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Getting Into Congress
• Qualifications House• Qualifications Senate• Informal Qualifications• Demographics
Structure of the House
• Presiding Officerso Speakero Speaker Pro Tempore
• "Power Players"o Speakero Majority Leadero Majority Whipo Chair of Majority Caucus or Conference
Structure of the Senate
• Presiding Officerso President (Vice President of the US)
o President Pro Temporeo Junior Members
• "Power Players"o Majority Leadero Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip)o Chair of Majority Conference
It's All About Committees
• Standing• Special/Select/Ad Hoc• Joint• Conference
• Commitee Membership• Committee Chair (Seniority Rule)
• Ranking Member• Committee on Committees/Steering Committee• Party Ratios
It's All About Committees - House
• RULES!• Appropriations• Ways and Means• Armed Serviced• Committee of the Whole House on the State
of the Union
It's All About Committees - Senate
• Appropriations• Finance• Judiciary• Armed Services• Foreign Relations
Legislative Process - Senate
• Introduction• Standing Committee• SubCommittee• Standing Committee• (Unanimous Consent Agreement)• Full Senate
Legislative Process
• Conference Committee• Conf Committee Report Approval
(House/Senate)• Presidential Action• Approve – Sign• Approve - No Signature• Veto• “Pocket” Veto (Rare)
Powers of Congress - Legislative
• Make Law• Veto Override• Tax/Spend/Borrow• Treaty (Treaties have the weight and effect of law in the US)
Powers of Congress - Executive
• Structure Executive Branch• Control Executive Branch Budget• Approve Executive Branch Appts (Senate)• Impeach and Remove Executives• Elective President/Vice President (If EC
Fails)
• Legislative Oversight• Legislative Veto
Powers of Congress - Diplomatic
• Ratify Treaties (Senate)• Approve Diplomats• Approve State Dept Appts (ie Sec of State)• “Agreements” (ie NAFTA)• Tax and Spend
Powers of Congress - Military
• Declare War "Authorization for the Use of Military Force"
• Control Military Budget• Confirm Appointments to Defense Dept• Confirm Military Officers• Make Rules for Military• Treaties• Draft
Powers of Congress - Judicial
• Structure Judiciary• Set Jurisdiction of Federal Courts• Confirm Judges (Senate)• Impeach and Remove Judges
Congress and the President
• Tense Relationship - by design• Divided Government• Power of the Veto• Foreign Policy/Military Policy
Congress and the Bureaucracy
• Iron Triangle (Sub Government)• Issue Networks• Legislative Oversight• Funding• Legislative Veto
Congress and the Courts
• Confirmation dysfunction - "Borking"• Occasional ideological antagonism (increasing)
• Senatorial Courtesy
Congress and the “Folks Back Home”
• Casework/Ombudsman• Pork/Earmarks• Getting Reelected• Franking Privilege