Congress:Structure and Processes

Jamie MonoganUniversity of GeorgiaSeptember 23, 2015

Objectives

By the end of this meeting, participants should be able to:•Identify voting rules and organizational structure of Congress.•Explain the basic process of turning a bill into law.

Internal Institutions of Congress and Unstable Coalitions

• Institutions and procedures of Congress are designed to grant agenda control to a subset of people

• Agenda control helps overcome unstable coalition problems and prevent chaos

Party Leaders

• Party leaders solve coordination and unstable coalition problems by enforcing party discipline

• Reed’s Rules provide procedural guidelines for party leaders

• Party leaders are elected at the beginning of a Congress by the members of each party:–Speaker of the House–Majority/Minority Leader–Majority/Minority Whip

Committees

• Much of the detailed legislative work in Congress occurs in committees

• Each committee focuses on a particular area of policy (jurisdiction)

• Allows for specialization and expertise in committees—so better public policy

• Also allows self-selection for members, who may craft legislation, find district benefits, or rise in prestige

Types of Committees

• Standing committees– Exist permanently

• Special/select committees– Formed for a specific purpose

• Joint committees–Members of House and Senate, no

legislative authority• Conference committees–Members of House and Senate for

resolving differences over a bill

Committee Membership

• Determining committee assignments is a highly political process–Party leaders determine committee

assignments, and therefore more loyal members are rewarded

• Chairs of committees and chairs of subcommittees are powerful–Agenda setters: Help to resolve

unstable coalition issues

The Legislative Process I

• Bill proposals: only legislators can introduce bills• Bills referred to proper committee based on

jurisdiction and party goals• Committee action–Most bills not acted on in committee– Committees may mark up bills for the floor

• House uses special rules to bring bills to the floor– Open rules, closed rules, and restricted rules

• Senate uses unanimous consent agreements to bring bills to floor—this empowers individuals

Legislative Process II• Floor action can be exciting, though typically well-

scripted• Little debate, chambers almost empty• Roll calls in both chambers• Resolving differences between House and Senate

bills• Enrolled bills sent to president– Sign, veto, pocket veto, or “pocket sign”

• House and Senate can override veto with 2/3 vote of each chamber

• Separation of powers system creates bias against action (“institutional friction”)

Senate Distinctiveness

• Unlimited debate is allowed–Filibuster–Cloture

• Committees less powerful–No germaneness rule

• Parties less powerful– Individual rights trump collective

action in Senate

Assignments

• For Friday: Read Bullock & Gaddie, Chapter 5

• For Monday: Read Kollman, pp. 185-203

Additional Material

Other Internal Features

• Caucuses, staff, and research services also play a role in Congress

• Caucuses are a way for members to group themselves for business

• CBO and CRS provide independent information for members