The U.S. Congress: The U.S. Congress: The People’s BranchThe People’s Branch • The Role of Congress
• A Bicameral Legislature
• Senate vs. House
• Organization & Leadership
• The Committee System
• Lame Duck Session
Key Functions of Congress
Representation: expresses the
diverse views of the American
people
Law Making: creates bills to address
issues and solve problems in American society
Consensus Building: reconciles competing
interests
Oversight: ensures that laws passed
by Congress are effectively carried out by the executive branch
Investigation: investigates government agencies, including the
White House---impeachment
Approval: confirms
presidential appointees and treaties (Senate
Only)
“In order to control the legislative authority, you must divide it.”
James Madison, Federalist No. 51
How will this set up protect Americans from tyranny?
The House Wing
The Senate Wing
A Bicameral Legislature
House Office Buildings
Senate Office BuildingsVirtual Tour of the Senate Chamber
The Well in the House Chamber
Differences Between the House and Senate
• Two year Term• 435 members• Smaller constituencies• Less personal staff• Equal populations represented • Less flexible rules• Limited Debate• Policy Specialists• Less media coverage• Less prestige• Less reliance on staff• More powerful committee
leaders• Very important committees• Nongermane amendments
(riders) not allowed• Important Rules Committee• Some bills are not allowed to be
amended from the floor
• Six year Term• 100 members• Larger constituencies• More personal staff• States represented• More flexible rules• Extended Debate• Policy generalists• More media coverage• More prestige• More equal distribution of
power• 20 major committees• Nongermane amendments
(riders) allowed• Filibuster allowed
The House The Senate
Non Voting Members of the House 1 representative each: >>can participate in debate and on committees >>cannot vote
The District of Columbia
Puerto Rico
American Samoa
Virgin Islands
Must live in state and district
Must be 25 years or
older
Must be a U.S. citizen for at least
7 years
Term begins on January 3 and last for 2
years.
One of 435 other members of the House
The House of Representatives:Requirements
Must be elected by
the majority of people in
his/her district 650,000
people on average Compar
e to the Senate
The Senate:Requirements
Must live in state
Must be elected by the majority of registered voters living in the state
Term begins January 3rd and lasts for six years.
1 of 100 other Senators: 2/state
Must be 30 years old
Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years.
Compare to the House
What do they both enjoy? Perks of the Office
Salary: $165,200/year
Free Office Space in D.C.
Free Office Space
in State Free Parking on the Hill
Office Expenses: $127,000 (House)$474,000 (Senate)
Staff Salaries: $632,000 (House)$2 million (Senate)
Several Free Trips Home
Franking Privilege: mailing “official business” (not campaign business) for free.
Full Access to the Congressional Gym and SpaFull Access to the Congressional Gym and Spa
Immunity from Lawsuits for anything you say when in Immunity from Lawsuits for anything you say when in CongressCongress
Inexpensive Health Care
Leadership in the House & Senate
How things are done in the two chambers affects what is done in the two chambers.
The House is four times as big as the Senate.
How do you think this affects how things are done?
Speaker of the House: Visit official web site. Presides over the Chamber
Decides Points of Order During Debate
Refers bills and resolutions to the appropriate committees
Schedules legislation for floor action
Appoints House members to committees
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority & Minority Leaders Appointed by parties to direct strategy on the House floor
Maintains alliances to gain votes and to pass/defeat bills
Formulates the party’s legislative agenda w/Speaker
Ensures that committee chairs take action on bills
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority & Minority Whips Aids the floor leader in developing & implementing party’s program
transmits information to party members
assists leaders in developing a count and a strategy for key votes
builds coalition to pass bills and amendments
gathers intelligence & uses persuasive tactics to garner more votes
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The New Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (D), CA
Priorities :
diminish the role of lobbyists
insure that lawmakers have time to read legislation before voting on it.
