Lecture #19 American Government; Congress 2

1. WEEK #11 LECTURE #19
CONGRESS 2
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
PROFESSOR ANAND SHASTRI
FALL 2015

2. OUTLINE OF CONGRESS #1
PART 2A) RISING CONGRESSIONAL PARTISANSHIP
PART 2B) PARTY LEADERS
PART 2C) COMMITTEES
PART 2D) HOW CONGRESS WORKS

3. PART 2A) RISING
CONGRESSIONAL
PARTISANSHIP

4. CAUSES OF RISING CONGRESSIONAL PARTISANSHIP
• REDISTRICTING
• GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION
• RULES & PROCEDURES (MURPHY EXAMPLE)
• IDEOLOGICAL: LOSING MODERATES VS. EXTREMES MORE SO?
L-R 0-10 0= Most Liberal 10= Most Conservative
0_______________________5(3R)_______ X_7_______ 9 (3R)____10
0_______________________5______________________X9(3R)_____10

5. MEASURES OF RISING CONGRESSIONAL PARTISANSHIP
• PARTY LINE VOTING SKYROCKETING
• SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT’S INITIATIVES MORE PARTY-BASED
• PROCEDURAL MOVES BEING ENACTED & USED TO INCREASE
PARTISANSHIP NOT REDUCE IT
• CAMPAIGN TACTICS APPEALING TO CORE SUPPORTERS

6. CONGRESSIONAL PARTISANSHIP: POSITIVE,
NEGATIVE, OR BOTH?
NEGATIVES
• MAKES COMPROMISE DIFFICULT, GRIDLOCK LIKELY
• POISENS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
• ENCOURAGES EXTREMISM
POSITIVES
• MAKES VOTERS HAVE “A CHOICE NOT AN ECHO”
• TENDS TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT
• PARTY’S COALITIONS ARE EASIER TO UNIFY/MANAGE

7. PART 2B) PARTY LEADERS
& CONGRESSIONAL
RESOURCES

8. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE (DUTIES)
• BUILDING ELECTORAL MAJORITIES
• MANAGING INTERNAL PARTY POLITICS
• PRESIDING OVER THE HOUSE & ITS INTERNAL RULES
• MUST BE AWARE OF THE “TWO CONGRESSES”

9. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE (PROCEDURAL POWERS)
• RULE ON POINTS OF ORDER
• REFER LEGISLATION TO COMMITTEES
• PICK MC’S CONFERENCE COMMITTEES
• “SENIORITY SYSTEM”

10. OTHER LEADERS & ROLES
• HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER & MINORITY LEADER
• HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP & MINORITY WHIP
• VEEP PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE SENATE
• PRESIDENT PRO TEMPERE
• SENATE MAJORITY LEADER & MINORITY LEADER
• SENATE MAJORITY WHIP & MINORITY WHIP

11. CONGRESSIONAL RESOURCES
• CONGRESSIONAL PERSONAL STAFF
• CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE STAFF
• CONGRESSIONAL AGENCIES
• CONGRESSIONAL PERKS

12. PART 2C) COMMITTEES

13. BASICS OF COMMITTEES & THEIR FUNCTIONS
• CONGRESS’S CREATURE TO MEET NATION’S GROWING NEEDS
• LONGER SERVICE ON A COMMITTEE
• NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS OF LEGISLATION
• CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES
• CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT

14. TYPES OF COMMITTEES & THEIR FUNCTIONS
• STANDING COMMITTEES (PG. 262)
• SELECT COMMITTEES (PG. 263)
• CONFERENCE COMMITTEES (PG. 263)
• JOINT COMMITEES (PG. 263)

15. WHERE THE COMMITTEES’ POWER IN CONGRESS IS
(HAS BEEN)
• 1950’S-1960’S SENIORITY & “CONSERVATIVE COALITION”
• DEMOCRATIC STUDY GROUP’S REFORMS & COMMITTEES
• GETTING ON THE RIGHT COMMITTEE(S)
• HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE (PG. 262)

16. PART 2D) HOW CONGRESS
WORKS

17. BASICS OF POLICYMAKING
• SAME BILL HAS TO PASS BOTH HOUSES
• FRAGMENTATION
• BEHAVIORAL NORMS (WEAKENING)
THE FUSION OF THESE 3 MAKE GRIDLOCK MORE LIKELY

18. 2 ASPECTS OF CONGRESSIONAL POLICY
THE AGENDA: 1) PRESIDENTIAL ACTION, 2) WELL-PUBLICIZED
EVENT, 3) MC’S INVEST THEIR OWN TIME & RESOURCES
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS: 1) INTRODUCED BY MC’S, 2) REFERRED
TO COMMITTEE, 3) THEN GO TO SUBCOMMITTEES, 4) CONSIDER
HEARINGS, THEN VOTES BILL BACK TO COMMITTEE
MARKUP

19. GETTING THROUGH CLUTTER, THEN PASS
CLUTTER
GETTING TO THE FLOOR A. & B.
A. HOUSE: STANDING COMMITTEE TO RULES COMMITTEE, OPEN
OR CLOSED RULE, “OPEN” ANYTHING GERMANE
B. SENATE: ALL “OPEN” NO GERMANE RULE, MORE ACCESS TO
FLOOR, FILIBUSTER (PG. 268) & CLOTURE (BOTH PG. 268)
OMNIBUS LEGISLATION (PG. 269) RESULT IS 1) MORE POWER FOR
LEADERSHIP, 2) MORE WHITE HOUSE ACTIVISM, 3) STANDING
COMMITTEES HAVE LESS POWER

20. FINAL STAGE OF BILL BECOMING A LAW
• ROLL CALL VOTES (PG. 272) ARE REQUIRED BY MOST
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION, STRATEGIES ON ROLL CALL VOTES
1) PASSES BOTH HOUSES, (NOT SAME BILL) 2) GOES TO
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE 3) IF APPROVED GOES BACK TO BOTH
HOUSES, UP OR DOWN (NO AMENDMENTS) 4) IF APPROVED,
GOES TO PREZ
• PRESIDENT’S 4 OPTIONS: 1) SIGN, 2) VETO, 3A) POCKET VETO
PG. 272), 3B) NO ACTION BECOMES LAW. (OVERRIDE PG. 272)