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To provide for the common Defense and general
Welfare of the United States…
…Lay and collect Taxes…
…Borrow Money;
…Regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
…Coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and
Measures
…Promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, …
…To constitute Tribunals (Courts)…
…Declare War etc..

…To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the
United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

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Originate all tax bills
Impeach (charge) presidents and judges

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Try impeachments
Confirm ambassadors, public ministers, judges
Ratify treaties (2/3 vote)

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Committee System
Party organization
Floor Procedure
Staff

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They write, revise, and approve the bills that become laws.

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Members of Congress sit on committees.
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They sit on committees that deal with policy that especially concerns their constituents
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They ask for those assignments
Party leaders grant them
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Committees composed of members of each party in proportion to the party’s share of seats in the
House.

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Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education and the
Workforce
Energy and Commerce
Ethics
Financial Services
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
House Administration
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Judiciary
Natural Resources
Oversight and Government Reform
Rules
Science, Space, and Technology
Small Business
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Veterans’ Affairs
Ways and Means
Intelligence

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans' Affairs

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Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research
Jurisdiction: Soil, water, and resource conservation; small watershed program; agricultural credit; rural development; rural electrification; farm security and family farming matters; agricultural research, education and extension services; plant pesticides, quarantine, adulteration of seeds, and insect pests; biotechnology.
Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
Jurisdiction: Program and markets related to cotton, cottonseed, wheat, feed grains, soybeans, oilseeds, rice, dry beans, peas, lentils; Commodity Credit Corporation; crop insurance; commodity exchanges.
Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs
Jurisdiction: Peanuts; sugar; tobacco; honey and bees; marketing orders relating to such commodities; foreign agricultural assistance and trade promotion programs, generally.
Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Dairy, Nutrition and Forestry
Jurisdiction: Agency oversight; review and analysis; special investigations; dairy; food stamps, nutrition and consumer programs; forestry in general, forest reserves other than those created from the public domain; energy and biobased energy production; dairy.
Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture
Jurisdiction: Livestock; poultry; meat; seafood and seafood products; inspection, marketing, and promotion of such commodities; aquaculture; animal welfare; grazing; fruits and vegetables; marketing and promotion orders

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Introduced by a member in either chamber
House.gov
Referral to the committee (s) with jurisdiction
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Committee assignments and makeup
Committee (and subcommittee) chairs
After referral to subcommittee
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Into the Garbage can
Hearings
Markup
Vote
Same process at full committee level
Before it goes to the floor: Rules committee

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Same process in the other chamber
Senate.gov
Referral to the committee(s ) with jurisdiction
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Committee (and subcommittee) assignment
Committee (and subcommittee) chair
After referral to subcommittee
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Into the Garbage can, hearings, Markup, Vote
Same process at full committee level
Floor procedure
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Unlimited debate, filibuster, cloture
Powers of the Majority leader

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How is a carpool different than a bus line?

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Limited debate
The Rules Committee
Open and closed rules
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The “bus line”
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Note: conditional party government: when a party is more unified, it will have more rigid, centralized rules

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No rules committee
Unlimited debate
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Filibuster
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Cloture Rule
Complex Unanimous Consent Agreements
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“The car pool”

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Elect organizational leadership that…
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Hands out committee assignments
Hands out committee chairmanships
Controls Rules Committee (Speaker)
Influences distribution of pork
Can help with campaigns

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Staff
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(provides information)
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Decorum
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(regulates conflict)
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Seniority system
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(reduces incentive to free ride)

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Prominence of constituents and reelection
Degree of Specialization
Hierarchy
Protection of partisan minorities

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Bill that passes both houses goes to Conference
Committee
Re-passage of identical bill in both houses
President’s Desk for veto or signature
2/3 vote in both houses to override