Chapter 9 – Congress

Functions of Congress

• Lawmaking
• Representation
• Service to constituents
• Oversight
• Public education
• Conflict-resolution

Representation Function

• Representation function:
  • Often at variance with lawmaking function
  • Trustee view of representation
  • Instructed-delegate view of representation
  • Politico style (combination)
• Service to constituents:
  • Casework and “hillstyle”
  • Ombudsperson role
• Oversight function:
  • Committee hearings and investigations
  • Budgeting
  • Nomination review
• Public-education function:
  • Public hearings
  • Bureaucracy oversight
  • Debate on major issues

• Conflict-resolution function:
  • Resolves societal conflicts
  • Interest groups seek help to resolve grievances

The Powers of Congress

• Enumerated Powers
  • Right to collect taxes and spend
  • Regulate commerce
  • Power to declare war
• Necessary and Proper Clause
• Checks on Congress
  • Presidential veto
  • Supreme Court
  • Elections
  • House vs. Senate bills

House-Senate Differences

• Size and rules
  • House = 435 representatives; more formal rules
  • Senate = 100 senators; looser procedures
• Debate and filibustering
  • Senate has filibuster and cloture
• Prestige
  • Senators generally enjoy more recognition and prestige

Differences between the House and Senate

• Constitutional Differences
  • House
    • Members chosen from local districts
    • Two-year term
    • Originally elected by voters
    • May impact (indict) federal officers)
  • Senate
    • Members chosen from entire state
    • Six-year term
    • Originally elected by state legislatures
    • May convict federal officials of impeachable offenses.

Congresspersons and the Citizenry

• Compared to average Americans, members of Congress are:
  • Older
  • Disproportionately white and male
  • High-status occupations
  • Wealthy
• But gender and ethnic diversity increasing

Congressional Elections

• Elections decentralized: conducted by state governments according to federal guidelines
  • One-third of seats chosen every two years
  • Territories/Washington DC – nonvoting delegates
• Candidates
  • May be self-selected or recruited by party
  • Average cost $1.4 million for House, $9.7 million for Senate
  • Presidential coattails (if president popular)

Congressional Apportionment

• Reapportionment : allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census
• Redistricting: redrawing of boundaries of districts within each state
• Gerrymandering
• Redistricting after 2010 Census
  • Controlled mostly by Republicans
  • Packing and cracking
• Nonpartisan redistricting
  • Predominantly by county
  • More competitive
• “Minority-majority” districts
• Constitutional challenges

Perks and Privileges

• Permanent professional staffs
• Privileges and immunities
• Caucuses: another source of support
  • Party caucuses most important
  • Other examples:
    • Democratic Study Group
    • Rust Belt Caucus
    • Congressional Women’s Caucus

Committee Structure

• Power of committees
  • “Little legislatures”
  • Chairpersons have significant authority
    • Schedule hearings and formal action on bill
    • Determine which committees act on legislation
    • Discharge petitions

The Committee Structure

• Types of committees
  • Standing Committees
  • Select Committees
  • Joint Committees
  • Conference Committees
  • House Rules Committee
• Selection of committee members
  • Appointed
  • Seniority system (informal process)

The Formal Leadership

• House Leadership
  • The Speaker
  • Majority Leader
  • Minority Leader
  • Whips

• Senate Leadership

  • Vice President
  • President pro tempore
  • Majority Leader
  • Minority Leader
  • Whips

How Members of Congress Decide

• Party membership is major determinant of how members vote, but not the only factor
• Conservative coalition
• “Crossing over”
• Logrolling, earmarks, and “pork”

Bill Becomes a Law

• How a bill becomes law
  • Must pass through both houses of Congress
  • “Money bills” must start in the House
  • Similar steps in both chambers
    • Study, discussion, hearings, markup
    • Scheduling and debate
  • Conference committees
  • Joint resolutions

How Much Will the Government Spend

• Preparing the budget
  • Fiscal year cycle (October 1– September 30)
  • Office of Management and Budget
• Congress faces the budget
  • Authorization
  • Appropriation
  • Budget resolutions