AP Gov’t UNIT VI

“Mile-a-Minute Mini Lecture”

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Chapter 12: Congress

I. The Representatives and Senators pg. 354A. The JobB. The Members of CongressII. Congressional Elections pg. 357A. Who Wins Elections? Senators v. Reps.B. The Advantages of Incumbents“WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS” = you need this handout! Advertizing Credit-claiming through casework & pork barrel Position-taking Weak opponents

Chapter 12: CongressC. The Role of Party IdentificationD. Defeating Incumbents

Scandal / redistricting / political tidal waveE. Money in Congressional Elections: PAC’s

& incumbentsF. Stability and Change

Time for term limits?

Chapter 12: CongressIII. How Congress is Organized to Make Policy pg. 364“WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LAWMAKING” = you

need this handout!A. American Bicameralism“WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HOUSE & THE SENATE” = you need this handout!

Senate: treaties, confirmations, trying impeached officials, filibuster & cloture

House: starts revenue billsB. Congressional LeadershipSpeaker of the House, VP, Senate Majority Leader, House

Majority Leader, House & Senate Minority Leaders & Whips

Chapter 12: CongressC. The Committees and Subcommittees

Standing Committees / Conference Committees / Select Committees

Marked up bills & legislative oversight = work of the committee

Seniority rule & the power of the chairpersonD. Caucuses: The Informal Organization of

CongressInternal interest groups

E. Congressional StaffDC & district staff & staff for each committeeGeneral Accounting OfficeCongressional Budget Office

HOUSE Standing Committees SENATE Standing Committees

Agriculture Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry

Appropriations: portions out the $ to fund authorized programs

Appropriations: portions out the $ to fund authorized programs

Banking & Financial Services Armed Services

Budget Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs

Commerce Budget

Economic & Educational Opportunities Commerce, Science & Transportation

Government Reform & Oversight Energy & Natural Resources

House Oversight Environment & Public Works

International Relations Finance: Write the Tax Codes

Judiciary Foreign Relations

National Security Governmental Affairs

Resources Indian Affairs

Rules: manages schedule of bills. Can speed, delay or prevent action on a bill.

Judiciary: Reviews the president’s nominees for the federal courts

Science Labor & Human Resources

Small Business Rules & Administration

Standards of Office Conduct Small Business

Transportation & Infrastructure Veterans’ Affairs

Veterans’ Affairs

Ways & Means: Write the Tax Codes

Chapter 12: Congress

IV. The Congressional Process pg. 378A. IntroductionB. Presidents and Congress: Partners and

ProtagonistsC. Party, Constituency, and Ideology

Trustee v. informed delegateD. Lobbyists and Interest GroupsV. Understanding Congress pg. 383A. Congress and DemocracyB. Reforming Congress: exceptions to seniority

ruleC. Congress and the Scope of Government

Chapter 14: Congress, the President & the Politics of Taxing & SpendingI. Introduction pg. 434• Burdens (taxes) v. benefits (expenditures)

II. Sources of Federal Revenue pg. 437A. Income Tax – 16th AmendmentB. Social Insurance Taxes

Paid by employees & employers into the Social Security Trust Fund

C. BorrowingBonds – 11% of budget = interest

D. Taxes and Public PolicyTax loophole v. tax expenditure v. tax reform

Figure 14.1

Chapter 14: Congress, the President & the Politics of Taxing & SpendingIII. Federal Expenditures pg. 444A. Big Governments, Big BudgetsB. The Rise and Decline of the National

Security StateC. The Rise of the Social Service StateD. Why is the federal budget so hard to

control?Incrementalism“Uncontrollable” Expenditures: entitlementsA.K.A. Mandatory v. discretionary spending

Figure 14.3

Chapter 14: Congress, the President & the Politics of Taxing & SpendingIV. The Budgetary Process pg. 452A. Budgetary Politics

Prez & OMBCongress & CBOInterest Groups & AgenciesCongressional Committees & GAO

B. The President’s Budget

Chapter 14: Congress, the President & the Politics of Taxing & SpendingC. Congress and the Budget: Congressional

Budget & Impoundment Control Act of 1974Timeline & Budget ResolutionAuthorization v. appropriations billsContinuing Resolutions

V. Understanding Budgeting pg. 460A. Democracy and Budgeting

Politicians can “spend” money to “buy” votesB. The Budget and the Scope of Government

Voters want low taxes, a balanced budget & generous social welfare programs = big deficits!