How Congress Works

Creating Laws• Bills-first step to a law

– As many as 25,000 introduced per 2-year session• Less than 10% become law• Great majority never get out of committee• Normally less than 100 are really major issues

– Routing of a bill-Check graphic in text• Decision making in the legislature

– May vote on over 750 bills/yr• Bill may be up to 2000 pgs

– No time to read them all-not to mention gather your own information

• Influences on Congress persons– Voters in home districts (constituents)

• Can you oppose their wishes often and be reelected? Do voters know how you voted?

• Do voters care how you voted on every issue?• How do you know what your constituents want?

– Email– Questionnaires and surveys– Polls

– Party influence• Usually vote with their party because they can’t

be informed on every issue• Shared political philosophy

– Demos-social welfare programs, regulation of business, jobs programs, tax laws for lower income brackets, less defense spending

– Republicans-less spending for government programs, favor business and higher income groups, less national gov’t. influence

– Political spectrum• President’s inmfluence

– Popularity polls• Special interest groups

– Lobby for a particular agenda– PAC’s-Are they too powerful?

• Congressional control over the budget– Taxes are source of most gov’t money– All revenue bills must start in the House

• Ways and Means Committee– Who will pay and how much tax– Loopholes like capital gains and oil depletion allowance– Close rule bills-no riders– Special interests try to influence

• Goes to floor-always a battle along party lines– Senate

• No closed rule– Apply many amendments

– All government spending must be appropriated by Congress

• Authorizations bills-how much money can be spent on a particular program

• Heads of various departments testify before Congressional committees each year. Ask for money and defend programs

• Pres must sign bills

Helping constituentsCasework-staffs are assigned specific cases-may be trivial or huge-Shell drilling outer continental shelf