The U.S. Congress

1. The U.S. Congress • Functions of a legislative body • Representation • Policy making • Oversight • Basic Structure of Congress • Bicameral • House/Senate Differences

2. Pre-Modern Congress High Turnover Light Workload Many criteria for Committee Assignments Little party structure Committee-centered Modern Congress Low Turnover Heavy Workload Seniority-based Committee Assignments Well-defined party structure Some power has shifted to sub-committees Congress Has Evolved Over Time

3. Descriptive/Sociological Representation

4. Other Ways to Represent • Agency Representation • Delegate mode • Trustee mode • Direct Patronage • Casework • Pork Barrel projects • Private Bills

5. Committees • The work of Congress is organized around a complex committee structure

6. Types of Committees • The most common type of committee is the Standing Committee • Revenue Committees: Budget (H), Finance (S), Appropriations (Both), Ways and Means (H) • Foreign Policy/Defense: Armed Services (S), Foreign Relations (S), International Relations (H) • Investigation: Government Reform (H) • Legislative Administration: Rules • Domestic: Agriculture, Banking, Education, Small Business

7. Committees Continued • Select Committees • Intelligence (both), Ethics (S), Homeland Security (H) • Joint Committees • Economic, Taxation, Printing • Conference Committee • Some committees are more prestigious than others: • Ways &Means(H), Finance (S), Rules(H), Appropriations, Budget

8. Committees Continued • Some committees are more prestigious than others: • Ways &Means(H), Finance (S), Rules(H), Appropriations, Budget • Committee Assignments: • Member interests • Committee on committees • Seniority

9. Sub-Committees • Much of the work of committees is done in subcommittees. • Example: The House Judiciary Committee has five sub-committees: • Commercial and administrative law • Constitutional law • Immigration, Border Security, and Claims • Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security • Courts, the Internet, and intellectual property

10. Consequences of Committee System • Policy fragmentation • Policy Expertise

11. The Organization of Congress: Party Structure • Most power in Congress goes to the Majority Party, especially in the House • How the Senate is different • No Speaker • VP is President of the Senate • Power of individual members weakens the control of the Majority party

13. How a Bill Becomes a Law • The process is long and complicated, providing many opportunities to kill the proposed bill • In a nutshell: Passes one chamber first, then must be approved by the other, then the differences must be reconciled, then the president must sign the bill • Details:

14. Influences on Congressional Voting • Constituents • Parties • Interest Groups • Colleagues • The President • Staff

15. Oversight • Appropriations • Investigations • Advice and Consent • Impeachment

16. Congressional Elections—A Story of Incumbency Advantage

17. Sources of the Incumbent Advantage • Information • Recall and Recognition if incumbents is higher than that of challengers. • To know an incumbent is to like the incumbent.

18. But Why Do Incumbents have Such an Information Advantage? • Pre-existing base of support (previously elected) • Perks of office • Free media • Tremendous fundraising advantage*

19. Fundraising Advantage of Incumbency

20. But Why Do Incumbents have Such an Information Advantage? • Pre-existing base of support (previously elected) • Perks of office • Free media • Tremendous fundraising advantage* • Inexperienced challengers*