Political Science 10 American Politics: Congress Loren Collingwood, Political Science May 27, 2014 1 / 23
Current Events: Jim Messina 2 / 23
Current Events: SCOTUS Raises Bar on low-iq Executions 3 / 23
Current Events: Father of UCSB Student 4 / 23
New Members of Congress, 113th 5 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. 6 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the majority party. 6 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the majority party. John Boehner of Ohio 6 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the majority party. John Boehner of Ohio Both parties also elect a majority leader, a minority leader, and a whip. 6 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the majority party. John Boehner of Ohio Both parties also elect a majority leader, a minority leader, and a whip. Nancy Pelosi (D CA), Eric Cantor (R VA), Steny Hoyer (D MD), Kevin McCarthy (R CA) 6 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the majority party. John Boehner of Ohio Both parties also elect a majority leader, a minority leader, and a whip. Nancy Pelosi (D CA), Eric Cantor (R VA), Steny Hoyer (D MD), Kevin McCarthy (R CA) Parties determine which of their members sit on various committees. 6 / 23
Organization of Congress The majority party controls leadership and shapes agenda. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the majority party. John Boehner of Ohio Both parties also elect a majority leader, a minority leader, and a whip. Nancy Pelosi (D CA), Eric Cantor (R VA), Steny Hoyer (D MD), Kevin McCarthy (R CA) Parties determine which of their members sit on various committees. Very important for a party to have a majority in either/both Houses. That s why congressional elections are so important. 6 / 23
Majority Party Structure in House of Representatives 7 / 23
Organization of Congress Committee System Road Map 8 / 23
Organization of Congress Committee System Road Map Standing committees: These are permanent, and what is typically thought of as a committee 8 / 23
Organization of Congress Committee System Road Map Standing committees: These are permanent, and what is typically thought of as a committee Select committees 8 / 23
Organization of Congress Committee System Road Map Standing committees: These are permanent, and what is typically thought of as a committee Select committees Joint committees 8 / 23
Organization of Congress Committee System Road Map Standing committees: These are permanent, and what is typically thought of as a committee Select committees Joint committees Conference committees 8 / 23
House Permanent Committees 9 / 23
Senate Permanent Committees 10 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject Select Committee on Intelligence 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject Select Committee on Intelligence Joint Committees 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject Select Committee on Intelligence Joint Committees Formed from members of both chambers 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject Select Committee on Intelligence Joint Committees Formed from members of both chambers Gather information 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject Select Committee on Intelligence Joint Committees Formed from members of both chambers Gather information Cover issues internal to Congress 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Select and Joint Committees Select Committees Formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue Cannot present bills to the chamber Bring attention to a specific subject Select Committee on Intelligence Joint Committees Formed from members of both chambers Gather information Cover issues internal to Congress Joint committee on the Library of Congress 11 / 23
Organization of Congress: Conference Committees For a bill to become a law, the same wording of the bill must be passed by both chambers. 12 / 23
Organization of Congress: Conference Committees For a bill to become a law, the same wording of the bill must be passed by both chambers. Conference committees are formed to write the final wording when both chambers pass similar bills that need to be reconciled. 12 / 23
Organization of Congress: Conference Committees For a bill to become a law, the same wording of the bill must be passed by both chambers. Conference committees are formed to write the final wording when both chambers pass similar bills that need to be reconciled. So when a bill is in conference you know it is almost done and on its way to the president 12 / 23
Organization of Congress: Conference Committees For a bill to become a law, the same wording of the bill must be passed by both chambers. Conference committees are formed to write the final wording when both chambers pass similar bills that need to be reconciled. So when a bill is in conference you know it is almost done and on its way to the president A majority of both House and Senate delegates to the conference must agree to any final changes by signing the report 12 / 23
House-Senate Conference Committee 13 / 23
Organization of Congress The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate. 14 / 23
Organization of Congress The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate. For example, House Ways and Means Committee has 22 R and 16 D 14 / 23
Organization of Congress The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate. For example, House Ways and Means Committee has 22 R and 16 D House Ways and Means Committee 14 / 23
Organization of Congress The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate. For example, House Ways and Means Committee has 22 R and 16 D House Ways and Means Committee Seniority determines committee assignments. 14 / 23
