chapter 11. congress as a career: election to congress using incumbency to stay in congress the...

Chapter 11

Congress as a Career: Election to CongressUsing incumbency to stay in Congress

The service strategy: taking care of constituentsCampaign fundraising: raking in the moneyRedistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents

© 2014, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 2


Insert Figure 11-1Recent Reelection Rates of House and Senate Incumbents


Insert Figure 11-2Congressional Campaign Expenditures, by Decade


Insert Figure 11-3Allocation of PAC Contributions between Incumbents and Challengers

in Congressional Races that Included an Incumbent, 1980-2012

Congress as a Career: Election to CongressPitfalls of incumbency

Disruptive issuesPersonal misconductTurnout variation: the midterm election problemPrimary election challengersGeneral election challengers: a problem for senatorsA new threat: super PACs


Parties and Party LeadershipParty caucus—closed sessionParty unity in Congress

Parties are the strongest force within CongressHeightened unity seen through roll-call votes



Insert Table 11-1The Number of Democrats and Republicans in the

House of Representatives and the Senate, 2001-2014

Parties and Party LeadershipParty leadership in Congress

House leaders Speaker of the House

Elected by the House membership By default, a member of the majority party Said to be the second-most-powerful official in Washington,

after the president House majority leader House majority whip


Parties and Party LeadershipParty leadership in Congress

Senate leaders Majority party leader is the most powerful senator The vice president presides over the Senate; however, has power

only to cast tie-breaking vote Senate president pro tempore presides over the Senate in the vice

president’s absence Largely an honorary position held by the majority party’s senior

member


Committees and Committee LeadershipCommittee jurisdiction

Bills introduced must be referred to the proper committee for deliberation

Committee membershipTypically mirrors the party ratio of the body

Committee chairsTypically senior members of the majority party

Committees and parties: Which is in control?



Insert Table 11-2The Standing Committees of Congress

How a Bill Becomes a LawCommittee hearings and decisions

Most work on legislation is done in committeeFrom committee to the floor

Rules for debate are definedLeadership and floor action

Debate, changes, and vote by full membershipConference committees and the president

Reconcile differences between similar legislation



Insert Figure 11-4How a Bill Becomes a Law

Congress’s Policymaking RoleLawmaking function of Congress

Makes laws authorizing federal programsBroad issues: fragmentation as a limit on Congress’s roleCongress in the lead: fragmentation as a policymaking

strength


Congress’s Policymaking RoleThe representation function of Congress

Representation of states and districtsRepresentation of the nation through parties

Oversight function of CongressSees that executive branch carries out the laws faithfully



Insert Table 11-3The Major Functions of Congress


Insert Figure 11-5Public Approval of Congress

Congress: An Institution DividedPro (advantages):

Culturally representative of nationDiverse interests represented

Cons (disadvantages):National interest subjugated to special interestsDisproportionate influence of the minority


chapter 11. congress as a career: election to congress using incumbency to stay in congress the...

Documents

mcgrawhill education

majority party committees

party ratio

senate incumbents

majority partysaid

majority partys senior

house of representatives

house membershipby default