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The U.S. Congress: The People’s Branch

The U.S. Congress: The People’s Branch. The Role of Congress A Bicameral Legislature Senate vs. House Organization & Leadership The Committee System Lame Duck Session. Consensus Building: reconciles competing interests. Representation: expresses the diverse views of the American people.

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The U.S. Congress: The People’s Branch

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  1. The U.S. Congress: The People’s Branch • The Role of Congress • A Bicameral Legislature • Senate vs. House • Organization & Leadership • The Committee System • Lame Duck Session

  2. Consensus Building: reconciles competing interests Representation: expresses the diverse views of the American people Law Making: creates bills to address issues and solve problems in American society Key Functions of Congress Oversight: ensures that laws passed by Congress are effectively carried out by the executive branch Approval: confirms presidential appointees and treaties (Senate Only) Investigation: investigates government agencies, including the White House---impeachment

  3. A Bicameral Legislature The House Wing The Senate Wing “In order to control the legislative authority, you must divide it.” James Madison, Federalist No. 51 How will this set up protect Americans from tyranny?

  4. The Well in the House Chamber House Office Buildings Senate Office Buildings Virtual Tour of the Senate Chamber

  5. Two year Term 435 members Smaller constituencies Less personal staff Equal populations represented Less flexible rules Limited Debate Policy Specialists Less media coverage Less prestige Less reliance on staff More powerful committee leaders Very important committees Nongermane amendments (riders) not allowed Important Rules Committee Some bills are not allowed to be amended from the floor Six year Term 100 members Larger constituencies More personal staff States represented More flexible rules Extended Debate Policy generalists More media coverage More prestige More equal distribution of power 20 major committees Nongermane amendments (riders) allowed Filibuster allowed Differences Between the House and Senate The House The Senate

  6. Non Voting Members of the House1 representative each: >>can participate in debate and on committees >>cannot vote Puerto Rico The District of Columbia American Samoa Virgin Islands

  7. The House of Representatives:Requirements Must live in state and district Must be 25 years or older Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years Must be elected by the majority of people in his/her district 650,000 people on average Term begins on January 3 and last for 2 years. One of 435 other members of the House Compare to the Senate

  8. The Senate:Requirements Must live in state Must be 30 years old Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years. Must be elected by the majority of registered voters living in the state Term begins January 3rd and lasts for six years. 1 of 100 other Senators: 2/state Compare to the House

  9. What do they both enjoy? Perks of the Office Office Expenses: $127,000 (House)$474,000 (Senate) Free Office Space in D.C. Free Office Space in State Free Parking on the Hill Staff Salaries: $632,000 (House)$2 million (Senate) Inexpensive Health Care Salary: $165,200/year Several Free Trips Home Franking Privilege: mailing “official business” (not campaign business) for free. Full Access to the Congressional Gym and Spa Immunity from Lawsuits for anything you say when in Congress

  10. Leadership in the House & Senate How things are done in the two chambers affects what is done in the two chambers. The House is four times as big as the Senate. How do you think this affects how things are done?

  11. Speaker of the House: Visit official web site. • Presides over the Chamber • Decides Points of Order During Debate • Refers bills and resolutions to the appropriate committees • Schedules legislation for floor action • Appoints House members to committees • Majority & Minority Leaders • Appointed by parties to direct strategy on the House floor • Maintains alliances to gain votes and to pass/defeat bills • Formulates the party’s legislative agenda w/Speaker • Ensures that committee chairs take action on bills Leadership in the House of Representatives: Democratic Minority Leader • Majority & Minority Whips • Aids the floor leader in developing & implementing party’s program • transmits information to party members • assists leaders in developing a count and a strategy for key votes • builds coalition to pass bills and amendments • gathers intelligence & uses persuasive tactics to garner more votes Majority Leader Majority Whip Minority Whip

