Understand how Congress is organized Bell Ringer List the qualifications for serving in Congress as set forth in the Constitution In your opinion are there other qualifications that should be applied to holding office in Congress For example ID: 705262
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Slide1
Structure of Congress
Objective:
Understand how Congress is organized
Bell Ringer:
List the qualifications for serving in Congress as set forth in the
Constitution. In your opinion, are there other qualifications that
should be applied to holding office in Congress? For example,
should lawmakers have certain legal or technical training? Why
or why not?
Agenda:
Congressional structure
Compensation
Elections/gerrymandering
Homework:
Letter signed
Read Chapter 10 Sections 2 and 3
Outline eachSlide2
Structure of Congress
Objective:
Understand how Congress is organized
Analyze the theories of representation
Bell Ringer:
Congress is a frequent target of criticism in the media and elsewhere.
Yet the text says that the members of Congress are on the whole
hardworking and able people. How can you explain the existence of
these two opposing viewpoints?
Agenda:
Members of Congress
Theories of Representation
Homework:
Read Chapter 10 Section 4
Chapter Assessment #1 - 23Slide3
Structure of Congress
Objective:
Identify the leadership positions in Congress and who currently holds these positions
Understand how committees in Congress are organized
Analyze how committees operate
Bell Ringer:
Choose three Congressional powers and indicate why the
Framers gave these powers to Congress rather than the states.
Agenda:
Congressional Leadership
Committees in Congress
Homework:
Use the Study Guide to prepare for your test
A Day = April 30
B Day = May 1Slide4
How Congress Works
Part 1:
Structure, Organization,
& Legislative ProcessSlide5
Who’s in Congress?Slide6
Bicameral Legislature
“upper house” elected by state legislature and each state having equal representation
“lower house” elected by the people and membership based on population
all states (except Nebraska) have followed this model in their state legislatures
in many other nations with bicameral legislatures the upper house is largely ceremonial
the hope was that it would keep government from infringing upon citizen’s rightsSlide7
Congress
Each term lasts for two years
New sessions start at 12:00 p.m. on January 3
rd
of every odd-numbered year (Congress can however select a different day to convene)
We are currently in the 111
th
session of Congress
Special sessions may be called only by the President to deal with emergency situationsNeither House of Congress has a cap on the number of terms a member may serveSlide8
House-Senate Differences
House
435 members; 2 yr terms
Low turnover
Speaker bill referral hard to challenge
Scheduling/rules controlled by majority party with powerful Rules Committee (
controls time of debate, amends., etc)
Senate
100 members; 6 yr terms
Moderate turnover
Referral decisions easily challenged
Scheduling/rules agreed to by majority & minority leadersSlide9
House-Senate Differences
House
Debate limited to 1 hour
Members policy specialists
Emphasizes tax & revenue policy
More formal & impersonal
Senate
Unlimited debate unless cloture invoked
Members policy generalists
Emphasizes foreign policy
More informal & personalSlide10
Congressional Membership
Ethnically, socially, economically the make-up of Congress
is not actually representative of the general population.
In general members of Congress are:
White males in their early 50’s
Married
Two children
Christian Protestant
The vast majority have college degrees and many have advanced degreesA large number were lawyersSlide11
Source:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt
Age Groups
Source:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt
Party
Gender
Ethnicity
Demographic Profile of the 111th CongressSlide12
Structure of Congress
Objective:
Understand how Congress is organized
Analyze the theories of representation
Bell Ringer:
Read th
e article
“Replacement Congress”
Do you think the mass replacement of representatives through special
election under the circumstances in this article would be approved of
by the Framers? What is another option that could be considered?
Agenda:
Theories
of
Representation
Leadership in Congress
Congressional Committees
Homework:
Chapter 11 Part 2 Overview
Quiz next classSlide13
Role of Congress
Make laws
Represent the interests of their constituents
Serve on committees
Serve their constituencies
Politicians Slide14
Theories of Representation
Members of Congress tends to fit into one of four
categories when it comes to decision making.
Partisanship Theory/Organizational View:
Feel that people voted for them because of their political beliefs
Tend to vote the way their particular party does
The party’s goals are the endSlide15
Theories of Representation
Trustee Theory/Attitudinal View:
Decide each political situation based on its own individual merit
Lead and inform
Do what is right
It is the end, not the process that is importantSlide16
Theories of Representation
Delegate
Theory/Representational View:
View themselves as agents of those who elected them
Do as voters request
It is the process, not the end that is importantSlide17
Theories of Representation
Politicos Theory:
Strive to combine elements of the two into their decision making
Try to balance their views, with the views of their constituents and their party’s views
The process used and the ends achieved are importantSlide18
Party Unity
Lower today than 100 years ago, but…..
