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Legislature

Legislature. Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives This presentation is the property of Dr. Kevin Parsneau for use by him and his current students. No other person may use or reprint without his permission. What is Congress and what does it do?

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Legislature

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  1. Legislature Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives This presentation is the property of Dr. Kevin Parsneau for use by him and his current students. No other person may use or reprint without his permission.

  2. What is Congress and what does it do? • How does Congress act as a representative body? • How does it pass laws? • What are the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate? • What is Congress’s oversight role? • How does it all get done?

  3. Bicameralism • House of Representatives • 435 members • Elected by districts within states • Apportioned by population • 2 year terms • Senate • 100 members • Elected by whole states • 6 year terms with 1/3 elected every 2 years

  4. What Does Congress Do? • Represent • Legislate • Oversight

  5. Represent • Models of Representation • “Delegate” • “Trustee” • “Politico” • Types of Representation • Geographic • Ideological • Descriptive (sociological representation) • Constituency Service • casework • “pork”

  6. The Electoral Connection (David Truman) • Sometimes, members of Congress act as delegates and sometimes as trustees depending upon which they believe improves their chance of re-election. • This may seem selfish, but may keep them generally doing what the voters want in the long term.

  7. Legislate Types of legislation • Bills • Joint resolutions • Concurrent resolutions • Simple resolutions

  8. Legislate Summary of how a bill becomes a law • 1. Introduction • 2. Committee/ Subcommittee/ Markup Session • 3. Rules Committee • 4. Floor Vote • 5. Other Chamber • 6. Conference Committee • 7. President

  9. Differences between the House and Senate • House Budgetary Authority • Senate Confirmation Authority • Majoritarian vs. Supermajoritarian • Senate Collegiality • Filibusters and Cloture Votes (3/5ths) • Floor Debates • Power of the Speaker and Majority Leader • Open Rule vs. Closed Rule Debate

  10. Congress Oversight • Budget • Senate Confirmations • Supreme Court • Executive Officers • Ambassadors • Committee Hearings

  11. How do things get done? • Division of Labor and Specialization • Committees • Standing • Special or Select • Joint Committees • Conference Committees • Institutional Norms • Seniority • Staff • Leaders

  12. Leadership positions • Senate President • President Pro Tempore • Speaker of the House of Representatives • Senate Majority and Minority Leaders • House Majority and Minority Leaders • Senate Majority and Minority Whips • House Majority and Minority Whips

  13. Mechanisms of Leadership • Caucuses • Whip system • Rules • Committee assignments • Floor access • Log rolling • Lobbying • Leadership P.A.C.s • Presidential Support

  14. Ideology in Congress

  15. Ideology in Congress

  16. A Final Word About: • Congress: • House of Representatives • Senate • Representation • Legislation • Oversight • Bicameralism and complexity • Organizing and leadership

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