how much power do congress and congressional leadership actually have?

US Government & Politics

Sets up a bicameral legislaturePresident mentioned as a check on CongressDetails how House and Senate to be set upArticle 1 Section 8 Interstate Commerce Clause (excuse to interfere?) and elastic clause (left open possibility to legislate on important issues)

What is Congress and why is it there?Read Article 1 Section 8.Make a bullet pointed list of the explicit powers the US Constitution bestows on Congress.Make another list of any implicit powers the US Constitution bestows on Congress.What do you notice?Constitutional Analysis

Enquiry Question: How much power do Congress and Congressional Leadership actually have?

Learning ObjectivesTo outline the powers bestowed on Congress by the ConstitutionTo examine the relative importance and prestige of the House and the SenateTo identify the roles and powers of the leadership in CongressTo examine how much influence congressional leaders have

Powers of CongressThe Constitution gives Congress some explicit powers like the power to coin money. Whereas other powers are vague like the power to provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States.Some powers Congress has are concurrent to both houses, whereas others are exclusive to just one house.

Powers of CongressNature of powersHouse of RepresentativesSenateExclusive PowersInitiate money billsImpeachmentElect president if Electoral College is tiedConfirm appointmentsRatify treatiesTry cases of impeachmentElect vice-president if Electoral College is tiedConcurrent PowersPass legislationOverride the presidential vetoInitiate constitutional amendmentsDeclare warConfirm a newly appointed vice-president


Why is the Senate regarded as more prestigious than the House of Representatives?YOUR TASK:Complete the Essay Map outline to produce a detailed plan of how you would answer this question in an exam.Ensure you use Point, Analysis, Context, Example to help you structure your paragraphs.45 marks = 45 minutes

How did you do?Indicative ContentYESSenators represent the entire stateSenators serve longerSenators are only 1 of 100Senators are more likely to chair a committee/sub-committee/hold a position of leadershipSenators enjoy greater name recognition (state-wide/nation-wide)Senate is recruiting pool for presidents and vice-presidentsSenators enjoy significant exclusive powersHouse members frequently seek election to the SenateNOBoth houses have equal power in the passage of legislation the key function of CongressBoth houses must approve the initiation of constitutional amendmentsSenators and Representatives receive an equal salary

Use the indicative content to self-assess your work.

Is the Senate more prestigious than the House?Key Question

NOT AT ALLCOMPLETELYNOT REALLYLARGELYFAIRLYSOMEWHATWrite your name on a post it and put it on the representative thermometer prepare to justify your decision!


The 2 Chambers are not the sameHow do they work?

Congressional LeadershipWho do we need to learn about?

John Boehner (Speaker of the House)US Rep Ohio 8thElected by H of R2nd in line of successionOffice mandated in Article 1 Section 2Equivalent to the President Pro-Tempore but more powersHouses presiding officer the Speaker is a leadership position in the majority party and actively works to set that party's legislative agenda, therefore endowing the office with considerable powerAdditional duties;Does not usually personally preside over debates, instead delegating the duty to other members of Congress of the same political party.Some administrative and procedural functions, and represents his or her congressional district.


Patrick Leahy (President Pro-Tempore)US Senator for VermontElected by Senate3rd in line of successionOffice mandated in Article 1 Section 3Equivalent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, but powers are more limitedSenates presiding officer authorised to perform certain duties in the absence of the VP e.g. ruling on points of orderAdditional duties;Appointment of various congressional officers, certain commissions, advisory boards, and committees and joint supervision of the congressional page school.


Mitch McConnell (Majority Leader - Senate)US Senator for KentuckyElected by Republican partyChief Senate spokesperson for partyHead of Minority (Republican) Party in the SenateAdditional duties;Manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate.By rule, the Presiding Officer gives the Majority Leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate.


Harry Reid (Minority Leader - Senate)US Senator for NevadaElected by Democratic partyChief Senate spokesperson for partyHead of Majority (Democratic) Party in the SenateAdditional duties;Manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate.Minority party lawmakers are certain to be heard, but whether they will be heeded is sometimes another matter. Thus, the utmost goal of any minority leader is to recapture majority control of the Senate.


