Congressional speeches are delivered to an empty chamber, they still have meaning
Members often focus on bills from their committees
The Senate may have livelier debates than the House

33. Box 3 – Contemporary Public Policy
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Box 3 – Contemporary Public Policy
The Role of Senate Insurgents
Senators may break from the ranks of their party to challenge the agenda in Congress
Humphrey with Civil Rights and McCain with campaign finance reform are two examples of Senators getting public support for their issues

34. Box 4 – Civil Rights Congressional Districting and Race
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Box 4 – Civil Rights
Congressional Districting and Race
African Americans typically don’t win election in majority white districts
The parties have differing views in the proper concentration of African American voters in their districts

35. Box 5 – Nuts and Bolts Legislative Hearings
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Box 5 – Nuts and Bolts
Legislative Hearings
Congressional hearing serve a variety of purposes
Many are used to gather information from the public or experts about legislation
Some are used to expose misdeeds or investigate other individuals

36. Box 6 – Civil Liberties Congress and the “Red Scare”
7-36
Box 6 – Civil Liberties
Congress and the “Red Scare”
In fear of communism, McCarthy and Congress held hearings on “un-American” activities
No major problems were found, but people went to jail or left the country
Others were blacklisted as sympathizers and hurt their professional careers