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THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
U.S. GOVERNMENT
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CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
HOUSE COMMITTEES Agriculture Appropriations Armed Services Budget Education and the Workforce Energy and Commerce Financial Services Government Reform House Administration International Relations Judiciary Resources Rules Science Small Business Standards of Official Conduct Transportation and Infrastructure Veterans’ Affairs Ways and Means SENATE Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance Foreign Relations Governmental Affairs Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Judiciary Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans’ Affairs
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PURPOSES OF COMMITTEES
Lightens the workload by dividing up the work Allows members to specialize on key issues Saves time (allows for discussion on only the most important things) Keeps public informed (allows for public hearings on problems)
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MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES
HOW MEMBERSHIP IS DECIDED Majority party leaders select a chairperson for each committee Then, the remaining membership is divided evenly by party Congressmen and women try to get on committees that would impress or help their constituents Majority Minority John Kerry, Massachusetts, Chairman Barbara Boxer, California Bob Menendez, New Jersey Ben Cardin, Maryland Bob Casey, Jr., Pennsylvania Jim Webb, Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Chris Coons, Delaware Dick Durbin, Illinois Tom Udall, New Mexico Richard Lugar, Indiana, Ranking Member Bob Corker, Tennessee Jim Risch, Idaho Marco Rubio, Florida James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jim DeMint, South Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia John Barrasso, Wyoming Mike Lee, Utah Membership for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
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STANDING COMMITTEES WHAT THEY ARE: Committees that are always
there; permanent committees WHAT THEY ADDRESS: Continuing issues from one Congress to the next Just like a rock (and like Bob Seger), standing committees will always be there
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SELECT COMMITTEES WHAT THEY ARE:
Special committees created that usually exist for only one term; temporary committees WHAT THEY ADDRESS: Specific issues To address the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, the house created the “Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina”
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JOINT COMMITTEES WHAT THEY ARE:
Committees that are made up of members of both houses They act as study groups They may be select or standing WHAT THEY ADDRESS: Specific or continuing issues that are important to both the House and the Senate Joint committees also make sure that bills are the same in both the Senate and the House Congress’ Joint Economic Committee website
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SUBCOMMITTEES WHAT THEY ARE: Committees that handle
special subcategories of standing committees’ work and report back to their “parent” committees WHAT THEY ADDRESS: Continuing issues from one Congress to the next The Subcommittees for the Committee on Ways and Means, as listed on their website
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WHY BE ON A COMMITTEE? 3 REASONS WHY THEY WANT TO BE ON A COMMITTEE
Build reputations at home Influence important legislation influence other members of Congress
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WHICH COMMITTEE? 2 REASONS CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS WANT TO BE ON CERTAIN COMMITTEES They are an expert on the subject The issue is of certain importance to their district
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CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS
NAFTA: Foreign affairs and the regulation of foreign commerce
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LEGISLATIVE POWERS WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY? MONEY
Levy taxes Borrow money Regulate foreign and interstate commerce FOREIGN AFFAIRS Approve treaties Declare war Create/Maintain military ARTICLE I, SECTION 8 Expressed Powers Also called enumerated powers Powers that are “expressed” in the constitution Implied Powers Gives Congress the power to do whatever is “necessary and proper” to carry out the other powers This is called the “Necessary and Proper” or “Elastic” clause
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NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY? EVERYWHERE Article II Various amendments Choose President if there is an electoral tie Impeach Remove appointed officials Ratify treaties Propose / ratify constitutional amendments Oversight and investigation
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CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION
Did they, or didn’t they? Why is this even important?
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CONGRESS VS. THE PRESIDENT
The Congress Mr. President Fight Of The Century!
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COOPERATION AND CONFLICT
CONGRESSIONAL “CHECKS” ON THE PRESIDENT Especially since the 1930s, the president has seemed to be more powerful than Congress. However, Congress retains several key “checks” on the Presidency: Funding powers Oversight Investigation Impeachment/removal.
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CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT
WHAT IS CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT? Oversight is the power Congress has to review the actions of the executive branch. It is used to ensure that the bureaucracy (government agencies and departments) is enforcing and interpreting laws the way Congress intended.
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QUICK! WHAT ARE “CHECKS AND BALANCES”?
REVIEW! QUICK! WHAT ARE “CHECKS AND BALANCES”?
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