Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests Chapter 11
Original intent Leading branch of government Parts of executive and judicial branches cannot exist without congressional approval Branch where the interest of the people would be found 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 2
Congress as a Career Election to Congress professional politicians High incumbency rate Using incumbency to stay in Congress Districts are lopsided The service strategy: taking care of constituents Pork barrel projects Congressional staffers Franking privilege Campaign fund-raising: raking in the money Mailing lists and PACs Redistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents Reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 3
Congress as a Career Election to Congress The pitfalls of incumbency Disruptive issues Personal misconduct Turnout variation: the midterm election problem Strong challengers pitfall to the Senate Who are the winners in Congressional elections? Qualifications (expressed and implied) 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 4
Party Leadership in Congress Party caucus House leadership Speaker of the House Elected by the House membership By default a member of the majority party Said to be the second-most-powerful official in Washington, after the President Powers of the Speaker Majority and minority leaders whips 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 5
Party Leadership in Congress Senate leadership Majority party leader is the most powerful Senator The Vice President presides over the Senate; however has power only to cast tie-breaking vote Senate president pro tempore presides over the Senate in the VP absence, Largely a honorary position held by the majority party s senior member 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 6
Party Leadership in Congress The power of party leaders Relatively weak compared to the power exercised by party leaders in other democracies Have grown stronger in recent years as partisan divide has become more dramatic 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 7
COMMITTEE SYSTEM Standing committees permanent committees Subcommittees where most of the work is done Select committee created for a specific purpose Joint committee members of both houses Conference committee reconcile versions of a bill from both houses 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 8
The Committee System Committee jurisdiction Bills introduced must be referred to the proper committee for deliberation Turf wars usually decided by party leaders Committee membership The ratio of D and R is approx. the same as the ratio in the full House or Senate Majority party decides what the ratio will be Prestigious committees Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Ways and Means 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 9
Committee chairs Schedules meetings, and controls debate and order Typically the senior member of the majority party 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 10
How a Bill Becomes a Law Committee hearings and decisions Bill is introduced, given a number and title and sent to appropriate committee Most work on legislation is done in committee Most bills die in committee Schedules hearings and invites testimony from interested groups. 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 11
From committee to the floor House Rules Committee Closed or open rule Strict rules that prevent many House members from speaking on the bill Senate unlimited debate Cloture and filibuster riders Rules for debate are defined 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 12
Leadership and floor action Debate, changes, and vote by full membership Party discipline Simple majority in both houses Conference Committees and the President Reconcile differences between similar legislation Veto must have reasons Congress can override the veto Pocket veto 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 13
Figure 11-5 How a Bill Becomes a Law 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 14
Congress s Policymaking Role Lawmaking function of congress Broad national issues limits Congress s role President is better suited of providing leadership on major national issues News coverage least favorable to Congress Congressional Budget Office Government Accountability Office Congressional Research Service Most legislation passed by Congress is distributive 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 15
Representation function of congress Represents the interests of constituents They sit on committees that coincide with their constituents interests Logrolling Presidential agenda depends a lot on Congress and who holds the power Constituents vs. party loyalty 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 16
Oversight function of congress Sees that executive branch carries out the laws faithfully and spends the money properly Programs must have their funding renewed every year Bureaucracy is too big to oversee efficiently Hold hearings (executive privilege) 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 17
Congress: Too Much Pluralism? Pro (advantages): Diverse interests represented Cons (disadvantages): National interest subjugated to special interests 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 18