Chapter 8Section 3

When does Congress meet?When does Congress meet?

CongressCongress SessionSession Begin dateBegin date Adjourn dateAdjourn date

112112thth Congress Congress

11 January 5, 2011 TBDTBD

22 TBDTBD January 3, 2013

• Sessions – two regular meetings• Each Congressional session may last as long as

Congress wishes, but roughly less than one year.

Why is this the 112th Congress?

• Beginning with the first Congress in 1789, each Congress has been identified by number.

Special SessionsSpecial Sessions

• The president can recall Congress into a special session when a serious problem arises.

• These joint sessions are often televised.

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How Congress WorksHow Congress Works

• Who are the leaders in congress?Who are the leaders in congress?

• What are the roles of committees in What are the roles of committees in congress?congress?

• How does one become a committee?How does one become a committee?

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Congressional LeadersCongressional Leaders

• Majority party Majority party – – party with more party with more than ½ of congressthan ½ of congress

• Minority party Minority party – – party with less than party with less than half of congresshalf of congress

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Floor LeadersFloor Leaders

• Majority leader Majority leader – – majority party’s floor majority party’s floor leaderleader

• Majority Whip Majority Whip – – assist majority assist majority leaderleader

• Minority LeaderMinority Leader– – minority party’s minority party’s floor leaderfloor leader

• Minority Whip Minority Whip – – assists minority assists minority leaderleader

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Speaker of The HouseSpeaker of The House• Overall leaderOverall leader

• Member majority Member majority PartyParty

• In charge of nearly In charge of nearly everything that everything that occurs in Houseoccurs in House John BoehnerJohn Boehner

(OH) Speaker of (OH) Speaker of the Housethe House

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House Majority Floor LeadersHouse Majority Floor Leaders

Kevin McCarthy Kevin McCarthy (CA) Majority (CA) Majority WhipWhip

Eric Cantor (VA)Eric Cantor (VA)Majority LeaderMajority Leader

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House Minority Floor LeadersHouse Minority Floor Leaders

Nancy PelosiNancy Pelosi (CA) Minority (CA) Minority LeaderLeader

Steny Hoyer (MD)Steny Hoyer (MD)Minority WhipMinority Whip

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President of the SenatePresident of the Senate• Leader of SenateLeader of Senate

• Vice President is Vice President is President of the President of the SenateSenate

• Often away on Often away on official businessofficial business

Joe BidenJoe Biden

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President Pro TemporePresident Pro Tempore

• Leader of Senate Leader of Senate when Vice President when Vice President not therenot there

• Honorary position Honorary position usually senior usually senior member of majority member of majority partypartyDaniel Inouye Daniel Inouye

(HI)(HI)

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Senate Majority Floor LeaderSenate Majority Floor Leader

Harry Reid (NV)Harry Reid (NV)Majority LeaderMajority Leader

Richard Durbin (IL)Richard Durbin (IL)Majority WhipMajority Whip

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Senate Minority Floor LeadersSenate Minority Floor Leaders

Jon Kyl (AZ)Jon Kyl (AZ) Minority WhipMinority Whip

Mitch McConnell (KY)Mitch McConnell (KY)Minority LeaderMinority Leader

CommitteesCommittees

• When a bill is introduced in the House or Senate, it is usually referred to the committee with jurisdiction over its particular policy area

• Committees allow for a division of legislative labor, enabling the 100 Senators and 435 House members to consider approximately 5,000 bills and 50,000 nominations a year

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5 Congressional Committees5 Congressional Committees

• StandingStanding

• SubcommitteeSubcommittee

• SelectSelect

• JointJoint

• ConferenceConference

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Congressional CommitteesCongressional Committees

• Standing committeesStanding committees are permanent are permanent committees.committees.– House of Reps. = 19 standing committeesHouse of Reps. = 19 standing committees– Senate = 17 standing committeesSenate = 17 standing committees

• SubcommitteesSubcommittees are a small group of are a small group of committee members used to handle special committee members used to handle special problems.problems.

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Congressional CommitteesCongressional Committees

• Select committees Select committees are temporary are temporary committees committees

• Joint committeesJoint committees include members of include members of both houses usually both houses usually for a limited timefor a limited time

• Conference Conference committee committee - - special special type to help both type to help both houses agree on houses agree on details of a details of a proposed lawproposed law

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Seniority SystemSeniority System

• System where committee assignments are System where committee assignments are given to congressman with the longest time in given to congressman with the longest time in congresscongress

• Committee chairpersonCommittee chairperson is usually the is usually the committee member with the most time in committee member with the most time in congresscongress

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Review Question 1

• ___________ party has more than ½ the members of congress

• ____________ party has less than ½ the members of congress

Majority

Minority

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Review Question 2

• What do we call the overall leader of the House of Representatives? Who holds that position today?

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Review Question 3

• Who is the official leader of the Senate? What is the title of the leader of the Senate?

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Review Question 4

• ______________ is the floor leader for the party with less than ½ the members of a house of congress

• ______________ is the floor leader for the party with more than ½ the members of a house of congress

Minority leader

Majority leader

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Review Question 5

• When the President of the Senate is unable to lead the Senate, who leads the Senate?

Types of Committees(Standing, select, joint, conference)

• Standing: Permanent committees (last from year to year); agriculture, appropriations, armed services, budget– Process bulk of legislation

• Select (or Special): – Temporary, usually lasting only 2 years– Usually don’t have legislative authority, but

study bills and make recommendations– Coordinate legislation that overlaps

jurisdiction of several standing committees (Select committee on homeland security)

• Joint: Include members of both chambers (House and Senate)– Economic, Library, Printing, Taxation

• Conference: Reconcile differences between similar measures passed by both chambers (legislation must be identical before signed by president)– Composed of members of both houses

4 types of conference bargaining:• Traditional: participants meet, haggle• Offer-counteroffer: sides suggest

compromises, recess to discuss• Subconference: groups address special topics• Pro forma: informal preconference

negotiations