This document provides an overview of the US Congress, including its structure and functions. It discusses the House of Representatives and Senate, the roles of representatives and senators, and different theories of representation. It also outlines Congress's powers, the leadership positions in each chamber, the committee system, and the legislative process from bill introduction to final presidential action.

1. POL 140-07
Fall 2015

3. INSTRUCTIONS
Write down five words
that come to mind
when you hear this word:
CONGRESS

8. Article I of the Constitution
establishes the legislative branch.

9.  Larger chamber
 Representation by
state population
 Mode of Election
 People

10.  Smaller chamber
 Representation
through equality
 Mode of Election
 State Legislatures
 People

13. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SENATE
House members
represent districts.
Senators represent states.

14. DELEGATE
REPRESENTATION
 Representative follows
wishes and preferences of
their constituents
TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION
 Representative listens to
their constituents
 Makes up own mind on
best course of action

15. FORMALISTIC
REPRESENTATION
 Accountability and
responsiveness
 Includes:
 Policy Representation
 Allocative Representation
 Casework
Casework includes helping constituents
with an array of services.

16. SYMBOLIC
REPRESENTATION
 Represents positive values
about politics and govt.
DESCRIPTIVE
REPRESENTATION
 Representation includes
race, ethnicity, gender
 Idea that Congress should
look like America. Does it?
President Obama speaks
to students in Arlington, VA

19. SUBSTANTIVE
REPRESENTATION SEN.TAMMY BALDWIN (D-WI)
 Legislators advocate for
particular groups in society
Sen. Baldwin could advocate
for pro-LGBT policies
for all homosexuals in America.

21.  #1: Lawmaking
 “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”

22.  #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.

26.  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?

31.  Congress organized along party lines
 Parties allow for competing issue positions
 Party Polarization is defined as the distance
between two political parties.
 This has grown more divisive over time

33.  Speaker of the House: John Boehner (R-OH)
 Serves as the presiding officer of the House
 Leader and chief spokesman for majority party
 House Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
 Works with Speaker to decide party agenda
 Coordinates with committees on legislation
 House Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
 Highest-ranking minority party member
 Spokeswoman for minority and helps craft minority party
positions on issues

35.  President of the Senate: Vice Pres. Joe Biden
 Presides over Senate and votes in case of a tie
 Rarely performs this job today
 President ProTempore: Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
 Majority party senator with longest tenure
 Largely ceremonial position but can appoint
members to committees, etc.

36. MAJORITY LEADER
MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY)
MINORITY LEADER
HARRY REID (D-NV)

37.  Managing party membership
 Scheduling Senate business for members
 Monitoring deliberations on Senate floor
 Intermediary for Congress andWhite House
 Representing party/Senate to media

39.  All legislation that passes the House and
Senate goes through a committee
 Majority party has majority of seats on cmte.
 Republicans in House
 Republicans in Senate
 Committee Chair from majority party
 Ranking Member from minority party

40.  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

44.  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

46.  Importance of Jurisdiction
 Most bills DIE in committee

47.  Bill assigned to a subcommittee
 Smaller group of legislators who focuses on one
part of committee’s issues

48.  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

49.  Subcommittee drafts (marks up) the bill
 Bill goes back to full committee
 Committee can conduct additional hearings
and debate on the bill
 If accepted, bill reported out of committee

51.  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.

52.  Prevents bill from being voted on for 24 hours
 Why would senators hold up a bill?
 More information on policy issue
 Get something from leadership orWhite House

53.  What is a filibuster?
 Powerful tool in Senate
 Endless speeches on topic
 Can it be stopped?
 Cloture is motion to end debate
 Requires three-fifths vote (60 senators)

55.  Personal Opinion / Judgment
 Constituent Opinion
 Interest Groups

56.  Political Parties
 The President
 Logrolling

58.  What if different versions of same bill?
 Conference committee resolves differences
 Bill sent to president if both chambers
approve work of conference committee

62. 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