shea chapter 6

6Congress

Video: The Big Picture

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6

Video: The Basics

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6

The Nature and Style of Representation

Models of Representation Delegate Model Trustee Model Politico Model Conscience Model

Constituent Service and Symbolic Representation

6.1

FIGURE 6.1: Representing the Will of the People

6.1

6.1 Which model of representation allows a member to vote for the good of the whole?

6.1

a. Delegate model

b. Trustee model

c. Politico model

d. Conscience model

Video: In Context


6.1

A Bicameral Legislature

Who Can Serve in Congress?

Congressional Elections

Law making

Redistricting and Reapportionment

6.2Congress and the Constitution

Senator Mitch McConnell listens to a question.

6.2

Bicameral Legislature

House of Representatives Representatives elected directly Two-year terms

Senate Senators elected by state legislature Six-year terms

6.2

TABLE 6.1: Key Differences between the House and Senate.

6.2

Who Can Serve in Congress?

Age Requirements Differ for House and Senate

Residency and Citizenship Requirements Also differ for House and Senate

Rotation

6.2

Regulation left to states

Voting Rights Act of 1965

National Voter Registration Act

Congressional Elections 6.2

Rep. Aaron Schock 6.2

Lawmaking

Legislative process Both Chambers must pass a bill

Presidential actions Signature, veto, pocket veto

Powers of Congress Elastic clause, or “necessary and proper” clause

6.2

TABLE 6.2: Powers of Congress under the U.S. Constitution

6.2

Redistricting and Reapportionment

Census Determines number of House members from each state;

shift is called reapportionment

Redistricting States redraw congressional districts to reflect

population shifts

Gerrymandering Redistricting for political gain

6.2

FIGURE 6.2: That’s not a salamander; it’s a gerrymander!

6.2

FIGURE 6.3: Distribution of Congressional power

6.2

6.2 What power is given to Congress by the elastic clause?

6.2

a. Regulate commerce

b. Declare war

c. Raise and spend revenue

d. Make laws as needed to implement powers

Organizing Congress: Committees

Standing Committees

What Committees Do

6.3

Standing Committees

Subcommittees

Select committees

Joint and standing joint committees

Conference committees

6.3

TABLE 6.3: Standing Committees in the 113th Congress

6.3

What Committees Do

Referral and jurisdiction Committee reports, language “mark up”

Hearings and investigations Bureaucratic oversight

Committee staffers Research, “unelected representatives”

6.3

Musician Sheryl Crow 6.3

6.3 Which committee hammers out differences in bills passed by the House and Senate?

6.3

a. Conference Committee

b. Joint Committee

c. Standing Committee

d. Select Committee

Organizing Congress: Political Parties and Leadership Parties in the Legislatures

Legislative Leadership

6.4

Parties in the Legislatures

Function and role of parties Orientation for new members Setting the agenda Committee appointments and floor votes

The importance of majority status

Congressional caucuses

6.4

Blue Dog Democrats 6.4

Senator Evan Bayh 6.4

Video: Thinking Like a Political Scientist


6.4

Legislative Leadership

Organization Speaker of the House Senate President Pro Tempore Majority and Minority Leaders Whips

Leadership Powers Formal powers Informal powers

6.4

6.4 Which position carries the most influence in the Senate?

6.4

a. President Pro Tempore

b. Senate President

c. U.S. Vice President

d. Majority Leader

Explore Congress: Can Congress Get Anything Done?

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6.4

Organizing Congress: Rules and Norms

The Filibuster

Unwritten Rules

Specialization

6.5

The Filibuster

Negotiating the terms for debate Unanimous consent Cloture Hold

6.5

Senator Strom Thurmond 6.5

Unwritten Rules

Seniority Deference and power granted to most senior members

of each chamber

Apprenticeship norm

Civility “The distinguished gentleman” vs. “You lie!”

6.5

Rep. Joe Wilson 6.5

Specialization

Reciprocity “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”

Logrolling Members exchange support on each other’s bills

Earmarks and Pork-Barrel Legislation Federal money that benefits a member’s district

6.5

6.5 The unwritten rule of reciprocity on earmarks is known as:

6.5

a. Pork-barrel legislation

b. Civility

c. Logrolling

d. Seniority

Video: In the Real World


6.5

How a Bill Becomes a Law

General Steps

Unorthodox Lawmaking

Emergency Legislation

6.6

General Steps

Introduction of a Bill Referral Committee Consideration Rules for Floor Action Floor Consideration Conference Committee Presidential Action Overriding a Presidential Veto

6.6

FIGURE 6.4: How a Bill Becomes a Law

6.6

Unorthodox Lawmaking

Generic Bills Details worked out in conference committee

“Ping-ponging” Amended bills bounce back and forth between the

chambers

Omnibus Measures Numerous issues and topics in one bill

6.6

Emergency Legislation

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 “Wall Street Bailout Bill”

Lessons Learned As Framers intended, executive can move more quickly

than legislative Constituencies: What’s good in one member’s district

not necessarily good in another’s Senators generally more able to weather effects of

important but unpopular legislation

6.6

6.6 Bills that have more than one issue or topic are called

a. Generic bills

b. Omnibus measures

c. Budget bills

d. Specialization

6.6

Explore the Simulation: You Are a Consumer Advocate

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Who Sits in Congress?

Gender, Race, and Ethnicity

Income, Education, and Occupation

6.7

Gender, Race, and Ethnicity

Gender After slow but steady gains in female representation,

numbers of women in Congress dipped after 2010 elections

Race and Ethnicity African Americans underrepresented, but numbers have

improved since the 1980s Hispanic American (Latino) representation in Congress also

lags well behind general population

6.7

FIGURE 6.5: Percentages of Women in State Legislatures

6.7

Income, Occupation, and Education

Income Members of Congress wealthier than general population Senate “Millionaires Club”

Occupation and Education Roughly 40% of Congress are lawyers Bankers and business professionals, who are generally

well educated, also make up about 40% of congressional population

6.7

TABLE 6.4: Top Twenty Richest Members of Congress in 2012

6.7

FIGURE 6.6: Occupations, Education, Party Profile, and Gender Composition of the 112th Congress

6.7

6.7 Hispanics make up ___ percent in Congress.

6.7

a. 17

b. 13

c. 9.5

d. 5

Are Americans Losing Faith in the “People’s Branch”? Criminal and Ethics Charges

Perception vs. Reality

6.8

FIGURE 6.7: Public Opinion Poll on Congressional Ethics

6.8

Criminal and Ethics Charges

Members of Congress Tom Delay indicted on criminal conspiracy Larry Craig arrested for lewd behavior Ted Stevens charged with corruption (later acquitted) Anthony Weiner forced to resign following “sexting”

scandal Spencer Bachus investigated for insider trading

Lobbyists Jack Abramoff indicted on string of charges

6.8

Perception vs. Reality

Perceptions Increasing numbers of Americans report dissatisfaction

with Congress Increased reporting of ethical lapses

Reality Overall corruption has decreased Members of Congress now face tougher rules and

procedures.

6.8

6.8 This lobbyist was indicted on a string of corruption charges:

6.8

a. Tom Delay

b. Jack Abramoff

c. Anthony Weiner

d. Ted Stevens

Video: So What?

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6.8

shea chapter 6

News & Politics

model of representation

house senate president

committees joint

senate residency

senate rotation

agenda committee appointments

jurisdiction committee

vice president