Organization of Congress The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate. For example, House Ways and Means Committee has 22 R and 16 D House Ways and Means Committee Seniority determines committee assignments. Chairs can be removed by the party caucus. 14 / 23
Organization of Congress The number of seats the minority party has on a committee is roughly proportionate to the seats it has in the House, but at an unfavorable rate. For example, House Ways and Means Committee has 22 R and 16 D House Ways and Means Committee Seniority determines committee assignments. Chairs can be removed by the party caucus. Chairs are term-limited. 14 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law 15 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law A bill is a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the Clerk of the House or Senate. 16 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law A bill is a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the Clerk of the House or Senate. Many members of Congress propose bills that they know will never become a law, but they do this to say I ve sponsored a bill, so vote for me. 16 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law A bill is a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the Clerk of the House or Senate. Many members of Congress propose bills that they know will never become a law, but they do this to say I ve sponsored a bill, so vote for me. The bill is given a number and assigned to a committee, which typically refers it to a subcommittee. 16 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law A bill is a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the Clerk of the House or Senate. Many members of Congress propose bills that they know will never become a law, but they do this to say I ve sponsored a bill, so vote for me. The bill is given a number and assigned to a committee, which typically refers it to a subcommittee. Bills taken seriously are given a hearing. 16 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law A bill is a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the Clerk of the House or Senate. Many members of Congress propose bills that they know will never become a law, but they do this to say I ve sponsored a bill, so vote for me. The bill is given a number and assigned to a committee, which typically refers it to a subcommittee. Bills taken seriously are given a hearing. The vast majority (95 percent) do not become laws. They do not even advance past the committee level. Thus, it is a big deal when a bill successfully makes it out of committee. 16 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law The House rule determines how much time is allocated for floor debate. 17 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law The House rule determines how much time is allocated for floor debate. The debate time is divided equally between those for the bill and those against the bill. 17 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law The House rule determines how much time is allocated for floor debate. The debate time is divided equally between those for the bill and those against the bill. The Senate allows for unlimited discussion, requiring 60 votes to end a filibuster via cloture. 17 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law The House rule determines how much time is allocated for floor debate. The debate time is divided equally between those for the bill and those against the bill. The Senate allows for unlimited discussion, requiring 60 votes to end a filibuster via cloture. 17 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law Once a bill clears in one chamber, it is sent to the other, where the process starts over. 18 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law Once a bill clears in one chamber, it is sent to the other, where the process starts over. If both chambers pass the same wording, the bill is sent to the president. 18 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law Once a bill clears in one chamber, it is sent to the other, where the process starts over. If both chambers pass the same wording, the bill is sent to the president. If not, both chambers create a conference committee. 18 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law Once a bill clears in one chamber, it is sent to the other, where the process starts over. If both chambers pass the same wording, the bill is sent to the president. If not, both chambers create a conference committee. The president is given 10 days to veto a law. 18 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law Once a bill clears in one chamber, it is sent to the other, where the process starts over. If both chambers pass the same wording, the bill is sent to the president. If not, both chambers create a conference committee. The president is given 10 days to veto a law. Vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in each chamber. 18 / 23
How a Bill Becomes a Law Once a bill clears in one chamber, it is sent to the other, where the process starts over. If both chambers pass the same wording, the bill is sent to the president. If not, both chambers create a conference committee. The president is given 10 days to veto a law. Vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in each chamber. Pocket veto: If there are less than 10 days left in the congressional calendar and the president does not sign the bill into law, it dies and must begin again from scratch in the next session. 18 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. This includes voters as well as industries with a large presence in the district. 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. This includes voters as well as industries with a large presence in the district. Electoral incentives make constituents a priority. 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. This includes voters as well as industries with a large presence in the district. Electoral incentives make constituents a priority. Interest Groups 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. This includes voters as well as industries with a large presence in the district. Electoral incentives make constituents a priority. Interest Groups Can supply legislators with very detailed information and data about pending bills 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. This includes voters as well as industries with a large presence in the district. Electoral incentives make constituents a priority. Interest Groups Can supply legislators with very detailed information and data about pending bills Can make sizable donations 19 / 23