Kevin McCarthy (Majority Leader - House)US Representative California 22nd DistrictElected by Republican partyFloor leader of the majority partyNOT Head of Majority (Republican) Party in the House that is the SpeakerAdditional duties;The Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader are considered the respective "faces" and leaders of their caucuses in the House, while the Majority Leader's duties and prominence varies depending upon the style of the Speaker. May preside over debates.Some administrative and procedural functions, and represents his or her congressional district.


Nancy Pelosi (Minority Leader - House)US Rep California 8th Elected by Democratic partyFloor leader of the opposition partyHead of Minority (Democratic) Party in the HouseMinority Partys nominee for SpeakerAdditional duties;Minority party lawmakers are certain to be heard, but whether they will be heeded is sometimes another matter. Thus, the utmost goal of any minority leader is to recapture majority control of the House.The U.S. House of Representatives does not officially use the term "Minority Leader", although the media frequently does. The House instead uses the terms "Republican Leader" or "Democratic Leader" depending on which party holds a minority of seats.

Pause for ThoughtNancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. A mother of 5, a grandmother of 7 and the first woman to hold the office of Speaker and to-date has been the highest-ranking female politician in American history.A member of the Democratic Party, Pelosi has been in the House of Representatives since 1987. Pelosi is the first woman, the first Californian and first Italian-American to lead a major party in Congress.House Minority Whip (2002-2003)House Minority Leader (2003-2007)Speaker of the House (2007-2011)House Minority Leader (2011-2013)


Being the first woman speaker and breaking the marble ceiling is pretty important. Now it's time to move on.

I would never think of crying about any loss of an office, because that's always a possibility, and if you're professional, then you deal with it professionally...If I were to cry for anything, I would cry for the American people and the policies that they're about to face.

Quotes


Voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 and earlier attempts at similar bans, and voted against the criminalization of certain situations where a minor is transported across state lines for an abortion.She voted against a Constitutional amendment banning flag-burning and against a Congressional resolution supporting the display of the Ten Commandments in courtrooms.Instrumental in passing Obamas Healthcare plans. After delivering 219 votes in the House for Obama's signature health care package, Pelosi was both praised and heckled as she made her way to Capitol Hill.In 1996 she voted against the Defense of Marriage Act, and in 2004 and 2006, she voted against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would amend the United States Constitution to define marriage federally as being between one man and one woman, thereby overriding states' individual rights to legalize gay marriageNo Stranger to Controversy


Political Parties in CongressThe Importance of Political PartiesPolitical parties have always played an important role in Congress, but this role has increased in significance in the past decade.Party ideology influences the relationships between members of Congress, relationships with their constituents, legislation, and characterises the relationship between Congress and the executive.

Political Parties in CongressParty DisciplineA weak party discipline is generally found in Congressional systems such as the United States Congress.It is routine for members to cross party lines on a given vote, typically following the interests of their region or following other members of a borderline group within their party (for instance, the conservative Blue Dog Democrats and centrist and socially liberal Main Street Republicans).

Political Parties in CongressInfluence of the Party LeadershipAgenda ControlThis can be getting favourable agenda passed, but it can also mean keeping bills off the agenda which they may not like, this is called "gatekeeping." PressureFalling in line with the leadership of your party could be beneficial in the form of incentives; committee selection, pork, log-rolling, etc. Lobbyists tend to target the leaders and not minor members of congress because minor members will usually vote along party lines which is determined by the leadership.DisciplineWhen you choose to ignore the party leadership it may cost you. If you choose to ignore the leadership on a pivotal vote, well, that may come into account when the next congress' committees are being drawn up. You could really want that last spot on the appropriations committee, sometimes going against the leadership means you just missed the last spot and wind up on the post office committee.

Examine the influence of the Congressional Leadership.

15 marks = 15 minutes

1086420

10 MinutesStart Timer

543210

5 MinutesStart Timer


HomeworkFurther ReadingHistory and Authority of the Office (President Pro Tempore)The Evolution of Party Leadership (Jenkins)

Why is the Senate regarded as more prestigious than the House of Representatives?

how much power do congress and congressional leadership actually have?

Education