  12. The New Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (D), CA • Priorities : • diminish the role of lobbyists • insure that lawmakers have time to read legislation before voting on it. • open House-Senate legislative negotiating sessions to the media • make sure earmarks are identified by the name of lawmaker who sponsored it • make sure earmarks are approved by policy making committees (oversight)

  13. New Faces in the Crowd: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, MD 5th District Terms in Office: 12 Previous Leadership: House Minority Whip House Majority Whip James Clyburn, S.C. 6th District Terms in Office: 7 Previous Leadership: Chair of the Democratic House Caucus Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, IL. 5th District Terms in Office: 3 Previous Leadership: Chair of the Democratic Campaign Committee

  14. Regulates floor debate • Sets limits on amendments • Influences which bills do and do not get consideration • Supports the agenda of the majority party • Click here to view a special rule for a bill. • 9 members from the majority party—chosen by the Speaker • 4 members from the minority party Is the Rules Committee democratic?

  15. Vice President • Is the president of the Senate • May not take part in the debate • May try to influence a vote through contact with senators • May recognize members and put questions to a vote • May vote only in the event of a tie • President Pro Temp • Presides when the vice president is not present • Usually is the most senior member of the majority party Leadership in the Senate: Democratic • Temporary Presiding Officer • Presides when neither the vice president nor the president pro temp is present • Usually a senior member of the majority party • Majority & Minority Whips • Serve the same function in the Senate as they do in the House • Democratic Whip: Senator Barbara Boxer (California) • Republican Whip: Senator Robert Bennett (Utah)

  16. The New Majority Leader in the Senate: Harry Reid • Political Experience: • Nevada State Legislature • Lieutenant Governor • Nevada Gaming Commission • House of Representatives (1982) • Senate (1986) • Minority Leader (2005) • Majority Leader: 2007 Age: 67 Party: Democrat Religion: Mormon Senators Durbin & Reid meet with President Bush on New Footing

  17. New Faces in the Crowd: Senator Durbin (D) is the 2nd highest ranking member of Congress. Senator Specter (R) hands control of the Judiciary Committee to Senator Leahy (D).

  18. Filibuster A senator refuses to give up the floor in order to prevent a vote. If 60 senators vote to end a filibuster, a vote must be held within 30 hours. (cloture) Strom Thurmond (1957)24 hours against civil rights legislation Huey Long filibustered on behalf of the poor Is the filibuster democratic? We’ll debate this more in class!

  19. Congressional Committees Letters Requesting Committee Assignments

  20. “Congress in session is Congress on display. Congress in committee is Congress at work.” President Woodrow Wilson Concern of the Committee: The Details of the Bill Concern of the Congress: Full Scope of the Bill The Congress debates

  21. View All Committees Here: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/index.html Select Committees Standing Committees Joint Committees • Address temporary priorities in Congress • Senate Select Committee on Ethics • Address issues of concern to both chambers • Joint Committee on Economics Authorizing Appropriations Rules Budget • Make laws • Hold hearings • Hearing Schedule • Determines how much $ will be spent • The Immigration Fence • Sets the Rules • Jurisdiction of the Senate Rules Committee • Raises $ for appropriations to spend • House Ways and Means Committee

  22. Committee Leadership If you are chosen head of a committee, you will: • Control your committee’s agenda • Schedule meetings and hearing of the full committee • Help schedule subcommittee hearings and meetings • Handle committee’s budget and staff • Serve as the committee’s spokesperson • Sit on House and Senate conference committees • Steer your party’s legislative agenda in the Senate Find out who’s on the new Democratic team here:

  23. Criteria for Committee Assignments Party Loyalty: Essentially your voting record Geography: Vacancies tend to be filled with people from the same states Seniority: Numbers of years of service on a particular committee Attitude: Civil, cooperative & willing to compromise Preference: Senator Landrieu serves on Energy & Natural Resources, key issues for Louisiana

  24. Closing Questions • What are the roles of Congress in our three branch government? • How is Congress structured and why? How does the structure of Congress affect the way that Congress functions? • Who has power in Congress and why? • What role do committees play? Are they democratic?

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