How Congress Decides Many factors influence members of Congress. Constituents Legislators take constituents seriously if they believe it will affect their support in the next election. This includes voters as well as industries with a large presence in the district. Electoral incentives make constituents a priority. Interest Groups Can supply legislators with very detailed information and data about pending bills Can make sizable donations Do they represent the interests of constituents? 19 / 23
How Congress Decides: Party Discipline/Polarization 20 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) 21 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) Leadership PACS. Democratic Campaign Committee, National Republican Campaign Committee. Provide fundraising to members of Congress and candidates 21 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) Leadership PACS. Democratic Campaign Committee, National Republican Campaign Committee. Provide fundraising to members of Congress and candidates Committee assignments: Legislators often want to be on certain committees because good for their district/re-election 21 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) Leadership PACS. Democratic Campaign Committee, National Republican Campaign Committee. Provide fundraising to members of Congress and candidates Committee assignments: Legislators often want to be on certain committees because good for their district/re-election Access to the floor: Leadership controls the agenda 21 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) Leadership PACS. Democratic Campaign Committee, National Republican Campaign Committee. Provide fundraising to members of Congress and candidates Committee assignments: Legislators often want to be on certain committees because good for their district/re-election Access to the floor: Leadership controls the agenda The whip system: Come have drinks in Sam Rayburn s office. A communications network in each house for conveying leaders wishes and plans to members. Through this system, leaders know if they have enough people backing their proposed legislation. 21 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) Leadership PACS. Democratic Campaign Committee, National Republican Campaign Committee. Provide fundraising to members of Congress and candidates Committee assignments: Legislators often want to be on certain committees because good for their district/re-election Access to the floor: Leadership controls the agenda The whip system: Come have drinks in Sam Rayburn s office. A communications network in each house for conveying leaders wishes and plans to members. Through this system, leaders know if they have enough people backing their proposed legislation. Logrolling: You support me on X, I ll support you on Y. Who owes what to whom; hundreds of these agreements are made each year. 21 / 23
How Congress Decides Tools party leaders have at their disposal, to push rank and file members into supporting legislation (or not) Leadership PACS. Democratic Campaign Committee, National Republican Campaign Committee. Provide fundraising to members of Congress and candidates Committee assignments: Legislators often want to be on certain committees because good for their district/re-election Access to the floor: Leadership controls the agenda The whip system: Come have drinks in Sam Rayburn s office. A communications network in each house for conveying leaders wishes and plans to members. Through this system, leaders know if they have enough people backing their proposed legislation. Logrolling: You support me on X, I ll support you on Y. Who owes what to whom; hundreds of these agreements are made each year. Presidency: Presidents identify a number of bills to be considered part of the Administration s program 21 / 23
Beyond Legislation Oversight 22 / 23
Beyond Legislation Oversight Congress is expected to oversee the activities of the executive branch in order to ensure funding is spent properly and laws are enforced. 22 / 23
Beyond Legislation Oversight Congress is expected to oversee the activities of the executive branch in order to ensure funding is spent properly and laws are enforced. Advice and consent 22 / 23
Beyond Legislation Oversight Congress is expected to oversee the activities of the executive branch in order to ensure funding is spent properly and laws are enforced. Advice and consent The Senate confirms executive appointments, ambassadors, and federal judges. 22 / 23
Beyond Legislation Oversight Congress is expected to oversee the activities of the executive branch in order to ensure funding is spent properly and laws are enforced. Advice and consent The Senate confirms executive appointments, ambassadors, and federal judges. Approves all treaties 22 / 23
Beyond Legislation Oversight Congress is expected to oversee the activities of the executive branch in order to ensure funding is spent properly and laws are enforced. Advice and consent The Senate confirms executive appointments, ambassadors, and federal judges. Approves all treaties Impeachment. House acts as grand jury, Senate conducts trial 22 / 23
Clinton Impeachment Scandal 23 / 23