Post on 14-Jan-2016
Chapter 11
Congress as a Career: Election to CongressUsing incumbency to stay in Congress
The service strategy: taking care of constituentsCampaign fundraising: raking in the moneyRedistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents
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Insert Figure 11-1Recent Reelection Rates of House and Senate Incumbents
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Insert Figure 11-2Congressional Campaign Expenditures, by Decade
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Insert Figure 11-3Allocation of PAC Contributions between Incumbents and Challengers
in Congressional Races that Included an Incumbent, 1980-2012
Congress as a Career: Election to CongressPitfalls of incumbency
Disruptive issuesPersonal misconductTurnout variation: the midterm election problemPrimary election challengersGeneral election challengers: a problem for senatorsA new threat: super PACs
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Parties and Party LeadershipParty caucus—closed sessionParty unity in Congress
Parties are the strongest force within CongressHeightened unity seen through roll-call votes
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Insert Table 11-1The Number of Democrats and Republicans in the
House of Representatives and the Senate, 2001-2014
Parties and Party LeadershipParty leadership in Congress
House leaders Speaker of the House
Elected by the House membership By default, a member of the majority party Said to be the second-most-powerful official in Washington,
after the president House majority leader House majority whip
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Parties and Party LeadershipParty leadership in Congress
Senate leaders Majority party leader is the most powerful senator The vice president presides over the Senate; however, has power
only to cast tie-breaking vote Senate president pro tempore presides over the Senate in the vice
president’s absence Largely an honorary position held by the majority party’s senior
member
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Committees and Committee LeadershipCommittee jurisdiction
Bills introduced must be referred to the proper committee for deliberation
Committee membershipTypically mirrors the party ratio of the body
Committee chairsTypically senior members of the majority party
Committees and parties: Which is in control?
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Insert Table 11-2The Standing Committees of Congress
How a Bill Becomes a LawCommittee hearings and decisions
Most work on legislation is done in committeeFrom committee to the floor
Rules for debate are definedLeadership and floor action
Debate, changes, and vote by full membershipConference committees and the president
Reconcile differences between similar legislation
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Insert Figure 11-4How a Bill Becomes a Law
Congress’s Policymaking RoleLawmaking function of Congress
Makes laws authorizing federal programsBroad issues: fragmentation as a limit on Congress’s roleCongress in the lead: fragmentation as a policymaking
strength
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Congress’s Policymaking RoleThe representation function of Congress
Representation of states and districtsRepresentation of the nation through parties
Oversight function of CongressSees that executive branch carries out the laws faithfully
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Insert Table 11-3The Major Functions of Congress
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Insert Figure 11-5Public Approval of Congress
Congress: An Institution DividedPro (advantages):
Culturally representative of nationDiverse interests represented
Cons (disadvantages):National interest subjugated to special interestsDisproportionate influence of the minority
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