structure and organization of congress 2012-2013

Structure and Organization of Congress

2012-2013

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

House of Representatives

and

Senate

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Also called Congress.

• Meet in the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

Congress

House & Senate: Differences in Representation

• Bicameral System: Two Chambers– Each state has two senators– Representation in the House determined by state

population (435 total)– Predicated on different models of representation

• Senate: states, with long terms• House: districts, with short terms

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Bicameral - 2 Houses

• House of Representatives

• Senate

• Responsibility is to make (create) laws.

• Dual Role - constituents needs & wants and considering what is good for nation as a whole.

Differences between the House and the Senate

House & Senate: Differences in Representation

• Senate: 100 Senators– Originally selected by state legislatures– Six year terms

• House of Representatives: 435 Members– Elected by districts– Two year terms

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

• 435 Seats

• Number of seats determined by state population.

• 19 Committees - 84 sub-committees

• Referred to as the “lower” house.

• Leader is called Speaker of the House.

HOUSE OF REPRESENATIVES

• Has sole power to Impeach President.

• All bills to raise money must come from the House of Representatives.

• All bills (laws) must pass in the House before going to the President.

SENATE

• 100 seats -2 seats per state - separate vote

• 16 Committees and 69 sub- committees

• Referred to as the “upper” house

• Vice President is President of Senate but NO vote unless a tie.

• Leader = President pro tempore

• Nicknamed “Millionaires Club”

House & Senate: Differences in Representation

• How representatives “represent”:– Sociological Representation: Representative shares

characteristics, background and interests with constituents

– Agency Representation: Representative has incentives to act in the constituents’ interests

House & Senate: Differences in Representation

• Representatives as Agents: Legislators learn about the interests of constituents

• Parties almost never ask a member of Congress to vote against constituent interests

SENATE

• Power to try impeachment - 2/3rd vote

• Senate approval needed on bills to raise money.

• All laws must pass in the Senate before going to the President.

The Electoral Connection

• Who gets elected?– Incumbency advantage– Districting and gerrymandering issues

The Electoral Connection

• Incumbency Advantage– Members of Congress have an array of tools to

keep them in office• Constituency services• Name recognition and title (reputation)

The Electoral Connection

• Redistricting– Change of boundary lines b/c of pop change– The critical election in these districts is the primary– Gerrymandering: Redrawing district boundary

lines to provide political advantage or disadvantage

The Organization of Congress

• Majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda– Speaker of the House is the leader of majority

party– Both parties also elect a majority leader, a minority

leader, and a whip– Parties determine which of their members sit on

various committees

Party Leadership in the Senate

The Organization of Congress

• Committee System– Standing committees– Select committees– Joint committees– Conference committees

The Organization of Congress

• Standing committees are permanent and are where the majority of legislation is written

The Organization of Congress

The Organization of Congress

• Select Committees– Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue

• Cannot present bills to the chamber• Bring attention to a specific subject

The Organization of Congress

• Joint Committees– Formed from members of both Chambers– Gather information– Cover issues internal to Congress

The Organization of Congress

• Conference Committees– Temporary joint committees– For a bill to become a law, the same wording of

the bill must be passed by both chambers– Conference committees are formed to write the

final wording when both chambers pass similar bills that need to be reconciled

The Organization of Congress

• The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate.

• Seniority determines committee assignments– Chairs can be removed by the party caucus– Chairs are term-limited

The Organization of Congress

• Congressional Staffers– Members of Congress need staff who are experts

in specific fields and also staff to help constituents• Over 11,500 staff in DC and district offices• Another 2,000 staff for committees

How Congress Decides

• There are a number of influences on members of Congress.

• Constituents– Legislators take constituents seriously if they

believe it will affect their support at the next election.

How Congress Decides

How Congress Decides

• Interest Groups– Can supply legislators with information about

pending bills– Can make donations– Do they represent the interests of constituents?

How Congress Decides

• Party leaders have some tools at their disposal:– Leadership PACs– Committee assignments– Access to the floor– The whip system– Logrolling– Presidency

Beyond Legislation

• Oversight– Congress is expected to oversee the activities of

the Executive Branch in order to ensure funding is spent properly and laws are enforced.

Beyond Legislation

• Advice and Consent– Senate must confirm top-level executive

appointments, ambassadors, and federal judges– Must also approve all treaties

Beyond Legislation

• Impeachment– If high officials are thought to have committed

“Treason, Bribery or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors,” they can be impeached.

– The House acts as a grand jury.– The Senate conducts the actual trial.

LEGISLATIVE BRACH

• Powers of Congress

• Oversee elections

• Set rules within the legislative branch

• To tax, to borrow money, to coin money

• Set rules of naturalization

• regulate commerce

• Establish Post Offices

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Powers continued….

• To declare war

• To raise and support armies

• To make all laws that are necessary and proper

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Powers that Congress DOES NOT have..

• Can not suspend Habeas Corpus

• Can not tax inter-state commerce

• Can not take money from treasury unless a law is passed to do so

• Can not give a title of nobility

Public Opinion Poll

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

a) Strongly approve

b) Approve

c) Disapprove

d) Strongly disapprove

Public Opinion Poll

Do you approve or disapprove of the way your member of Congress is handling his or her job?

a) Strongly approve

b) Approve

c) Disapprove

d) Strongly disapprove

Public Opinion Poll

Do you believe we should have term limits for Members of Congress?

a) Yes

b) No

Public Opinion Poll

Do you think it is important that the demographics of Congress represent the social, racial and economic demographics of the country?

a) Yes

b) No

Public Opinion Poll

When members of Congress cast a vote, which of the following factors should typically most influence their decision?

a) The interests of the country as a whole

b) The interests of their district or state

Public Opinion Poll

Which of the following do you believe should be the most influential factor in the voting decisions of members of congress?

a) The preferences of their constituents

b) The preferences of the President

c) The preferences of the Members’ Party Leadership

d) The members’ own ideology