Ideology important variable explaining party voting (members vote with their party 80% of the time)
Party polarization
- vote in which majority of democrats oppose majority of republicans
Polarization trends:
1976 HR = 36%; S = 37%
1995 HR = 73%; S = 69%
2000 HR = 43%; S = 49%Slide19
The House
Led by Speaker of the House—elected by House
members
Presides over House
Major
role in committee assignments and legislation
Assisted
by majority leader and whips
Congressional LeadershipThe SenateFormally lead by Vice PresidentReally lead by Majority Leader—chosen by party membersAssisted by whips
Must
work with Minority leaderSlide20
Party Leadership
The House
Led by Speaker of the House—elected by House members
Presides over House
Major role in committee assignments and legislation
Assisted by majority leader and whips
The Senate
Formally lead by Vice President
Really lead by Majority Leader—chosen by party members
Assisted by whips
Must work with Minority leaderSlide21
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Speaker
(majority party)
Republicans:
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Chairman of the Caucus
Steering & Policy Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Speaker of the House
John Boehner (R-OH)
Majority Leader
Eric Cantor (R-VA)
Majority
Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)Slide22
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Democrats
:
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Chairman of Conference
Policy Committee
Committee on Committees
National Republican Congressional CommitteeResearch Committee
Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Minority
Whip
Steny
Hoyer (D-MD)Slide23
SENATE LEADERSHIP
President of the Senate
(Vice President)
President Pro Tempore
(majority party)
Democrats:
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Chairman of Conference
Policy Committee
Steering Committee
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D-NV)
President Pro Temp
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Majority Whip
Richard Durbin (D-IL)
President of the Senate
Joe Biden (D-DE)Slide24
SENATE LEADERSHIP
Republicans:
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Chairman of Conference
Policy Committee
Committee on Committees
Republican Senatorial Committee
Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)Slide25
Strength of Party Structure?
Measure of party strength:
Ability of leaders to control party rules and organization
Extent to which party members vote together in the House and Senate
Senate: less party-centered and leader oriented Slide26
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
About 300 caucuses
Caucuses pressure for committee meetings and hearings and for votes on bills.
Caucuses can be more effective than lobbyists.Slide27
CAUCUSES
Groups (may be bipartisan) meeting to pursue common legislative objectives
Rivals to parties in policy formulation
Examples:
Democratic Study Group, Congressional Black Caucus, Tuesday Lunch Bunch, Human Rights, Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, Out of Iraq Caucus,
Rural Caucus, Travel & Tourism Caucus, House Caucus on Missing and Exploited ChildrenSlide28
"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.”
- Woodrow WilsonSlide29
Legislative Committees:
Function and PurposeSlide30
Legislative Committees:
Function & Purpose
1.
Consider bills
(a.k.a. “mark-up” bills)
A bill with a member’s mark-up notesSlide31
Legislative Committees:
Function & Purpose
2.
Maintain oversight of executive agencies
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing re: the Department of Defense Budget (May, 2006)Slide32
Legislative Committees:
Function & Purpose
3.
Conduct investigations
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006)Slide33
Types of Committees
Standing Committees
- permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities
Subcommittees
– formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees
Select or Special Committees
- groups appointed for a limited purpose and limited durationJoint Committees - includes members of both chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks
Conference Committee
- includes members of House & Senate to work out differences between similar billsSlide34
Standing CommitteesSlide35
House Standing Committees
Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education & Workforce
Energy & Commerce
Financial Services
Government ReformHouse Admin.International Relations
Judiciary
Resources
Rules
Science
Small Business
Standards of Official Conduct
Transportation & Infrastructure
Veterans Affairs
Ways & MeansSlide36
Senate Standing Committees
Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science, Transportation
Energy & Natural Resources
Environment and Public WorksFinance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans AffairsSlide37
Special, Select Committees
House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming
Senate Select Committee on Ethics
House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence
Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be
director of the Central Intelligence Agency.Slide38
Joint Committees
Joint Economic Committee
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on Taxation hearingSlide39
How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Getting on a Committee
Members want committee assignments that will help them get reelected, 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.
Parties try to grant committee preferences.Slide40
How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Getting Ahead on the Committee
Committee chair: the most important influencer of congressional agenda
Dominant role in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house
Most chairs selected according to seniority system.
Members who have served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress become chairSlide41
How Congress is Organized to Make Policy
Congressional Staff
Personal staff: They work for the member, mainly providing constituent service, but help with legislation too.
Committee staff: organize hearings, research and write legislation, target of lobbyists
Staff Agencies: CRS, GAO, CBO provide specific information to CongressSlide42
The Legislative Obstacle CourseSlide43
How A Bill Becomes Law
Fact: About 5,000 bills are introduced in Congress every year, but only about 150 are signed into law.
Explain why so few bills become law.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Should the legislative process in Congress be reformed? If yes, what changes would you recommend? If not, why not?
Source:
http://acswebcontent.acs.org/olga/legissummbilltolaw.pdfSlide44
Title: Resolution Artist: Bob Gorrell
Date: 12/28/06 Source:
http://www.gorrellart.com/Slide45
Artist: R.J. Matson,
New York Observer & Roll Call
Date: 1/18/07
Source:
http://www.cagle.comSlide46
Title: Imagine there’s no Congress Artist: Joe Heller,
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Date: 6/06/07 Source:
http://www.politicalcartoons.com/Slide47
Title: Senator Reid Can Handle the Truth
Artist: RJ Matson
Date: 6/18/07
Source:
http://www.politicalcartoons.comSlide48
Source:
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/
Date: 5/6/06