Congress Congress Constitution 1789 n n Sources of

Congress

Congress & Constitution (1789) n n Sources of Power: How Should Congress Be Elected? n Lower house: popularly elected n Upper house: sent by state legislatures Powers of Congress n Does Congress elect President? n No, Electoral College does n Yes, when no candidate receives a majority votes in the College

Congress & Constitution (1789) n Powers of Congress n n “Power of the Purse” n Appropriation of money n Authorization of borrowing n taxation Regulatory Power n Regulation of currency n Punishment of counterfeiting n Regulation of inter-state & int’l trade

Congress & Constitution (1789) n Powers of Congress n n Law-making Power n Establishing rules of naturalization n Making patent & copy-right laws n Making bankruptcy laws n Making amendments to Constitution War-making & Military Power n War declaration n Raising & supporting armed forces n Providing for militia

Congress & Constitution (1789) n Powers of Congress n Power of Personnel Appointment n Confirmation of executive appointments n Secretary of State n US ambassador to the UN n Confirmation of federal judge nomination n Federal court judges US Supreme Court justices Power of Impeachment n n Bringing impeachment charges (House) Trying impeachments (Senate)

Congress & Constitution (1789) n Powers of Congress n Other Powers n n n Establishing post office & post roads Fixing weights and measures Providing for the government of D. C. Admitting new states Establishing lower federal courts

Senate vs. the House n Size n 435 members in the House (since 1911) n n n 106 members in 1791 representing 3. 5 million residents 100 Senators in the Senate Qualifications n House n n n n 25 years of age Citizenship for at least 7 years Residency in district: 1 year Term of service: 2 years 1 member per 550, 000 people How often is Congressional election? How many Members face election each time?

Senate vs. House n Congress & Constituency n House of Representatives n n Closer to the voters More reflective of voter preferences More answerable to constituents Senate n More remote to the voters n n Allows for political stability & policy continuity Less responsive to temporal changes in popular sentiments n Can act as a dispassionate counter-weight to the more popular & radical House

Senate vs. House n Qualifications n Senate n n n n 30 years of age 9 years of citizenship Residency requirement in state: 1 year Term: 6 years 2 seats per state in Senate How often is Senatorial election? How many Senators face election each time?

Senate vs. House n Legislative role differences n Senate n More deliberative n n n Why? Less structured House of Representatives n More centralized & organized n n Why? More routine & structured

To run for Congress… n #2: Incumbency Advantages n n Visibility Campaign contributions n n n Donations go to those in office Donations to challengers offend incumbents Credit claiming thru services to individuals & district n Casework n n n Attend to voter concerns, requests and problems Help cut thru bureaucratic red tape to get what one believes he has a right to get Pork barrel n n List of federal projects, grants & contracts Help obtain or make known such projects to district

To run for Congress… n #2: Incumbency Advantages n n Visibility Campaign contributions Credit claiming thru services to individuals & district Incumbent resources n n Institutional connections and access to channels of communications “franking privilege” (free use of the US mails) Tax-funded travel allowance to stay visible in one’s own district Incumbents scaring challengers away *calls for “term limits” aim to eliminate incumbency advantage

Organization of Congress n Political Parties n n n House leader election every two years Majority party leader = House Speaker Every party has a Committee on Committees (Democrats call theirs: the Steering & Policy Committee) n n n Assign new legislators to committees Transfer incumbents to new committees on request Majority & minority leaders jointly control Senate calendars (agenda)

Organization of Congress Committee System Standing Committees n Important policy-making bodies n Existing from Congress to Congress n Paralleling executive agencies n n n Foreign Affairs Committee - State Department Intelligence Committee – CIA & others Having power to report legislation

The caucuses n What is a caucus? Informal group or committee composed of Senators or Representatives who share opinions, interests or social characteristics. n Ideological causes n n Issue-oriented caucuses n n n Liberal Democratic Study Group Travel & Tourism Caucuses Congressional Friends of Animals Common background caucuses n The Congressional Black Caucus

The caucuses n n What is a caucus? Objectives of the Caucuses To advance interests of the groups they represent by promoting legislation, encouraging Congress to hold hearing, and pressing administrative agencies for favorable treatment

How a Bill Becomes Law The Law-making Steps 5. Schedule Debate n n When a committee agrees to submit a bill to the two houses, it is put on the House & Senate calendar, a list bills for action Each house has different calendars for different bills n In House, non-controversial bills are put on the Consent Calendar or Private Calendar to be passed without debate

How a Bill Becomes Law The Law-making Steps 5. Schedule Debate n Each house has different calendars for different bills n Controversial or important bills are placed on the Union Calendar or house Calendar. Rules & procedures (length of debate) are requested from the Rules Committee. Define the following: filibuster, cloture, open rule, closed rule.

Influences from Interest Groups n Mobilize followers in a member’s congressional districts n n “Astroturf lobbying” Provide information

Influences from Party Org n n Party leaders in Congress have influence over members Party organizations have resources: n Leadership PACs n n n n PACs (1) raise funds and then (2) distribute to members for running for election PACs enhance party power PACs create bond between leaders & members who receive money Committee Assignments Access to Floor The whip system communication network, with info on member intentions in voting Logrolling