Congress--Member Incentives and Styles

Richard Fenno

Richard Fenno argues that power as well as reelection incentives direct the Washington

careers of members of Congress He assesses separately members' behavior

in Washington and in their electoral Districts.

Member IncentivesMember Incentives

• In his early work on Congress, In his early work on Congress, Congressmen in Committees Congressmen in Committees (1973), (1973), Fenno pointed out that the Fenno pointed out that the incentivesincentives of of members of Congress fall generally into members of Congress fall generally into three categories: three categories:

(1) reelection, (1) reelection, (2) internal power and influence on Capitol (2) internal power and influence on Capitol

Hill, and Hill, and (3) good public policy(3) good public policy

Congressional CommitteesCongressional Committees

• Member incentives explain the multiplicity Member incentives explain the multiplicity and variety of congressional committees. and variety of congressional committees.

• Committees are the venues that help Committees are the venues that help members achieve their reelection, members achieve their reelection, personal power, and good public policy personal power, and good public policy goals.goals.

Reelection CommitteesReelection Committees

• House House Agriculture• House Committee on Transportation and House Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure Infrastructure • Subcommittees Aviation 

Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation  Economic Development, Public Buildings,& Emergency Management  Highways, Transit & Pipelines  Railroads   Water Resources & Environment

Power CommitteesPower Committees

• House Ways and Means (Taxation) (also House Ways and Means (Taxation) (also serves reelection) serves reelection)

• House Committee on Rules House Committee on Rules

• Senate Committee on the Judiciary Senate Committee on the Judiciary

• House Committee on AppropriationsHouse Committee on Appropriations

Good Public Policy CommitteesGood Public Policy Committees

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Pensions

• House Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education and the WorkforceWorkforce

Home Style and Washington Home Style and Washington CareerCareer

• When we speak of constituency careers, When we speak of constituency careers, we speak primarily of the pursuit of the we speak primarily of the pursuit of the goal of reelection. goal of reelection.

• When we speak of Washington careers, When we speak of Washington careers, we speak primarily of the pursuit of the we speak primarily of the pursuit of the goals of influence in the House and the goals of influence in the House and the making of good public policy. making of good public policy.

• Thus the intertwining of careers is, at Thus the intertwining of careers is, at bottom, an intertwining of member goals.bottom, an intertwining of member goals.

Early CareersEarly Careers

• So long as they are in the expansionist So long as they are in the expansionist stage of their constituency careers, House stage of their constituency careers, House members will be especially attentive to members will be especially attentive to their home base. their home base.

• They will pursue the goal of reelection with They will pursue the goal of reelection with single-minded intensity and will allocate single-minded intensity and will allocate their resources disproportionately to that their resources disproportionately to that end. end. 

Being a CongressmanBeing a Congressman

• "The trouble is," said one member near the end "The trouble is," said one member near the end of his second term," I haven't been a of his second term," I haven't been a congressman yet. The first two years, I spent all congressman yet. The first two years, I spent all of my time getting myself reelected. The last two of my time getting myself reelected. The last two years, I spent getting myself a district so that I years, I spent getting myself a district so that I could get reelected. So I won't be a could get reelected. So I won't be a congressman until next year." congressman until next year."

• By being "a congressman" he means pursuing By being "a congressman" he means pursuing goals above and beyond that of reelection (i.e., goals above and beyond that of reelection (i.e., power in the House and good public policy).power in the House and good public policy).

Washington and Constituency Washington and Constituency Careers ConflictCareers Conflict

• No matter how confident members may be of No matter how confident members may be of their ability to pursue their Washington and their their ability to pursue their Washington and their constituency careers simultaneously, however, constituency careers simultaneously, however, they all recognize the potentiality of conflict and they all recognize the potentiality of conflict and worry about coping with it. worry about coping with it.

• It is our guess that the conflict between the It is our guess that the conflict between the reelection goal on the one hand and the power reelection goal on the one hand and the power or policy goals on the other hand becomes most or policy goals on the other hand becomes most acute for members as they near the peak of acute for members as they near the peak of influence internallyinfluence internally

Demands on TimeDemands on Time

• The congressman's home activities are more The congressman's home activities are more difficult and taxing than we have previously difficult and taxing than we have previously recognized. recognized.

• Under the best of circumstances, the tension Under the best of circumstances, the tension involved in maintaining constituency contact and involved in maintaining constituency contact and achieving legislative competence is achieving legislative competence is considerable. considerable.

• Members cannot be in two places at once, and Members cannot be in two places at once, and the growth of a Washington career exacerbates the growth of a Washington career exacerbates the problem. But, more than that, the demands the problem. But, more than that, the demands in both places have grown recently.in both places have grown recently.

No Going Back to PocatelloNo Going Back to Pocatello

• It is conventional wisdom in the nation's capital It is conventional wisdom in the nation's capital that senators and representatives "get Potomac that senators and representatives "get Potomac fever" and that " they don’t go back to Pocatello fever" and that " they don’t go back to Pocatello (Idaho Falls)" when their legislative careers end. (Idaho Falls)" when their legislative careers end.

• Having pursued the goals of power and policy in Having pursued the goals of power and policy in Washington with increasing success, they Washington with increasing success, they prefer, it is said, to continue their Washington prefer, it is said, to continue their Washington career in some non-legislative job rather than to career in some non-legislative job rather than to go back home.go back home.