Congress Ch 11

Getting Into Congress

• Qualifications House• Qualifications Senate• Informal Qualifications• Demographics

Organizing Congress

• Bicameral• Parties (Conference/Caucus)

• Caucuses• Committees

How to Vote

• Delegate• Trustee• Politico• "Cue Givers"

Structure of the House

• Presiding Officerso Speakero Speaker Pro Tempore

• "Power Players"o Speakero Majority Leadero Majority Whipo Chair of Majority Caucus or Conference

Structure of the Senate

• Presiding Officerso President (Vice President of the US)

o President Pro Temporeo Junior Members

• "Power Players"o Majority Leadero Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip)o Chair of Majority Conference

It's All About Committees

• Standing• Special/Select/Ad Hoc• Joint• Conference

• Commitee Membership• Committee Chair (Seniority Rule)

• Ranking Member• Committee on Committees/Steering Committee• Party Ratios

It's All About Committees - House

• RULES!• Appropriations• Ways and Means• Armed Serviced• Committee of the Whole House on the State

of the Union

It's All About Committees - Senate

• Appropriations• Finance• Judiciary• Armed Services• Foreign Relations

Legislative Process-House

• Introduction• Committee• SubCommittee• Committee• Rules• Full House

Legislative Process - Senate

• Introduction• Standing Committee• SubCommittee• Standing Committee• (Unanimous Consent Agreement)• Full Senate

Legislative Process

• Conference Committee• Conf Committee Report Approval

(House/Senate)• Presidential Action• Approve – Sign• Approve - No Signature• Veto• “Pocket” Veto (Rare)

Powers of Congress - Legislative

• Make Law• Veto Override• Tax/Spend/Borrow• Treaty (Treaties have the weight and effect of law in the US)

Powers of Congress - Executive

• Structure Executive Branch• Control Executive Branch Budget• Approve Executive Branch Appts (Senate)• Impeach and Remove Executives• Elective President/Vice President (If EC

Fails)

• Legislative Oversight• Legislative Veto

Powers of Congress - Diplomatic

• Ratify Treaties (Senate)• Approve Diplomats• Approve State Dept Appts (ie Sec of State)• “Agreements” (ie NAFTA)• Tax and Spend

Powers of Congress - Military

• Declare War "Authorization for the Use of Military Force"

• Control Military Budget• Confirm Appointments to Defense Dept• Confirm Military Officers• Make Rules for Military• Treaties• Draft

Powers of Congress - Judicial

• Structure Judiciary• Set Jurisdiction of Federal Courts• Confirm Judges (Senate)• Impeach and Remove Judges

Congress and the President

• Tense Relationship - by design• Divided Government• Power of the Veto• Foreign Policy/Military Policy

Congress and the Bureaucracy

• Iron Triangle (Sub Government)• Issue Networks• Legislative Oversight• Funding• Legislative Veto

Congress and the Courts

• Confirmation dysfunction - "Borking"• Occasional ideological antagonism (increasing)

• Senatorial Courtesy

Congress and the “Folks Back Home”

• Casework/Ombudsman• Pork/Earmarks• Getting Reelected• Franking Privilege

Norms of Behavior

• Specialization• Work Horse/Show Horse• Reciprocity

o Logrolling• Apprenticeship - Not Any More

• Personal Courtesy - Not Any More