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. Congress passes laws, declares war, regulates commerce, and oversees the executive branch through powers enumerated in the Constitution. The document also examines congressional leadership positions, the committee system, and the legislative process.

1. POL 205
Spring 2020

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

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

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

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

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

15. 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.

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.

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?

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

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

28. MAJORITY LEADER
MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY)
MINORITY LEADER
CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY)

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

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

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

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

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

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

46.  Political Parties
 The President
 Logrolling

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