open House-Senate legislative negotiating sessions to the media
make sure earmarks are identified by the name of lawmaker who sponsored it
make sure earmarks are approved by policy making committees (oversight)
New Faces in the Crowd:
House Majority Whip
James Clyburn, S.C. 6th District
Terms in Office: 7
Previous Leadership: Chair of the Democratic
House Caucus
Caucus Chairman
Rahm Emanuel, IL. 5th District
Terms in Office: 3
Previous Leadership: Chair of the Democratic Campaign Committee
House Majority Leader
Steny Hoyer, MD 5th District
Terms in Office: 12
Previous Leadership: House Minority Whip
9 members from the majority party—chosen by the Speaker
4 members from the minority party
Is the Rules Committee democratic?
Regulates floor debate
Sets limits on amendments
Influences which bills do and do not get consideration
Supports the agenda of the majority party
Click here to view a special rule for a bill.
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cVice President Is the president of the Senate
May not take part in the debate
May try to influence a vote through contact with senators
May recognize members and put questions to a vote
May vote only in the event of a tiePresident Pro Temp Presides when the vice president is not present
Usually is the most senior member of the majority partyTemporary Presiding Officer Presides when neither the vice president nor the president pro temp is present
Usually a senior member of the majority party
Majority & Minority Whips Serve the same function in the Senate as they do in the House
Democratic Whip: Senator Barbara Boxer (California)
Republican Whip: Senator Robert Bennett (Utah)
The New Majority Leader in the Senate: Harry Reid
Age: 67
Party: Democrat
Religion: Mormon
Political Experience:
Nevada State Legislature
Lieutenant Governor
Nevada Gaming Commission
House of Representatives (1982)
Senate (1986)
Minority Leader (2005)
Majority Leader: 2007Senators Durbin & Reid meet with President Bush on New Footing
New Faces in the Crowd:
Senator Specter (R) hands control of the Judiciary Committee to Senator Leahy (D).
Senator Durbin (D) is the 2nd highest ranking member of Congress.
Filibuster
Strom Thurmond
(1957) 24 hours
against civil rights
legislation
Huey Long filibustered on behalf of
the poor
Is the filibuster democratic?
We’ll debate this more in class!
A senator refuses to give up the floor in order to prevent a vote.
If 60 senators vote to end a filibuster, a vote must be held within 30 hours. (cloture)
Congressional CommitteesLetters Requesting Committee Assignments
Concern of the Congress:
Full Scope of the Bill
The Congress debates
Concern of the Committee:
The Details of the Bill
“Congress in session is Congress on display. Congress in committee is
Congress at work.” President Woodrow Wilson
Standing Committees
Select Committees Joint Committees
Authorizing Appropriations
Rules Budget
• Make laws
• Hold hearings
• Hearing Schedule
• Determines how much $ will be spent
• The Immigration Fence
• Sets the Rules
• Jurisdiction of the Senate Rules Committee
• Raises $ for appropriations to spend
• House Ways and Means Committee
• Address temporary priorities in Congress
• Senate Select Committee on Ethics
View All Committees Here: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/index.html
• Address issues of concern to both chambers
• Joint Committee on Economics
Committee Leadership
• Control your committee’s agenda
• Schedule meetings and hearing of the full committee
• Help schedule subcommittee hearings and meetings
• Handle committee’s budget and staff
• Serve as the committee’s spokesperson
• Sit on House and Senate conference committees
• Steer your party’s legislative agenda in the Senate
If you are chosen head of a committee, you will:
Find out who’s on the new Democratic team here:
Criteria for Committee Assignments
Party Loyalty: Essentially your voting record
Seniority: Numbers of years of service on a particular committee
Geography: Vacancies tend to be filled with people from the
same states
Attitude: Civil, cooperative
& willing to compromise
Preference: Senator Landrieu serves on Energy & Natural Resources, key issues for Louisiana
Closing Questions
• What are the roles of Congress in our three branch government?
• How is Congress structured and why? How does the structure of Congress affect the way that Congress functions?
• Who has power in Congress and why?• What role do committees play? Are
they democratic?