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How Congress WorksPart 1:
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Who’s in Congress?
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Demographic Profile of Congress
Age Groups
EthnicityGender
Party
Source: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt
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House-Senate Differences House
435 members; 2 yr terms
Low turnover Speaker bill referral
hard to challenge Scheduling/rules
controlled by majority party with powerful Rules Committee (controls time of debate, amends., etc)
Senate 100 members; 6 yr
terms Moderate turnover Referral decisions
easily challenged Scheduling/rules
agreed to by majority & minority leaders
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House-Senate Differences
House Debate limited to 1
hour Members policy
specialists Emphasizes tax &
revenue policy More formal &
impersonal
Senate Unlimited debate
unless cloture invoked
Members policy generalists
Emphasizes foreign policy
More informal & personal
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Party LeadershipParty Leadership
Bicameral Democratic Leadership
113th Congress
Senate Democratic Leadership
113th Congress
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HOUSE LEADERSHIPHOUSE LEADERSHIP
Speaker (majority party)
Republicans:• Majority Leader• Majority Whip• Chairman of the
Caucus• Steering & Policy
Committee• Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee
Speaker of the HouseJohn Boehner (R-OH)
Majority LeaderEric Cantor (R-VA)
Majority WhipKevin McCarthy(R-CA)
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HOUSE LEADERSHIPHOUSE LEADERSHIP
Democrats:• Minority Leader• Minority Whip• Chairman of
Conference• Policy Committee• Committee on
Committees• National Republican
Congressional Committee
• Research Committee
Minority LeaderNancy Pelosi(D-CA)
Minority WhipSteny Hoyer (D-NY)
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SENATE LEADERSHIPSENATE LEADERSHIP
President of the Senate (Vice President)
President Pro Tempore (majority party)
Democrats:• Majority Leader• Majority Whip• Chairman of Conference• Policy Committee• Steering Committee• Democratic Senatorial
Campaign CommitteeMajority LeaderHarry Reid (D-NV)
President Pro TempPatrick Leahy(D-VT)
Majority WhipRichard Durbin
(D-IL)
President of the Senate
Joe Biden (D-PA)
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SENATE LEADERSHIPSENATE LEADERSHIP
Republicans:• Minority Leader• Minority Whip• Chairman of
Conference• Policy Committee• Committee on
Committees• Republican Senatorial
Committee
Minority LeaderMitch McConnell
(R-KY)
Minority WhipJohn Cornyn(D-
TX)
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"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.”
- Woodrow Wilson
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Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:
Function and Purpose
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Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose
Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose
1. Consider bills (a.k.a. “mark-up” bills)
A bill with a member’s mark-up notes
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Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose
Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose
2. Maintain oversight of executive agencies
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing re: the Department of Defense Budget (May, 2006)
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Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose
Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose
3. Conduct investigations
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006)
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Types of CommitteesTypes of Committees
Standing Committees - permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities• Subcommittees – formed to tackle very specific
tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees Select or Special Committees - groups appointed for a
limited purpose and limited duration Joint Committees - includes members of both
chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks
Conference Committee - includes members of House & Senate to work out differences between similar bills
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Standing CommitteesStanding Committees
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House Standing CommitteesHouse Standing Committees
Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education & Workforce
Energy & Commerce
Financial Services
Government Reform
House Admin.
International Relations
JudiciaryResourcesRulesScienceSmall BusinessStandards of Official
ConductTransportation &
InfrastructureVeterans AffairsWays & Means
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Senate Standing CommitteesSenate Standing Committees
Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science, Transportation
Energy & Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs
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Special, Select CommitteesSpecial, Select Committees
• House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming
• Senate Select Committee on Ethics
• House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence
Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
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Joint CommitteesJoint Committees
• Joint Economic Committee• Joint Committee on Printing• Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on Taxation hearing
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The Legislative Obstacle CourseThe Legislative Obstacle Course
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How A Bill Becomes LawHow A Bill Becomes LawFact: About 5,000
bills are introduced in Congress every year, but only about 150 are signed into law.
1. Explain why so few bills become law.
2. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
3. Should the legislative process in Congress be reformed? If yes, what changes would you recommend? If not, why not?
Source: http://acswebcontent.acs.org/olga/legissummbilltolaw.pdf
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Title: Resolution Artist: Bob GorrellDate: 12/28/06 Source: http://www.gorrellart.com/
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Artist: R.J. Matson, New York Observer & Roll CallDate: 1/18/07Source: http://www.cagle.com
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Title: Imagine there’s no Congress Artist: Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-GazetteDate: 6/06/07 Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com/
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Title: Senator Reid Can Handle the TruthArtist: RJ MatsonDate: 6/18/07Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com