Congress 1
Bicameral -Two chambers. House and Senate
Different Constitutional Structures and Responsibilities
Senate
- 100 (50 x 2)
- Serves six-year staggered terms
- 1/3 of Senate standing for reelection each election year
- Elected Statewide
House
- 435 (population of state affects the number of representatives)
- Serves two years
- Entire House up for reelection every 2 years
- Elected from a single district
Senate only
- Ratify treaties (2/3 vote of each chamber) 2/3 of 100 = 67
- Confirms presidential appointments of federal judges, ambassadors
- and executive branch officials. (Majority vote) majority of 100=51
- Approval of Vice President if office becomes vacant
- Removal of President ( 2/3 vote of Senate) (67)
House only
- Does not ratify treaties
- Does not confirm judges, ambassadors, and executive branch officials
- Approval of Vice President if office becomes vacant
- Impeach of President (majority of House) majority of 435 = 218
Both Senate and House
- Legislation must pass both chambers in identical form
- Pass Constitutional Amendment (2/3 vote of each chamber) 2/3 of 435 = 290; 67 in Senate
- Both are needed to override veto (290 in House; and 67 in Senate
- Raise taxes and spend money (All tax bills originate in House but both must vote in these matters.
- Declare war (majority of each chamber) majority of 435 =218
Distinct Legislative Bodies
Senate
- Greater debating society
- Grand design of national policy
- Informally devised decision-making practices
- Filibuster - prolonged debate (60 needed to end debate-cloture)
- Requires supermajority (41 Senators can halt legislation from going forth)
- Unanimous consent – One Senator can delay or stop legislation
House
- House members have more rules and speeches have time limits.
- Narrow Focus -more attuned to respective districts than national concerns
- Formal Rules to bring order to the larger House
- Filibuster not allowed
- Who ever has majority in the House will eventually be able to bring legislation to a vote.
- No one representative can stop a show. Bound by rules.
Developments that occur if a party succeeds in getting the majority
Ratio of party members on the respective committees is increased to reflect majority status
- Chair of the committees/subcommittees reflect majority party
- Leadership positions Speaker of the House/ Majority Leader of the Senate held by the majority party.
Important organizational positions
House
- House Speaker of the House
- Majority Leader
- Majority Whip
- Minority Leader
- Minority Whip
Senate
- Majority Leader
- Majority Whip
Both Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader
- Appoint members to special committees (select, rules, and conference)
- Influence assignments to standing committees
- Refer legislation to committees
- Control of flow of business to the floor (Important for timing of legislation and policy options to those voting on the House floor.
- Work with fellow party members
- Assemble winning coalitions
- Working with party factions to bring about compromises
- Promote party’s position in media
- React to presidential initiatives
Committees and Subcommittees
- Most of the work is done in committees and subcommittees.
- Standing committee - Permanent committees that can formulate legislation
- Select/Special - Limited Time only. Does not have legislative authority to draft legislation
- Joint Committee -that includes members from both houses in approximately the same numbers. Does not have legislative authority to draft legislation.
- Assignment to Committees will reflect seniority and preferences of Senator/Representative relevant to their state. Ex. Schumer from New York on Finance Committee (money) and Judiciary Committee (Judicial appointments)
House
- Appropriations
- House Ways Means (affects taxes, trade, social security)
- Energy and Commerce
- (Reflect the fact that Senate had to ratify treaties and judicial appointments)
Senate
- Appropriations
- Finance
- Budget
- Foreign Relations (Reflects the fact that Senate had to ratify treaties and judicial appointments)
- Judiciary (Reflects the fact that Senate had to ratify treaties and judicial appointments)
- Armed Service
The nature of committee has an impact on the composition of the committee
Legislation emerging from major committees is likely to be acceptable to a majority of members in Congress. Membership on the major committees mirrors the membership of Congress as a whole because senators and representatives seek to serve on the major committees without regard for ideology or constituency.
In contrast, members of the committee who deal with particular policy areas, such as agriculture and armed services, are generally composed of members whose constituency is directly impacted by the committee’s work.
Committee Assignments
Party committee that makes initial committee assignments nominate chair or ranking members with confirmation by the party caucus.
Seniority