Congress: Balancing National Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local InterestsGoals and Local Interests

Chapter 11Chapter 11

Congress as a Career: Election to Congress as a Career: Election to CongressCongress

Using incumbency to stay in CongressUsing incumbency to stay in CongressThe service strategy: taking care of constituentsThe service strategy: taking care of constituentsCampaign fund-raising: raking in the moneyCampaign fund-raising: raking in the moneyRedistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents Redistricting: favorable boundaries for incumbents

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Recent Reelection Rates of Recent Reelection Rates of House and Senate IncumbentsHouse and Senate Incumbents

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Congressional Campaign Congressional Campaign Expenditures, by DecadeExpenditures, by Decade

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Allocation of PAC Contributions between Allocation of PAC Contributions between Incumbents and Challengers in CongressionalIncumbents and Challengers in CongressionalRaces That Included an Incumbent, 1980–2010Races That Included an Incumbent, 1980–2010

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Congress as a Career: Election to Congress as a Career: Election to CongressCongress

Pitfalls of incumbencyPitfalls of incumbencyDisruptive issuesDisruptive issuesPersonal misconductPersonal misconductTurnout variation: the midterm election problemTurnout variation: the midterm election problemPrimary election challengersPrimary election challengersGeneral election challengers: a problem for General election challengers: a problem for

senatorssenators

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Congress as a Career: Election to Congress as a Career: Election to CongressCongress

Safe incumbency and representationSafe incumbency and representationWho are the winners in congressional Who are the winners in congressional

elections?elections?

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Parties and Party LeadershipParties and Party Leadership

Parties and party leadershipParties and party leadershipParty caucus—closed sessionParty caucus—closed sessionParty unity in CongressParty unity in Congress

Heightened unity seen through roll-call votesHeightened unity seen through roll-call votes

Party leadership in CongressParty leadership in CongressDemonstrated leadership abilityDemonstrated leadership abilityAbility to gain trustAbility to gain trust

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The Number of Democrats and Republicans in The Number of Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Senate, 2001–20122001–2012

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Parties and Party LeadershipParties and Party Leadership

House leadersHouse leadersSpeaker of the HouseSpeaker of the House

Elected by the House membershipElected by the House membershipBy default a member of the majority partyBy default a member of the majority partySaid to be the second-most-powerful official in Said to be the second-most-powerful official in

Washington, after the presidentWashington, after the president

House majority leaderHouse majority leaderHouse majority whipHouse majority whip

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Percentage of Roll-Call Votes in House Percentage of Roll-Call Votes in House and Senate in Which a Majority of and Senate in Which a Majority of Democrats Voted against a Majority ofDemocrats Voted against a Majority ofRepublicansRepublicans

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Party Leadership in CongressParty Leadership in Congress

Senate leadersSenate leadersMajority party leader is the most powerful senatorMajority party leader is the most powerful senatorThe vice president presides over the Senate; The vice president presides over the Senate;

however, has power only to cast tie-breaking votehowever, has power only to cast tie-breaking voteSenate president pro tempore presides over the Senate president pro tempore presides over the

Senate in the vice president’s absenceSenate in the vice president’s absenceLargely an honorary position held by the majority Largely an honorary position held by the majority

party’s senior memberparty’s senior member

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Committees and Committee Committees and Committee LeadershipLeadership

Committee jurisdictionCommittee jurisdictionBills introduced must be referred to the proper Bills introduced must be referred to the proper

committee for deliberationcommittee for deliberation

Committee membershipCommittee membershipTypically mirrors the party ratio of the bodyTypically mirrors the party ratio of the body

Committee chairsCommittee chairsTypically the senior member of the majority party Typically the senior member of the majority party

Committees and parties: Which is in control?Committees and parties: Which is in control?

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The Standing Committees of The Standing Committees of CongressCongress

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How a Bill Becomes a LawHow a Bill Becomes a Law

Committee hearings and decisionsCommittee hearings and decisionsMost work on legislation is done in committeeMost work on legislation is done in committee

From committee to the floorFrom committee to the floorRules for debate are definedRules for debate are defined

Leadership and floor actionLeadership and floor actionDebate, changes, and vote by full membershipDebate, changes, and vote by full membership

Conference committees and the presidentConference committees and the presidentReconcile differences between similar legislationReconcile differences between similar legislation

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How a Bill Becomes a LawHow a Bill Becomes a Law

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Congress’s Policymaking RoleCongress’s Policymaking Role

Lawmaking function of CongressLawmaking function of CongressMakes laws authorizing federal programsMakes laws authorizing federal programsBroad issues: fragmentation as a limit on Broad issues: fragmentation as a limit on

Congress’s roleCongress’s roleCongress in the lead: fragmentation as a Congress in the lead: fragmentation as a

policymaking strengthpolicymaking strength

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The Major Functions of The Major Functions of CongressCongress

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Congress’s Policymaking RoleCongress’s Policymaking Role

The representation function of CongressThe representation function of CongressRepresentation of states and districtsRepresentation of states and districtsRepresentation of the nation through partiesRepresentation of the nation through parties

Oversight function of CongressOversight function of CongressSees that executive branch carries out the laws Sees that executive branch carries out the laws

faithfullyfaithfully

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Public Confidence in CongressPublic Confidence in Congress

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Congress: Too Fragmented?Congress: Too Fragmented?

Pro (advantages):Pro (advantages):Culturally representative of nationCulturally representative of nationDiverse interests representedDiverse interests represented

Cons (disadvantages):Cons (disadvantages):National interest subjugated to special interestsNational interest subjugated to special interestsDisproportionate influence of the minorityDisproportionate influence of the minority

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