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CONGRESS

CONGRESS. Roots of the Legislative Branch. The U.S. Congress was greatly influenced by the American colonial experience and by the Articles of Confederation. Under the British, colonial assemblies were chosen as advisory bodies to the royal governors.

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CONGRESS

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  1. CONGRESS

  2. Roots of the Legislative Branch • The U.S. Congress was greatly influenced by the American colonial experience and by the Articles of Confederation. • Under the British, colonial assemblies were chosen as advisory bodies to the royal governors. • These assemblies gradually assumed more power and authority in each colony, eventually gaining responsibility over taxation and spending. • The weaknesses of the Articles led to the Philadelphia Convention in 1787.

  3. The Constitution and the Legislative Branch • Article I creates a bicameral legislative branch of government. • The upper house is called the Senate in which each state receives two representatives. • The lower house is called the House of Representatives which is apportioned by population. • The Senate has a 6 year term with 1/3 of the seats up for reelection every two years. • House members serve 2 year terms.

  4. Congressional Sessions • Each term begins on January 3 in odd number years • House terms last for 2 yrs./each term contains two 1 yr. sessions • This year the 113 Congress began • They stay in session until they move to adjourn

  5. advise and consent 6-year term 100 Relaxed Generalist Foreign policy Key DifferencesHouseSenate • Initiate revenue bills • 2-year term • 435 • Formal • Specialist • Tax policy

  6. House 200 Democrats 233 Republicans 0 Independents 2 Vacancies Senate 53 Democrats 45 Republicans 2 Independent Democrat 113th Congressional Profile

  7. Who’s Who Speaker of the House – John Boehner - R Majority Leader – Eric Cantor - R Minority Leader – Nancy Pelosi – D President of the Senate – Joe Biden – D President Pro Tempore-Patrick Leahy - D Majority Leader – Harry Reid – D Minority Leader – Mitch McConnell - R

  8. Who’s Served The Longest? • Senate: Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont 38 yrs. • House: John Dingell, D-Michigan 53+ yrs.

  9. Michigan Senate - Carl Levin - D Debbie Stabenow - D House – 1 Benishek, Dan, 2 Huizenga, Bill, 3 Amash, Justin, 4 Camp, Dave, 5 Kildee, Daniel, 6 Upton, Fred, 7 Walberg, Tim, 8 Rogers (MI), Mike, 9 Levin, Sander, 10 Miller, Candice, 11 Bentivolio, Kerry, 12 Dingell, John, 13 Conyers Jr., John, 14 Peters, Gary

  10. Apportionment and Redistricting • The Constitution requires that all Americans be counted every 10 years by a census. • The census determines the representation in the House of Representatives. • Redistricting (the redrawing of congressional districts to reflect changes in seats allocated to the states from population shifts) is done by state legislatures and, of course, always has political overtones. • When the process is outrageously political, it is called gerrymandering and is often struck down by the courts.

  11. Powers of Congress • The most important constitutional power of Congress is the power to make laws. • This power is shared by the House and the Senate. • In order to become a law, a bill must be passed by both the House and the Senate.

  12. Spend Money Regulate Commerce Taxation Create Courts Powers of Congress Lawmaking Declare War Make all laws "necessary and proper" to carrying out the enumerated powers

  13. Members of Congress • Congress is older, better educated, whiter, and richer than most of us. • However, great strides have been made. Currently, both California senators are women. • Can a man represent a woman? • Can a white person adequately represent the views of a black person?

  14. WOMEN MEMBERS OF THE 113TH CONGRESS SENATEWOMEN SENATORS: 20 HOUSE WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES: 90 Plus 5 from 112 to 113 Congress California, New Hampshire and Washington all have two women senators

  15. Racial Balance? • 5% of Senate are not white • 19% of the House are minorities

  16. Qualifications • Senate • 30 yrs. Old • U.S. citizen 9 yrs. • Legal resident of the state they represent • House • 25 yrs. Old • U.S. citizen 7 yrs. • Legal resident of the state they represent

  17. The Representational Role of Members of Congress How should an elected official represent his/her constituents? • Trustee--representatives use their own best judgment • Delegate--representatives vote the way their constituents want them to • Politico--representatives act as trustee or delegate depending on the issue • Partisan – representatives vote with their party leadership

  18. Organization of Congress • Every two years, a new Congress is seated. • The first order of business is the election of leaders and adoption of new rules. • Both houses of Congress are organized on the basis of party for both leadership and committee purposes.

