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 larger representation based on population, while the Senate provides equal representation for each state. Congress passes laws, declares war, regulates commerce, holds impeachment proceedings, oversees the executive branch, and approves treaties and appointments. Political parties help organize Congress and competing policy positions. Leadership roles include the Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, and committee chairs. The legislative process involves bills being introduced, reviewed in committees, debated on the floor, and sent to the president to be signed into law or vetoed.

1. POL 205
Fall 2017

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?

24.  Congress organized along party lines.
 Parties allow for competing issue positions
 Polarization: Distance between political parties

26.  Speaker of the House: Paul Ryan (R-WI)
 Presiding officer of the House
 Leader and chief spokesman for majority party
 House Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
 Works with Speaker on party agenda
 Coordinates with committees on legislation
 House Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
 Highest-ranking minority party member
 Spokeswoman for minority and crafts agenda

28.  President of the Senate: VP Mike Pence
 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

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

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

32.  Congress is organized into committees.
 Majority party has majority of seats on cmte.
 Republicans in House and Senate
 Committee Chair from majority party
 Ranking Member from minority party

33.  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

37.  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

39.  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

40.  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

41.  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

43.  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.

44. 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

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

47.  Political Parties
 The President
 Logrolling

51. 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