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GOVT 2302. The Legislature: Evolution and Development. Previously we read through and analyzed the constitutional language that established the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature. .
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GOVT 2302 The Legislature: Evolution and Development
Previously we read through and analyzed the constitutional language that established the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature.
Now we analyze how legislative institutions have evolved over American history. We will look specifically how internal institutions have developed over time.
We will try to understand how power flows within the institution. Who or what is actually in charge of it.
The two dominant institutions are political partiesand standing committees.
Note that neither political parties nor committees are mentioned in the United States Constitution. But each has evolved into critically important power centers in Congress.
Parties are useful. They help recruit and run candidates for office and organize the House and Senate once they are elected. Currently parties re the dominant feature in Congress.
Committees are also useful. Bills once they are introduced in Congress are – usually but not always – sent to a committee to be marked up and debated.
Committees also allow members of Congress to specialize on policy issues important to their constituents.
We will also look at the Speakers office and understand the nature of its powers.
First, lets look at the websites of some of legislative branches on the national state and local levels. This gives us an idea about what each institution has evolved into.
U.S. HouseU.S. SenateTexas HouseTexas SenateAlvin City CouncilPearland City CouncilHouston City Council
A good way to understand each institution is to take a closer look at the complete bill making process on the national and state level. This allows us to see how each committee and parties are integrated into the process.
The process on the national level.A full description of the process.A graphical description.About the Texas Legislative Process
School House Rock: I’m just a bill on Capitol Hill.The Simpsons: I’m an Amendment to be.
Note that bills can be stopped at anytime in the process. While the official description of Congress is that it makes laws, it is just as easy to say that Congress’ job is to keep laws from being passed.
Notice that only the last two steps were mentioned in the Constitution. All the rest have evolved over time, but there is no reason why the steps in the process need to be followed for every bill.
For a look at how different bill passed this year have worked their way through Congress, click on Thomas and open up some of the public laws passed this year.The process varies from bill to bill.
Here is a bit more detail on committees, parties and Constitutional officers before digging into them more thoroughly.
Political Parties are the dominant organizing feature in the United States Congress. They are less important in the Texas Legislature due to the strength of the Speaker and Lieutenant Governor.
Political Parties date to the early days of Congress and helped members organize to either support of oppose the policies of the Washington Administration.
Currently almost all members of Congress are members of either the Democratic or Republican Parties.
There are four typesStanding CommitteesJoint CommitteesSpecial CommitteesConference Committees
Standing Committees are the most important. Consider them to be sub-groups within Congress that allow members to focus on specific issues that are important to the member.
They play a role in the drafting of legislation. Therefore it is essential for members of Congress to get on committees that allows them to impact policies that affect their constituents, party and supporters.
Note: Whoever has control over committees, has control over the legislature. Who ever wants to get on a particular committee has to do what that person or institution wants.
As we will see, in the U.S. Congress political parties have this control, and in the Texas Legislature leaders of each chamber (the Speaker and the Lieutenant Governor) do.
While the each Constitution does establish a presiding officer in each chamber (Speaker of the House and President of the Senate), that position does not necessarily control the institution.
As we know from the Constitution, the House of Representatives in both Texas and the United States is headed by a Speaker.
The United States Senate is headed by the President of the Senate who is also the Vice President in the executive branch. The Texas Senate is headed by the Lieutenant Governor, who is also called the President of the Senate.
These are the only positions on each level of government that serve in two branches, though there is a dispute about whether each is primarily a legislative or executive office.
We will also look at the evolving nature of individual Representatives and Senators. We will come to terms with the dominant goals of members of Congress and how this influences behavior.
