CONGRESS

I. Institutional Foundations II. Key Functions III. Organization IV. Legislative Process V. Members of Congress VI. An Effective Legislature?
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Constitutional Differences
HOUSE
2YearTerm 435Members (Proportional Representation) InitiatesallMoney Bills(Taxationand Spending) InitiatesImpeachment Proceedings

SENATE
6YearTerm 100Members(Equal Representation) AdviceandConsent pp and onAppointments Treaties TriesImpeached Officials

O Operational i l Diff Differences

HOUSE
MoreCentralized StrongLeadershipand ImpersonalRule

SENATE
LessCentralized CollegialityandPersonal Interaction

RulesCommitteeDetermines DebatebyUnanimousConsent TimeforDebates(Open,Closed orClotureVote(60Senators andRestricti Restrictive eRules) needed) FILIBUSTER!! GermaneAmendmentsONLY NonGermaneAmendments Allowed(Riders)

MembersSpecialize/Committee MembersMoreGeneralists/ DecisionsMoreInfluential/Floor CommitteesLess DebateLessImportant Influential/FloorDebateMore4 Important

Major Functions of Congress

Representation R i Delegate v. Trustee Individually I di id ll R Responsive, i not t Collectively Responsible Pork Barrel and Logrolling Lawmaking Oversight e s g t authority aut o ty O Consensus building powers (in ( the Senate) ) Confirmation p
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Organization: Congressional Committees System

Standing committees
House 19 (w/89 subcommittees) Senate S 17 ( (w/69 / subcommittees) b i ) Authorization and Appropriation

Joint J i committees i Special or select committees Conference committees

Woodrow Wilson: Congress in session is Congress on exhibition; Congress in committee is Congress at work.
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Organization: Congressional Leadership Positions

Speaker of the House of Representatives p Majority leaders (House and Senate) Minority leaders (House and Senate) Whips (House and Senate) President P id Pro P T Tempore (Senate) (S ) Vice-President (President of Senate)
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Organization: Congressional Leadership Positions

Speaker of the H House of f Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D CA) (D-CA)

Organization: Congressional Leadership

Majority and Minority Leaders (House) ( )
Steny Hoyer (D-MD) John Boehner (R-OH)

Organization: Congressional Leadership

Majority and Minority (Chief) Whips
James Clyburn (D-SC) Roy Blunt (R-MO)

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Organization: Congressional Leadership

President of the Senate Vice President Dick Cheney (R-WY) President Pro Tempore of the Senate Robert Byrd (D-WV)

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Organization: Congressional Leadership

Majority and Minority Leaders (Senate) ( )
Harry Reid (D-NV) Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

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Organization: Congressional Staff

Personal Staff Committee Staff Support Organizations
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Congressional Research Service (CRS) Government G tA Accountability t bilit Office Offi
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How a Bill Becomes a Law

Im just a Bill....Yes Im Only a Bill...and Im sitting here on Capitol Hill...

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How a Bill Becomes a Law

FLOOR DEBATE House: Rules Committee Senate: Unanimous Consent

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Determinants of Voting
Own O Political P liti l Vi Views/Ideology /Id l Constituents Interests Colleagues Influence (Committee Members [Report]; Congressional Staff ) Interest Groups Presidential Pressures Party Leadership
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Members of Congress
Traits:
Mostly y White, , Male, , Professional (i.e., lawyers, business), Wealthy

Day Day-to-Day to Day Work:

Committee Work Constituency Work Media and Interest Group Events Campaigning and Fundraising 17

Criticisms of Congress
Inefficient Unrepresentative Unrepresentative Unethical Lack of collective responsibility p y
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