  19. House Leadership • Speaker of the House • Chosen by a caucus of majority party members • Most powerful person in the House and party leader, and 3rd in the line of succession to the President • They can influence congressional proceedings

  20. House Leadership Cont. • Majority Leader • Help plan party’s legislative program • Steer important bills through the House • Make sure committee chairs finish work on bill important to the party • Floor leader of their particular party (not considered House official)

  21. House Leadership Cont. • Majority Whip • Helps majority leader/assistant floor leader of the House • Monitor how party members are going to vote on bills • Persuade party members to vote the way the party wishes • Make sure party members are present for votes

  22. House Leadership Cont. • Minority Party has the same officers

  23. Parliamentary Procedures(aka Robert’s Rules of Order) • An explanation p. 136

  24. House Rules Committee • Direct the flow of legislation (they control which bills get to the House Floor) • Oldest & most powerful committee in House • Once a committee considers & approves a major bill, it goes to the Rules Committee • They have the power to: • Hold bills back • Stop bills completely • Move bills ahead quickly

  25. Senate Leaders • President of the Senate = Vice President (Joe Biden) • President Pro Tempore • Elected by the majority party, usually the longest-serving member • There are also majority & minority leaders

  26. Filibuster vs Cloture • Filibuster-preventing a vote on a bill by extending debate • Cloture-limits the time a senator can debate a bill to one hour • Filibusters can only be stopped by a vote for cloture

  27. Congressional Committees • Standing Committees-permanent/in both House & Senate p. 143 • Subcommittees-specialize in a subcategory of a standing committee • Select Committees-temporary/study one specific issue & report findings to congress/less than one congressional term • Joint Committees-members of both House & Senate/like a study group reporting back on topic or specific bill • Conference Committees-temporary/used when House & Senate pass different versions of a bill and resolve differences/then send bill to President

  28. Committee Chair • Chairpersons of standing committees are the most powerful people in Congress • They control the work the committee does (which bills are written & how quickly they go through) • In the past they have been chosen by seniority-longest (uninterrupted) serving majority party member was appointed

  29. Lawmaking • Only a member of the House or Senate may introduce a bill but anyone can write a bill. • Over 9,000 bills are proposed and fewer than 5 to 10% are enacted. • Most bills originate in the executive branch. • A bill must survive three stages to become a law: committees, the floor, and the conference committee. A bill can die at any stage. • P. 185

  30. How Members Make Decisions • It is rare for a legislator to disregard strong wishes of constituents, particularly on hot button issues or those contentious issues that get a lot of media attention. • Deciding how the voters feel is not possible. • The perceptions of the representative are important since he/she cannot really know how all the constituents feel about an issue. • If constituents have little knowledge or interest in an issue, the legislator often makes an autonomous decision.

  31. How Members Make Decisions Interest Groups Colleagues Caucuses Party Representative Constituents Staff Political Action Committees

  32. Congress and the President • Especially since the 1930s, the president has seemed to be more powerful than Congress. • However, Congress retains several key powers vis-a-vis the president: • funding powers • oversight • impeachment/removal.

  33. Congressional Oversight of the Executive Branch • Congress has the power to review the actions of the executive branch • Congressional oversight is used to ensure that the bureaucracy is enforcing and interpreting laws the way Congress intended.

  34. Continuity and Change • The framers of the U.S Constitution placed Congress at the center if the government. • In the early years of the republic, Congress held the bulk of power. • The face of Congress is changing as women and minorities have achieved seats. • Today, the presidency has become quite powerful particularly since FDR. • Congress now generally responds to executive branch legislative proposals.

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