gia12

8/8/2019 GIA12

1/28

CongressCongress

For 200 years, The United States Congress has

been one of the countrys most important and least

understood institutions.

Chapter 12

8/8/2019 GIA12

2/28

The Representatives andThe Representatives and

SenatorsSenators The Job

Salary of $165,200 with retirement benefits

Office space in D.C. and at home and staff tofill it.

Travel allowances and franking privileges (freepostage).

But, theres often 10 to 14 hour days, lots oftime away from the family, and lots of pressurefrom different people to do the right thing.

8/8/2019 GIA12

3/28


SenatorsSenators

8/8/2019 GIA12

4/28


SenatorsSenators

8/8/2019 GIA12

5/28

Figure 12.1

Congressional ElectionsCongressional Elections WhoWins Elections?

Incumbent: Those already holding office.

8/8/2019 GIA12

6/28

Congressional ElectionsCongressional Elections The Advantages of Incumbents

Advertising:

The goal is to be visible to your voters. Frequent trips home & newsletters are used.

Credit Claiming:

Service to individuals in their district.

Casework: specifically helping constituents get what they thinkthey have a right to.

Pork Barrel: federal projects, grants, etc. made available in a

congressional district or state.

8/8/2019 GIA12

7/28

Congressional ElectionsCongressional Elections The Advantages of Incumbents (casework/pork barrel)

Position Taking:

Portray themselves as hard working, dedicated individuals. Occasionally take a partisan stand on an issue.

Weak Opponents: Most opponents are inexperienced in politics.

Most opponents are unorganized and underfunded.

Campaign Spending: Challengers need to raise large sums to defeat an incumbent.

PACs give most of their money to incumbents.

Does PAC money buy votes in Congress?

8/8/2019 GIA12

8/28

Congressional ElectionsCongressional Elections The Role of Party Identification

Most members represent the majority party in

their district.

Defeating Incumbents

Some incumbents face problems after a scandal

or other complication in office.They may face redistricting.

They may face massive voter retaliation.

8/8/2019 GIA12

9/28

Congressional ElectionsCongressional Elections Open Seats

Greater likelihood of competition.

Stability and Change

Incumbents winning provides stability in

Congress.

But, it makes it more difficult to changeCongress through elections.

Are term limits an answer?

8/8/2019 GIA12

10/28

From Table 12.3

How Congress is Organized toHow Congress is Organized to

Make PolicyMake Policy

The House

435 members, 2 yearterms of office.

Initiates all revenuebills, more influential

on budget. House Rules

Committee

Limited debates.

The Senate

100 members, 6 yearterms of office.

Gives advice &consent, more

influential on foreignaffairs.

Unlimited debates.(filibuster)

American Bicameralism

Bicameral: Legislature divided into two houses.

8/8/2019 GIA12

11/28


Make PolicyMake Policy

The House

Lead by Speaker of theHouse - elected by

House members.

Presides over House.

Major role incommittee assignments

and legislation.

Assisted by majorityleader and whips.

The Senate

Formerly lead by VicePresident.

Really lead by

Majority Leader-

chosen by partymembers.

Assisted by whips.

Must work with

Minority leader.

Congressional Leadership

8/8/2019 GIA12

12/28


Make PolicyMake Policy The Committees and Subcommittees

Four types of committees:

Standing committees: subject matter committees

handle different policy areas. (ex: Agriculture)

Joint committees: few policy areas- made up of

House & Senate members. (overlaps policy area)

Conference committees: resolve (iron out)differences in House and Senate bills.

Select committees: created for a specific purpose.

(Impeachment)

8/8/2019 GIA12

13/28



The Committees at Work: Legislation and

Oversight

Committees work on the 11,000 bills every year.

Some hold hearings and mark up meetings.

Oversight involves hearings and other methods of

checking the actions of the executive branch.

As the size of government grows, oversight grows

too.

8/8/2019 GIA12

14/28



Getting on a Committee (Lynn Jenkins)

Members want committee assignments that will help

them get reelected and gain influence.

New members express their committee preferences

to the party leaders.

Support of the party is important in getting on theright committee.

Parties try to grant committee preferences.

8/8/2019 GIA12

15/28



Getting Ahead on the Committee: Chairs and

the Seniority System.

The chair is the most important position for

controlling legislation.

Chairs were once chosen strictly by the seniority

system.

Now seniority is a general rule, and members may

choose the chair of their committee.

8/8/2019 GIA12

16/28


Make PolicyMake Policy Caucuses: The Informal Organization of

Congress

Caucus: A group of members of Congress

sharing some interest or characteristic.

Caucuses pressure for committee meetings and

hearings and for votes on bills. Caucuses can be more effective than lobbyists.

8/8/2019 GIA12

17/28


Make PolicyMake Policy Congressional Staff

Personal staff: Work for the member. Mainly

providing constituent service, but help with

legislation too.

Committee staff: organize hearings, research &

write legislation, target of lobbyists. Staff Agencies: CRS, GAO, CBO provide

specific information to Congress.

8/8/2019 GIA12

18/28

The Congressional Process


Legislation:

Bill: A proposed law.

Anyone can draft a bill, but only members of

Congress can introduce them.

More rules in the House than in the Senate.

Party leaders play a vital role in steering billsthrough both houses, but less in the Senate.

Countless influences on the legislative process.

8/8/2019 GIA12

19/28



How a Bill Becomes a Law (Figure 12.2)

8/8/2019 GIA12

20/28

8/8/2019 GIA12

21/28

Figure 12.5



8/8/2019 GIA12

22/28



Party, Constituency, and Ideology

Party Influence: Party leaders cannot force

party members to vote a particular way, butmany do vote along party lines.

Constituency versus Ideology: Mostconstituents are uninformed about their

member. It is difficult for constituents toinfluence their member, but on controversialissues members can not ignore constituents.

8/8/2019 GIA12

23/28

Constituency Versus IdeologyConstituency Versus Ideology English politician/philosopher Edmund Burke

favored trustees, using their best judgment to

make policy decisions. Others prefer the concept of representatives as

instructed delegates, mirroring the preferences oftheir constituents.

However, members of Congress are politicos,adopting both trustee and delegate roles.

8/8/2019 GIA12

24/28



Lobbyists and Interest Groups

There are several thousand lobbyists trying to

influence Congress - the bigger the issue, themore lobbyists will be working on it.

Lobbyists can be ignored, shunned and even

regulated by Congress.

Ultimately, it is a combination of lobbyists and

others that influence members of Congress.

8/8/2019 GIA12

25/28

Understanding Congress


Congress and Democracy

Leadership and committee assignments are not

representative.

Congress does try to respond to what the people

want, but some argue it could do a better job.

Members of Congress are responsive to thepeople, if the people make clear what they

want.

8/8/2019 GIA12

26/28



Reforming Congress

Democratization - more power was spread

around, and more subcommittees and caucuseswere created. Some of this has been changed inrecent years

Representation versus Effectiveness - some

argue that Congress has too much to do, poorlyorganized, too responsive to interests, and/ortoo representative. Yet, it has been effective.

8/8/2019 GIA12

27/28



Congress and the Scope of Government

The more policies Congress works on, the more

ways they can serve their constituencies.

The more programs that get created, the bigger

government gets.

Everybody wants government programs cut,just not theirprograms.

8/8/2019 GIA12

28/28

For Additional ReviewF

or Additional Review As you read your textbook, keep a list of all

the committees you come across. Jot down

what kind of committee each is and what itsrole or policy specialty is. This will help

with the M/C and Free Response.

gia12

Documents