The Representatives and Senators The Members of Congress 535 Members 100 Senators and 435 Reps House members At least age 25 and US citizens for 7 years Senators At least age 30 and US citizens for 9 years ID: 315661
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Slide1
CongressSlide2
The Representatives and Senators
The Members of Congress
535 Members –
100 Senators and 435 Reps.
House members –
At least age 25 and U.S. citizens for 7 years.
Senators –
At least age 30 and U.S. citizens for 9 years.
All members must reside in state from which they are elected.Slide3
113th
Congress: A few numbers
98 Women: 20 in the Senate. 5 More total women than 112
th
. 3 States with 2 female Senators (CA, NH, WA)Longest Service: Senate Patrick Leahy D-VT 38 Years John Dingell D-MI 53 Years7 Openly Gay or Bi-Sexual. 1 in the Senate (Tammy Baldwin D-WI).19% of the House are minorities. 5% of the Senate Tim Scott R-SC: Only Black Senator, 1st Black Republican since the 1970’s. 1st Black Senator from the South since 1881. White Men are a minority of House Democrats
The Representatives and SenatorsSlide4
Congressional Elections
Who Wins Elections?
Incumbents –
Those already holding office.
In congressional elections, incumbents usually win.House elections – 90% of the incumbents seeking reelection win (2012) and most of them win with more than 60% of the vote.Slide5
To Learning Objectives
LO 11.2
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as LongmanSlide6
Congressional Elections
The Advantages of Incumbency
Advertising –
Ads in newspapers and on television.
Credit Claiming – Servicing the constituency through casework and pork barrel.Position Taking – Voting and responding to constituents’ questions.Slide7
Credit Claiming
Pork Barrel and Earmarks
Casework
Position Taking
Congressional ElectionsSlide8
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as LongmanSlide9
Congressional Elections
The Advantages of Incumbency
(cont.)
Weak Opponents –
Not well known or well qualified and lack experience and organizational and financial backing.
Campaign Spending –
The typical incumbent outspent the typical challenger by a ratio of more than 3 to 1 in Congressional races in 2008.Slide10
Winner Take All—Single Member Districts
:
Mandatory under 1967 Law Requiring Them
Distorted Outcomes in 2012
Democrats received slightly more than 50% more House votes nationally but the Republicans have 54% of the seats. 3rd time in US History that has happened.Pennsylvania and North Carolina: Democrats got more state wide votes but Republicans won 22 of the combined 31 seats.
Congressional ElectionsSlide11
Partisan Gerrymandering
Packing
Cracking
BiPartisan
Gerrymandering: Incumbents1982 Amendments to the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Racial GerrymanderingLimits on GerrymanderingEqual Population DistrictsContiguousCan neither be based solely on race or dilute minority voting powerMust be compactProtect Communities of Interest (Historically Defined)
Congressional ElectionsSlide12Slide13Slide14
Congressional Elections
The Advantages of Incumbency
(cont.)
Weak Opponents –
Not well known or well qualified and lack experience and organizational and financial backing.
Campaign Spending –
The typical incumbent outspent the typical challenger by a ratio of more than 3 to 1 in Congressional races in 2008.Slide15
Congressional Elections
Role of Party Identification
Most Congress members represent constituencies in which their party is in the clear majority.
Most people identify with a party, and they reliably vote for their party
’
s candidates.
About 90% of voters who identify with a party vote for the House candidates of their party.Slide16
Defeating Incumbents
One tarnished by scandal or corruption becomes vulnerable to a challenger.
Redistricting may weaken the incumbency advantage.
Major political tidal wave may defeat incumbents.
Congressional ElectionsSlide17
Congressional Elections
Open Seats
Greater likelihood of competition.
Most turnover occurs in open seats.Slide18
How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy
American Bicameralism
Bicameral Legislature –
A legislature divided into two houses.
