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Transcript of Congress. What does Congress do? Five major roles Representative Legislative Oversight ...
CongressCongress
What does Congress do?
Five major roles Representative
Legislative
Oversight
Constituent Services
Education
Who is in Congress? “Old, white, men”…mostly? Whites
74.8% of population (2010 Census) 66% of Congress
Women are the most underrepresented group 50% of population 18.8% of Congress (102 women in 113th Congress) Numbers have been increasing steadily (1992 – 2 women in
Senate) African Americans
Approximately 13.6% of the population (2010 Census) 8.1% of Congress (1992 – no African Americans in Senate)
Hispanic/Latino 16.3% of population (2010 Census) 6.9% of Congress
Asian 5.6% of population (2010 Census) 2.4% of Congress
Incumbency Offers a huge advantage for reelection
Over 90% of Members and Senators.
Marginal Districts Districts with close elections (winner wins with
less than 55% of the vote)
More common when an incumbent is not in the running
Safe Districts Districts where incumbent wins by a larger
margin (more than 55% of the vote)
Why do Incumbents have an advantage?
Advertising Send lots of free mailings/newsletters
franking privilege – not for campaign mail
Get name in newspaper for sponsoring bills or conducting investigations
Media
Making personal appearances – townhall meetings
Credit-Claiming/Pork-Barrel Legislation Get programs passed or funds spent to benefit the
district
Keep army base open, support building of new highway, take credit for federal grants (Pork-Barrel)
Why do Incumbents have an advantage? Cont…
Casework – Helping Constituents Travel frequently (at taxpayer expense) to meet with
constituents
Cutting through bureaucratic red tape to help out individuals in their district. Caseworkers get needed information from disgruntled constituents and contact the appropriate agency.
Veterans who feel they are getting the run-around at the V.A. hospitals
Retirees experiencing delays in receiving Social security checks
Hand out favors to important voters
Money Government does not subsidize Congressional races –
makes it harder for a challenger to compete
Senators and the incumbent advantage Senators enjoy an incumbent advantage, but
seats are less safe than Congressional seats
WHY? More diversity among voters in an entire state
than a single district.
Senators have less contact with constituents because there are more of them
Senators receive more media coverage and so are held more accountable for their voting record.
Challengers in Senate races are more well-known
Ex-Governors or Congressmen
How Elections are RunRedistricting and Reapportionment
Constitution dictates representation must be reapportioned every 10 years (decennial census)
Numbers in House don’t increase anymore – representatives are simply moved around)
State legislatures have the right to draw district lines Gerrymandering may happen in favor of party that controls state
legislatureBefore 60’s very few limits on drawing of district lines
1962 – Baker v. Carr – Malapportionment violates equal protection clause of 14th amendment One man – one vote
1965 – Voting Rights Act – Congress passed legislation to protect black voters in the South. States cannot deny somebody the right to vote on the basis of race States have to check with the Justice Department before they institute new
voting procedures – including redistricting.
How Elections are RunGerrymandering
Shape of a district is changed dramatically by the party in power in the state legislature after a new censusTool used by power in party to gain political powerStakes are high – incumbent advantageDemocrats were primary beneficiaries of gerrymandering until early 90’sMajority - Minority DistrictsIn early 90’s courts allowed gerrymandering to give more power to minority groups
Stated reason: to ensure equality in representation for minority candidates, thus ensuring minorities more equal treatment from government.
Unstated reason: to isolate and split the Democratic voter base in certain southern states to ensure Republican holds on the South.
Shaw v. Reno (1993), Miller v. Johnson (1995), Bush v. Vera (1996)
How Congress Decides to Vote Constituency
Important b/c: Constituents reelect (retrospective voting – based on voting records) Insignificant b/c: 30% of constituents can’t name their representative, midterm election turnout
is less than 40% Interest Groups
PACs of business and unions bring money Inside lobbying Outside lobbying
grassroots Party Discipline
Has declined in importance Party unity is greater in the House than the Senate (because of stricter rules regarding voting)
Committee Assignments Faithful representatives are often favored with powerful or desired committee appointments
Whip System Mostly a communications network Poll and push on members to vote a certain way on a bill Less power than in Parliament where leadership can kick a member out for not being loyal to the
party. Logrolling
Vote trades – a member may offer a yes vote on a bill he/she doesn’t care about for a returned favor later
What are the influences on your members…
In Your Groups…
What are the major influences on your member? Based on his/her constituency, what pressures might be
exerted upon your Congressman?
Based upon the background, priorities, and beliefs of your representative, what are some areas you think he/she won’t be willing to budge?
Looking at the influence of interest groups, PACs, and donors, what pressures will likely be placed on this Congressman?
Explain your bill. How do you think your Congressman will vote and why?
How Should Congressmen vote? Representational (Delegate Model)
Voting based on what Constituents want Helps for reelection (presumably)
Organizational Voting based on what members of party or
Congressional caucus want. Helps for getting stuff done in Congress (storing
up favors and friendship) Attitudinal (Trustee Model)
Voting based on own beliefs Idea that voters chose you to make decisions for
them and that you should make the best choices possible, even if that means disagreeing with them (Burke)
How should congressmen vote?
