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