Lets Begin Introduction Public approval of Congress is very low Yet approval ratings for peoples representative is high Members spend considerable time serving constituents Functions of Congress ID: 532790
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Slide1
The Congress
Lets Begin!Slide2
Introduction:
Public approval of Congress is very low
Yet, approval ratings for people’s representative is high
Members spend considerable time serving constituents Slide3
Functions of Congress:
Bulk of power of the national government was given to the legislature, because they were elected by the people
Article I of the Constitution deals with the structure, the powers, and the operation of Congress
Congress is bicameral (Connecticut Compromise)
State and social status compromise
17
th
Amendment, which provided that senators be directly elected by the people, eliminated this social status comprise
Representatives serve two year terms and Senators serve six year terms Slide4
Functions of Congress:
Senators’ terms are staggered so that only 1/3 of the senators face the electorate every two years Slide5
What part of the Constitution deals with the structure, power, and operation of Congress? Slide6
Article One Slide7
Law Making Function:
The principal function of any legislature is lawmaking
A majority of the bills that Congress acts on originate in the executive branch
Many other bills are traceable to interest groups and political party organizations
To get bill passed, members debate, discuss, compromise, and logroll (offering support for future support)Slide8
The Representative Function:
Members have to represent desires and needs of their constituents, as well as larger national interests
National interest could be at odds with constituent interest
This leads to variance in lawmaking
Example, cut in defense spending serves the national interest
The Trustee View of Representation
Should act as a trustee
Acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society
Go against constituents Slide9
The Representative Function:
The Instructed-Delegate View of Representation
They should mirror the views of the majority of the constituents who elected them to power in the first place
For it to work, we must assume people are well-informed and have clear-cut preferences about these issues
Neither likely
Ultimately, most legislators hold neither a pure trustee view nor a pure instructed-delegate view
Typically they combine the two Slide10
Why is it hard for members of Congress to vote along party lines or vote as a national group? Slide11
Constituents Slide12
Service Constituents:
Casework
Broker between citizens and faceless government
Personal work for constituents by members of Congress Examples include
Tracking down a missing Social Security check
Explaining the meaning of particular bills to people who may be affected by them
Promoting local business interest Slide13
Service Constituents:
Overall, members of Congress find it difficult to vote against benefits for their constituents
Example, in 2009, a reduction in the percentage of wages withheld from paychecks for Social Security as a way to put more money in the pockets of people
Long-term effect, Social Security will run out of money quicker
Republicans voted for it, because could not vote against a tax cut Slide14
The Oversight Function:
Oversight is the process by which Congress follows up on the laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administered
In the ways Congress intended
Done by holding committee hearings and investigations, changing the size’s of an agency’s budget, and cross-examining high-level presidential nominees to head major agencies
Investigate problems
Example, investigate FEMA after Katrina Slide15
What is oversight?Slide16
Congress follows up on the laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administered Slide17
Public Education Function and The Conflict Resolution Function:
Public Education
This done through hearings, oversight, and debate
During these activities, Congress presents a range of viewpoints on pressing national questions
Congress also decides what will
come
up
for discussion and decision (agenda setting)
Conflict Resolution
Resolve differences among competing points of view by passing laws to accommodate as many interested parties as possible Slide18
The Powers of Congress:
Enumerated Powers
Power expressly given to Congress
They include the rights to Impose taxes and import tariffs
Borrow funds
Regulate interstate commerce and international trade
Print money and regulate its value
Establish weights and measures Slide19
The Powers of Congress:
Enumerated Powers
They include the rights to
Establish post offices and postal routes
Regulate copyrights and patents
Establish a federal court system
Punish illegal acts on the high seas
Declare war
Raise and regulate an army and a navy
Call up and regulate the state militias to enforce laws
Suppress insurrections
Repel invasions
Govern D.C. Slide20
What are three enumerated powers of Congress?Slide21
The Powers of Congress:
Enumerated Powers
Can override a presidential veto
Congress may alsoRegulate the extent of the Supreme Court’s authority to review cases decided by lower courts
R
egulate state relations
P
ropose amendments to the Constitution Slide22
The Powers of Congress:
Enumerated Powers
Powers of the Senate
Advise on and consent to the ratification of treaties and must accept or reject presidential nominations
Ambassador, Supreme Court Justices, and “all other Officers of the United States” Slide23
The Powers of Congress:
Enumerated Powers
Constitutional Amendments
Must certify the election of president and a vice president or choose these officers if no candidate has a majority of the electoral vote (12
h
Amendment)
Levy income tax (16
th
Amendment)
Determine who will be acting president in case the death or incapacity of the president or vice president (20
th
and 25
th
Amendments)Slide24
The Powers of Congress:
The Necessary and Proper Clause
“To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers [of Article I], and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States
Expands power of the national government
In theory, a check on the expansion of presidential powers Slide25
What are the powers of the Senate?Slide26
Advise on and consent to the ratification of treaties and must accept or reject presidential nominationsSlide27
The Powers of Congress:
Checks on the Congress
The most powerful branch of government
Because of diversity in interests and members, it is hard to override a presidential veto
Checks
The veto of the president
Supreme Court can rule laws unconstitutional
Representatives face election every two years
The House and Senate check one another Slide28
House-Senate Differences:
Size and Rules
The House has 435 representatives, plus delegates from D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands
100 Senators
Great number of formal rules are needed in the House, because of size
Difference in size is most obvious in the rules governing debate on the floors of the two chambers
The House has rules to control agenda and allot time fairly
For each major bill, the Rules Committee normally proposes a Rule for debate Slide29
House-Senate Differences:
Size and Rules
These rules include time limitations for both parties
The House debates and approves the Rule, then will follow rules and debate legislation
Because of rules, the House often is able to act on legislation more quickly than the Senate Slide30
What are the checks on Congress?Slide31
The veto of the president
Supreme Court can rule laws unconstitutional
Representatives face election every two years
The House and Senate check one another Slide32
House-Senate Differences:
Debate and Filibustering
For legislation to reach the floor of the Senate, the body must have approved the rules of the debate by a Unanimous Consent Agreement
Senate tradition of the filibuster
Unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill
More frequently, members have to engage in unorthodox lawmaking
To end filibuster or debate, Senate Rule 22 states that Senators may invoke cloture
Cloture shuts off discussion on a bill Slide33
House-Senate Differences:
Debate and Filibustering
Rule 22 states that debate may be closed off on a bill if 16 senators sign a petition requesting it
After two days have elapsed, three fifths of the entire membership vote for cloture
After cloture is invoked, each senator may speak on a bill for an hour before a vote is taken
In 1979, final vote must be taken within 100 hours of debate after cloture has been imposed Slide34
House-Senate Differences:
Prestige
Senators have more public prestige and individual recognition
For House members to gain prestige and recognition must join ranks of the leadership
Or become an expert on some specialized aspect of legislative policy, such as the environment Slide35
What can end a filibuster?Slide36
Invoking cloture