Organization of Congress Making Policy
11,000+ bills introduced to Congress each year Everyone is an expert – lobbyists, staff, bureaucrats, media
Differences between House and Senate Connecticut (Great) Compromise divided Congress into 2
chambers Federalist 51 calls for division of powerful legislative chambers
All specialization and avoid tyranny Each chamber has different duties
No bill can pass without approval from both houses Congress has lost some power to the Presidency over the past 50 years,
but it remains one of the most powerful legislatures in history.
House Senate
Sole power of impeachment Power to try all impeachments
Revenue bills must originate here
Power to approve all Presidential appointments
Power to approve all treaties (2/3 majority)
Organization of Congress Duties of Congress
Representation – represent diverse and conflicting views of Americans
Legislation- ideally makes laws to solve problems or prevent them from occurring
Oversight – performs oversight of the executive branch (president and bureaucracy) Makes sure laws are carried out and investigates if
necessary Helping Constituents
Casework Educating Public
Organization of CongressHouse of Representatives vs. Senate
House Senate
More centralized Less centralized
Stricter hierarchies Less strict hierarchies
More rules governing debate Fewer rules and more power for individuals (filibuster)
Party loyalty and party-line voting are more common
Party loyalty and party-line voting are less common
Committees are stronger – committee chairs wield more power
Committees and committee chairs have less power
House Rules Committee = most powerful committee in the House
Rules committee doesn’t exist – more open forum
Organization of CongressLeadership
HouseSpeaker of the House
Third in line to presidency Only Constitutionally required position Four major powers
Presides over the House when it’s in session and decides who is to be recognized on the floor
Plays a major role in deciding who is going to head certain committees – especially the Rules committee – which acts as an arm to House leadership
Plays a key role in negotiating with the President or the Senate when it comes to key legislation
Has a lot of power when it comes to deciding which bills will get assigned to certain committee
Organization of CongressLeadership
HouseHistory of the Speaker
Uncle Joe Cannon and Czar Thomas Reed Selected all committee members and personally chaired the Rules
committee in order to influence legislation Revolt in 1910 and powers were stripped Temporary restoration of central power under Newt Gingrich
during the Republican RevolutionCommittees are VERY importantMajority Leader
responsible for scheduling bills in the House Helps round up votes for the party (with the help of the Whip)
Whip In charge of counting votes and getting the “rank and file” in
line
Organization of CongressLeadership
House (Leadership/Leadership Committees)
Republicans Democrats
Speaker of the House
Majority Leader Minority Leader
Majority Whip Minority Whip
Chairman of the Conference – presides over meetings of all House Republicans
Chairman of the Caucus – presides over meetings of all House Democrats
Committee on Committees – Assigns Republican representatives to CommitteesPolicy Committee – Advises on party policy
Steering and Policy Committees – schedule legislation and assign Democratic Representatives to committees
National Republican Congressional Committee – provides funds and advice to Republican candidates for the House
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee – provides funds and advice to Democratic candidates for the House
Research Committee – on request, provides information about issues
Organization of Congress Senate
Check against popular passions of the House
“The second branch ought to be a check on the first…the first branch originating from the people, will be ever subject to…changeability and excess…while the second branch ought to be composed of men of great and established property – an aristocracy…to keep down the turbulence of democracy.”
Very similar, but has important differences Much smaller means procedures are less formal, members get more
time for debate, committees wield less power. Leadership
Vice President – preside and break votes President pro tempore – usually most senior member, presides in VP
absence Majority Leader/Minority Leader – most power is held Power is widely dispersed in the Senate and leaders don’t have as
much control over the rank and file as they do in the House
Organization of CongressLeadership
Senate (Leadership/Leadership Committees)
Republicans Democrats
President pro-tempore
Majority Leader Minority Leader
Majority Whip Minority Whip
Chairman of the Conference – presides over meetings of all House Republicans
Chairman of the Conference – presides over meetings of all House Democrats
Committee on Committees – Assigns Republican representatives to Committees
Steering Committee – Assigns Democratic Senators to Committee
Policy Committee – Advises on party policy
Policy Committee – Advises on party policy
Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee – provides funds and advise to Republican Senatorial Candidates
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee – provides funds and advise to Democratic Senatorial Candidates
Limits on Party Leadership Power
Both chambers are more decentralized than Parliament
Leaders are elected by party members so they must stay responsive to them.
Committees have lots of power, especially in the House
CommitteesHouse Standing
Committees Senate Standing
Committees
Agriculture Rules Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Rules and Administration
Appropriations Science, Space and Technology
Appropriations Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Armed Services Small Business Armed Services Veterans’ Affairs
Budget Transportation and Infrastructure
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Education and the Workforce
Veterans’ Affairs Budget
Energy and Commerce Ways and Means Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Ethics Intelligence Energy and Natural Resources
Financial Services Environment and Public Works
Foreign Affairs Finance
Homeland Security Foreign Relations
Judiciary Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Natural Resources Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Oversight and Government Reform
Judiciary
CommitteesHouse Select Senate Select Joint
CommitteesCaucuses
Select Committee on Benghazi
Indian Affairs Economic Committee
Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
Select Committee on Ethics
Committee on the Library
There are over 50 House Caucuses
Select Committee on Intelligence
Committee on Printing
Special Committee on Aging
Committee on Taxation
What do Committees do?
Get Committee Action
Go to Mark-up
Order the Bill
Publish a Report
IRON TRIANGLE