1. The Senate

2. Colorado Senators
Michael Bennet-D
Cory Gardner-R

3. The Senate 17th Amendment – senators elected by popular vote of people
Each state has 2 Senators
Senate has 100 voting members (no non-voting delegates)
Senate elections are staggered – 1/3 elected every 2 years – each Senator term is 6 years
No limit on number of times a Senator can serve
Senators chosen by the entire state, not districts
Has special treaty ratification powers and confirmation powers of presidential appointees

4. The Senate - Chamber

5. The Senate: Leadership

6. The Senate: Leadership
President of the Senate
VP Joe Biden
Presides over Senate, but does not debate
Also does not vote, unless to break a tie
Ceremonial position with little power

7. The Senate: Leadership
President Pro Tempore
Orrin Hatch (R) Utah
Stands in as President when
VP is not present
By tradition, usually the
most senior Senator of
the majority party
Unlike the VP, is a voting
member

8. The Senate: Leadership
Majority Floor Leader
Mitch McConnel- (R) KY
Most influential member of the Senate and majority party spokesman

9. The Senate: Leadership
Minority Floor Leader
Harry Reid (D) NV
Same role as House
Floor Leader

10. The Senate: Leadership
Assistant Majority Leader
(Republican Whip)
John Cornyn- (R) TX
Role is same as House Majority
Whip

11. The Senate: Leadership
Assistant Minority Leader
(Democratic Whip)
Dick Durbin- (D) IL
Same role as House Minority
Whip

12. The Senate: Committees
Special, Select, and Other
Indian Affairs
Select Committee on Ethics
Select Committee on Intelligence
Special Committee on Aging
Joint
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on the Library
Joint Economic Committee
Standing
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
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs

13. Congressional Committees
Why a Committee System?
High volume of legislation (bills) – sending bills to corresponding committee helps speed up process
Allows study of legislation by specialists
How the Committee System Works?
Congress divides its tasks among approximately 250 committees and sub committees.
The House and Senate each have their own committees, but they are similar

14. Congressional Committees
4 Types
1.) Standing : permanent committee that deals with specific policy matters (agriculture, energy and natural resources, veterans affairs, etc…) ; divided into subcommittees that handle more specialized problems
2.) Select : temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose; most are formed to investigate a particular issue (Watergate Committee, Hurricane Katrina Committee, Y2K Committee, etc)
3.) Joint : made up of members of both houses of Congress; can be a select committee or perform routine duties
4.) Conference: temporary committee of members from both houses created to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of a bill; is a compromise committee

15. Congressional Committees Standing and Subcommittees - Examples
House of Reps.
Standing Committee:
Committee on Resources
Sub Committees:
Office of Native American Affairs
Energy and Minerals
Fisheries and Oceans
Forests and Forest Health
National Parks
Water and Power
Senate
Standing Committee:
Environment and Public Works
Sub Committees:
Transportation and Infrastructure
Clean Air, Climate Change, Nuclear Safety
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Nature
Superfund and Waste Management

16. Congressional Committees Membership and Leadership
Percentage of each committee’s membership reflects the overall percentage of Democrats and Republicans in each house
Ex. – 53% of house is Republican, so 53% of all committee members will be Republican
Members try to serve on committees where they can influence public policy relating to their district or state, or influence national public policy issues
Ex – Kansas senator on the agriculture committee
Ex – Iowa representative on the foreign relations committee
Leadership
Committees are led by a chairperson who belongs to the majority party and is chosen by majority party members of committee

18. Floor Debate House Senate
Rules Committee decides if debate will be open rule or closed rule and how long debate can last
Members can only propose amendments (when allowed) related to the topic of the bill
Senate
More casual; no limits on debating riders are allowed
Amendments not related to the topic of the bill
Can filibuster
Unlimited debate by Senators to stall a bill from being voted on
Can only be ended by a cloture (petition signed by 60 Senators)

19. Why Do Incumbents Win? Better name recognition
Can use franking privilege to sent out campaign letters
Have greater access to media
Raise campaign money more easily (have support of PACs and lobbyists)
More campaign experience
Have large staffs to help with casework and constituency services
Take credit for federal money that gets allocated to their district or state

20. Criticisms of Congress
Overstaffed and self-indulgent
BRIBERY!!!!!
Both houses have created rules and limits to help curb legal bribes
House rules allows only family and close friends to give gifts to representatives
Senate put a limit of $50 on any gift (including dinner) and a $100/year limit on gifts from a single source, unless the gift givers are family or “close personal friends”

21. How A Bill Becomes A Law