This document discusses the structure and functions of the United States Congress. It outlines that Congress is divided into two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House has 435 voting members elected by population, while the Senate has 100 members with 2 per state elected via state legislatures. The document then examines the powers and roles of Congress, including lawmaking, appropriations, treaties, impeachment and oversight of the executive branch. It also reviews the leadership positions and committee system that organizes Congress's work.
12. SYMBOLIC
REPRESENTATION
Represents positive values
about politics and govt.
DESCRIPTIVE
REPRESENTATION
Representation includes
race, ethnicity, gender
Congress looks like America
Former President Obama speaks
to students in Arlington, VA
17. #1: Lawmaking
Enumerated Powers (Article I, Section 8)
“Necessary and Proper Clause”, Implied Powers
#2:War and Foreign Policy
Formal Declarations and Military Operations
#3: Regulation of Commerce
Monopolies, Labor Unions, Wages, Discrimination
#4: Appropriations
“Power of the Purse”
18. #5: Impeachment
“High Crimes and Misdemeanors”
House brings charges; Senate conducts trial
#6: Oversight
Hearings, Feedback, Reports, Investigations
#7:Treaties and Appointments
Senate ratifies treaties, confirms appointments
#8:Taxation
All bills for raising revenue must originate in the House.
19.
20. Is this a district or state I can win?
Can I beat my opponent?
Issue of Incumbency Advantage
Can I get money to run winning campaign?
How are the national trends running?
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25. Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Presiding officer of the House
Leader and chief spokesperson for majority party
House Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Works with Speaker on party agenda
Coordinates with committees on legislation
House Minority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
Highest-ranking minority party member
Spokesman for minority and crafts agenda
26.
27. President of the Senate: VP Mike Pence
Presides over Senate and votes in case of a tie
Rarely performs this job today
President ProTempore: Chuck Grassley (R-KS)
Majority party senator with longest tenure
Largely ceremonial position
29. Managing party membership
Scheduling Senate business for members
Monitoring deliberations on Senate floor
Intermediary for Congress andWhite House
Representing party/Senate to media
30.
31. Congress is organized into committees.
Majority party has majority of seats on cmte.
Democrats in House
Republicans in Senate
Committee Chair from majority party
Ranking Member from minority party
32. Standing Committees
Permanent Committees
Major Policy Areas (e.g. Budget, Judiciary)
Select or Special Committees
Temporary Committees (e.g. investigations)
Focused on narrow issues
Joint Committees
Both House and Senate membership
Conference Committees
Resolve House and Senate versions of passed legislation
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34.
35.
36. Ideas can come from anywhere:
President, Constituents, fellow Congressmen, etc.
Member introduces idea in form of a bill
They are the bill’s sponsor
After bill is introduced, cosponsors can
support the legislation
37.
38. Importance of Jurisdiction
Most bills DIE in committee
Bill assigned to a subcommittee
Smaller group of legislators who focuses on one
part of committee’s issues
39. Testimony on content and impact of a bill
Main Purposes of Hearings:
Draw attention to problem or issue
Advantages and disadvantages to bill
Express constituents’ questions and concerns
40. Subcommittee drafts (marks up) the bill
Bill goes back to full committee
Committee conducts more hearings and
debate on bill
If accepted, bill reported out of committee
41.
42. To proceed to the House floor, all bills must
pass through the House Rules Committee
What is a rule?
Influence of the majority on Rules Cmte.
43. HOLD
Prevents bill from being
voted on for 24 hours
Hold provides:
Information on issue
Concession from leadership or
White House
FILIBUSTER
Endless speeches on topic
Eliminated for executive
and judicial branch
nominees, including
Supreme Court
50. PRESIDENTIAL ACTION RESULT FOR BILL
President approves bill Bill becomes law
President disapproves bill and
vetoes it
Bill goes back to Congress,
where two-thirds majority in
each House can override
President does nothing with
the bill (pocket veto)
Automatically becomes law
within 10 days OR
bill is dead and must be re-
introduced in Congress