How Congress Works Part I
House-Senate Differences House 435 members; 2 yr. terms 25 Years Old Low turnover Decisions hard to challenge Scheduling/rules controlled by majority party (controls time of debate, amends., etc) Senate 100 members; 6 yr terms 30 Years Old Moderate turnover Decisions easily challenged Scheduling/rules agreed to by majority & minority leaders
House-Senate Differences House 11 Representatives for Virginia # of seats reapportioned every 10 years Called the Lower House Must be a resident for 7 Years Customary to live in the district they represent Senate 2 Senators for Virginia # of seats never change Called the Upper House Must be a resident for 9 years Must live in the state you represent
House-Senate Differences House Debate limited to 1 hour Members policy specialists Emphasizes tax & revenue policy More formal & impersonal Always new people Senate Unlimited debate Members policy generalists Emphasizes foreign policy More informal & personal Terms are staggered
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LEADERSHIP (REPUBLICANS) SPEAKER PAUL RYAN (R-WI) MAJORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA) MAJORITY WHIP STEVE SCALISE (R-LA)
CONFERENCE CHAIR KATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS (R-WA) POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR LUKE MESSNER (R-IN)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LEADERSHIP (DEMOCRAT) MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA) ASST. MINORITY LEADER JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC) MINORITY WHIP STENY HOYER (D-MD)
SENATE LEADERSHIP (REPUBLICAN) MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNEL (R-KY) MAJORITY WHIP JOHN CORNYN (R-TX) CONFERENCE CHAIR JOHN THUNE (R-SD)
SENATE LEADERSHIP (DEMOCRAT) MINORITY LEADER HARRY REID (D-NV) MINORITY WHIP DICK DURBIN (D-IL) CONFERENCE SECRETARY PATTY MURRAY (D-WA)
Strength of Party Structure? Measure of party strength: 1. Ability of leaders to control party rules and organization 2. Extent to which party members vote together in the House and Senate Senate: less party-centered and leader oriented
Party Unity Lower today than 100 years ago, but.. Ideology important variable explaining party voting (members vote with their party 80% of the time) Party polarization - vote in which majority of democrats oppose majority of republicans Polarization trends: o 1976 HR = 36%; S = 37% o 1995 HR = 73%; S = 69% o 2000 HR = 43%; S = 49%
CAUCUSES Groups (may be bipartisan) meeting to pursue common legislative objectives Rivals to parties in policy formulation Examples: Democratic Study Group, Congressional Black Caucus, Tuesday Lunch Bunch, Human Rights, Congressional Caucus for Women s Issues, Out of Iraq Caucus, Rural Caucus, Travel & Tourism Caucus, House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children
"Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committeerooms is Congress at work. - Woodrow Wilson
Legislative Committees
Function & Purpose 1. Consider bills (a.k.a. mark-up bills) A bill with a member s mark-up notes
Function & Purpose 2. Maintain oversight of executive agencies Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing re: the Department of Defense Budget (May, 2006)
Function and Purpose 3. Conduct investigations New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006
Types of Committees Standing Committees - permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities Subcommittees formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees Select or Special Committees - groups appointed for a limited purpose and limited duration Joint Committees - includes members of both chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks Conference Committee - includes members of House & Senate to work out differences between similar bills
Standing Committees
House Standing Committees Agriculture Appropriations Armed Services Budget Education & Workforce Energy & Commerce Financial Services Government Reform House Admin. International Relations Judiciary Resources Rules Science Small Business Standards of Official Conduct Transportation & Infrastructure Veterans Affairs Ways & Means
Senate Standing Committees Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, Transportation Energy & Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance Foreign Relations Governmental Affairs Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Judiciary Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans Affairs
Special, Select Committees House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming Senate Select Committee on Ethics House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Joint Committees Joint Economic Committee Joint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on Taxation hearing