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Structure of Congress Objective: Structure of Congress Objective:

Structure of Congress Objective: - PowerPoint Presentation

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Structure of Congress Objective: - PPT Presentation

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