How Congress WorksHow Congress WorksPart 1:Part 1:

Who’s in Congress?Who’s in Congress?

Demographic Profile of Congress

Age GroupsAge Groups

EthnicityEthnicityGenderGender

PartyParty

Source: Source: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tthttp://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt

House-Senate DifferencesHouse-Senate Differences HouseHouse

435 members; 2 yr 435 members; 2 yr termsterms

Low turnoverLow turnover Speaker bill referral Speaker bill referral

hard to challengehard to challenge Scheduling/rules Scheduling/rules

controlled by majority controlled by majority party with powerful party with powerful Rules Committee Rules Committee ((controls time of debate, controls time of debate, amends., etc)amends., etc)

SenateSenate 100 members; 6 yr 100 members; 6 yr

termsterms Moderate turnoverModerate turnover Referral decisions Referral decisions

easily challengedeasily challenged Scheduling/rules Scheduling/rules

agreed to by majority & agreed to by majority & minority leadersminority leaders

House-Senate DifferencesHouse-Senate Differences HouseHouse

Debate limited to 1 Debate limited to 1 hourhour

Members policy Members policy specialistsspecialists

Emphasizes tax & Emphasizes tax & revenue policyrevenue policy

More formal & More formal & impersonalimpersonal

SenateSenate Unlimited debate Unlimited debate

unless cloture unless cloture invokedinvoked

Members policy Members policy generalistsgeneralists

Emphasizes foreign Emphasizes foreign policypolicy

More informal & More informal & personalpersonal

Party LeadershipParty Leadership

Bicameral Democratic Bicameral Democratic LeadershipLeadership

110th Congress110th Congress

Senate Republican Senate Republican LeadershipLeadership

110th Congress110th Congress

HOUSE LEADERSHIP

Speaker (majority party)

Democrats:• Majority Leader• Majority Whip• Chairman of the

Caucus• Steering & Policy

Committee• Democratic

Congressional Campaign Committee

Speaker of the HouseNancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Majority LeaderSteny Hoyer (D-MD)

Majority WhipJames Clyburn (D-SC)

HOUSE LEADERSHIP

Republicans:• Minority Leader• Minority Whip• Chairman of

Conference• Policy Committee• Committee on

Committees• National Republican

Congressional Committee

• Research Committee

Minority LeaderJohn Boehner (R-Ohio)

Minority WhipRoy Blunt (R-MO)

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 TempRobert Byrd (D-WV)

Majority WhipRichard Durbin

(D-IL)

President of the Senate

Dick Cheney (R-WY)

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 WhipTrent Lott (R-

MS)

Strength of Party Structure?

• Measure of party strength: 1.Ability of leaders to

control party rules and organization

2.Extent to which party members vote together in the House and Senate

• Senate: less party-centered and leader oriented

Party UnityParty Unity

• Lower today than 100 years ago, but…..Lower today than 100 years ago, but…..

• Ideology important variable explaining party Ideology important variable explaining party voting (members vote with their party 80% of the voting (members vote with their party 80% of the time)time)

• Party polarizationParty polarization - vote in which majority of - vote in which majority of democrats oppose majority of republicansdemocrats oppose majority of republicans

• Polarization trends:Polarization trends:o 1976 HR = 36%; S = 37%1976 HR = 36%; S = 37%o 1995 HR = 73%; S = 69%1995 HR = 73%; S = 69%o 2000 HR = 43%; S = 49%2000 HR = 43%; S = 49%

CAUCUSES

• Groups (may be bipartisan) meeting to pursue common legislative objectives

• Rivals to parties in policy formulation• Examples: Democratic Study Group, Congressional Black Caucus, Tuesday Lunch Bunch, Human Rights, Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, Out of Iraq Caucus,Rural Caucus, Travel & Tourism Caucus, House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children

"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.”

- Woodrow Wilson

Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:

Function and Function and PurposePurpose

Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:Function & PurposeFunction & Purpose

1. Consider bills (a.k.a. “mark-up” bills)

A bill with a member’s mark-up notes

Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:Function & PurposeFunction & 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)

Legislative Committees:Legislative Committees:Function & PurposeFunction & Purpose

3. Conduct investigations

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006)

Types of CommitteesTypes of CommitteesStanding 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

Standing CommitteesStanding Committees

House Standing CommitteesHouse Standing CommitteesAgricultureAppropriationsArmed ServicesBudgetEducation & WorkforceEnergy & CommerceFinancial ServicesGovernment ReformHouse Admin.International Relations

JudiciaryResourcesRulesScienceSmall BusinessStandards of Official Conduct

Transportation & Infrastructure

Veterans AffairsWays & Means

Senate Standing CommitteesAgriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry

AppropriationsArmed ServicesBanking, Housing, & Urban Affairs

BudgetCommerce, Science, Transportation

Energy & Natural Resources

Environment and Public Works

FinanceForeign RelationsGovernmental Affairs

Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

JudiciaryRules and Administration

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Veterans Affairs

Special, 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.

Joint Committees• Joint Economic Committee• Joint Committee on Printing• Joint Committee on Taxation

Joint Committee Joint Committee on Taxation on Taxation hearinghearing

The Legislative Obstacle Course

How A Bill Becomes LawHow A Bill Becomes LawFact: About 5,000 Fact: About 5,000

bills are bills are introduced in introduced in Congress every Congress every year, but only year, but only about 150 are about 150 are signed into law.signed into law.

1.1. Explain why so few Explain why so few bills become law.bills become law.

2.2. Is that a good Is that a good thing or a bad thing or a bad thing?thing?

3. Should the legislative process in Congress be reformed? If yes, what changes would you recommend? If not, why not?

Source: Source: http://acswebcontent.acs.org/olga/legissummbilltolaw.pdhttp://acswebcontent.acs.org/olga/legissummbilltolaw.pdff

Title: Resolution Artist: Bob GorrellDate: 12/28/06 Source: http://www.gorrellart.com/

Artist: R.J. Matson, New York Observer & Roll CallDate: 1/18/07Source: http://www.cagle.com

Title: Imagine there’s no Congress Artist: Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-GazetteDate: 6/06/07 Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com/

Title: Senator Reid Can Handle the TruthArtist: RJ MatsonDate: 6/18/07Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com

Source: http://bigpicture.typepad.com/ Date: 5/6/06