The U.S. Congress and all state legislatures except Nebraska’s are bicameral.Slide19
To Learning Objectives
LO 11.3
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as LongmanSlide20
Congressional Organization: Bicameralism
House Leadership
Senate Leadership
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate—Vice POTUSPresident Pro Tempore
House Majority and Minority Leaders
Senate Majority and Minority Leaders
House Majority and Minority Whips
Senate
Majority and Minority Whips
The role of the Vice President in the Senate?Slide21
How Congress Is Organized to Make Policy
Congressional Leadership
(cont.)
Despite their stature and power, congressional leaders cannot always move their troops.
Power in both houses of Congress is decentralized.Leaders are elected by their party members and must remain responsive to them.Slide22
The Role of Parties in Congress
Not part of the official organization but probably the most important structures
Much more important since the 1970’s
Party Leadership: Majority and Minority Parties
Elected in meetings every two years: Democrats Caucus Republicans ConferenceFloor Leadership: Party Leaders, Party WhipsParty Leaders control Committee Assignments and demand loyaltySlide23
Congressional Organization
Committees and Subcommittees
Standing committees –
Subject matter committees that handle bills in different policy areas
.House CommitteesSenate CommitteesMembers want to be on committees of concern to their constituents
Joint
committees –
Few subject matter areas with membership drawn from House and Senate Slide24
Congressional Organization
Committees and Subcommittees
(cont.)
Conference committees –
Formed when the Senate and the House pass a bill in different forms to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.Select committees – Created for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation.Slide25
The Big Committees
House Ways and Means Committee
Raise Money for the Government (Taxation)
Most powerful committee in Congress
House Rules CommitteeThe committee in the House that
sets rules for debate in the House at Large. Very powerful.
Rules Committee is responsive to the House leadership because the Speaker of the House appoints the committee
’
s members
.
House and Senate Appropriations CommitteesWrite Spending Bills
Why significant?Slide26
Committee Leadership: Selected by majority party’s membership
Committee Chair: Determines agenda, schedule, coordinates staff, resources, and subcommittees
Seniority Rule: Pros and Cons
Senate Leadership: Calendar Created by the Majority and Minority Leaders
No Rules CommitteeHow Congress Is Organized to Make PolicySlide27
Non-Legislative Actions
Investigations
Can be to determine if legislation is needed
Form Select Committees for Ethical problems, scandals, corruption
Oversight: House and Senate Oversight Committees (Standing)Determine if the Executive Branch is carrying out laws properlyLook into spending practices to make sure money is going where it’s supposed toOffice of Management and Budget (OMB)—Executive Office for Monetary oversightSlide28
Approval Power of the Senate
“Advice and Consent”
Executive Appointments
Greater freedom for President with Executive Offices
Greater scrutiny with Judicial appointments—Why?Robert Bork: 1987 Supreme Court Nominee voted downEver since Bork conservatives have seen the judicial approval process as ideologically drivenConservatives and Liberals have filibustered and placed holds on opposition president’s appointmentsFederal courts have a shortage of judges. Massive backlog of cases.Non-Legislative Actions Slide29
The Legislative Process
How a Bill Becomes a Law—Fill in the Blank
Inputs from the People
Hearing Process in Committee
Interest GroupsSlide30
Lawmaking in a Dysfunctional Congress
How to Kill a Bill
Standing Committee won’t schedule debate
House Rules Committee won’t make a rule
Discharge Petition—Rescue a bill from committeeFilibuster—Strom Thurmond 24 Hours 18 minutesTeam FilibusterAmendment FilibusterClotureHold—Individual and Anonymous Slide31
How to Pass a Bill without support
Logrolling—Unrelated members trading votes
1994—Urban members supported farm bill in exchange for NEA Funding from rural
Omnibus Spending Bill 2004
Congress about to pass largest deficit in history Individual Appropriations Bills Merged with Government Funding Avoid Accountability in an Election YearAffordable Care Act 2010: Budget Reconciliation2008 Election produced a 60-40 SenateHouse and Senate versions passed in late 2009Ted Kennedy died during reconciliation process and Scott Brown R-MA replaced him.House passed the Senate version of the billThe Senate passed a budget Reconciliation Bill—Appropriations Bill with main bill tacked on (simple majority required)
Lawmaking in a Dysfunctional Congress