Congress

1. Congress • Constitutional Powers • Organization • Primary Functions • Secondary Functions • Bicameralism • Legislative process • Leg. Oversight

2. Constitutional Powers • Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution • Powers • lay & collect taxes, duties...pay debts • borrow money on credit of U.S. • regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states... • coin money, regulate its value, etc. • establish post offices, roads • promote progress of science and the arts (patents and trademarks)

3. Constitutional Powers • Powers (continued) • constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court • declare war...raise & support armies ...provide & maintain a navy • provide for calling forth of the militia • make all laws which shall be necessary and proper • initiate constitutional amendments

4. Organization • http://thomas.loc.gov/ • http://www.house.gov/house/CommitteeWWW.html • http://www.senate.gov/committees/index.cfm

5. Organization of Congress • Bicameral legislature • Senators elected by states until 1913 • House initiates all spending bills and has power of impeachment • Senate affirms treaties, approves major Presidential appointments, tries all impeachments

6. Organization of Congress • Assembles at least once each year • Each house may determine rules of its proceedings & punish its members for disorderly behavior • Senators & representatives shall be paid but can’t give themselves a raise (27th Amend. 1972)

7. Organization of Congress • Senators and representatives: • are privileged from arrest during attendance at session… and for any speech or debate in either House (except for treason, felony and breach of the peace) • shall not be appointed to any civil office (unlike parliamentary systems)

8. Primary Functions • Legislate • Laws are often general with instructions to executive agencies (e.g. Clean Air Act) • Oversee Executive Agencies • Inform and educate the public • Represent constituents

9. Primary Functions • Represent constituents • Policy responsiveness • Service responsiveness (casework) • Allocation responsiveness (pork barrel) • Symbolic responsiveness (home style) • Models of representation • Trustee • Delegate

10. Secondary Functions • Impeachment • Executive and judicial officers • Treason, bribery, high crimes & misdemeanors • House impeaches; Senate tries (2/3 vote) • Seating and disciplining members • House and Senate rules vary • Selecting executive branch leaders

11. Bicameralism • Represent different interests & foster deliberative lawmaking • Committee appointments & the role of the majority party • Agenda setting • Seniority & Congressional power • Speaker of the House • President pro tempore and Majority leader of the Senate

12. Bicameralism • Senate Change in Leadership--107th • Jan. 3 - Jan. 20, 2001; June 6 - present • Robert Byrd (WVA), President Pro Tempore • Tom Daschle (SD), Majority Leader • Harry Reid (NV), Majority Whip • Jan. 20 - June 6, 2001 • Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore • Trent Lott (MS), Majority Leader • Don Nickles (OK), Majority Whip • James Jeffords changed parties (R->I)

13. Legislative Process • Committees and subcommittees • Standing committees • Joint committees • Select committees • Conference committees • Major differences between House and Senate rules • Nongermane amendments in Senate • Filibuster & cloture in Senate

14. Legislative Process • Bills introduced • Referred to committee(s) (rules) • Subcommittees hold hearings • May recommend passage • Committee(s) vote • Full House or Senate votes • Goes to other house • Conferences work out differences • President signs or vetoes

15. Legislative Process • History of legislation (bill’s history) • Legislative Intent • Congressional Record • Testimony at hearings • Lexis-Nexis

16. Legislative Oversight • Oversight or check on process • General Accounting Office • Congressional Budget Office • Office of Technology Assessment • Congressional Research Service • Legislation as process, not solution • Oversight as feedback, not “criminal“ investigation