How Congress Works
Part I
Who’s in Congress?
Demographic Profile of the 111th Congress
Age Groups
Gender
Party
Ethnicity
Source: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt
House-Senate Differences
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House
435 members; 2 yr
terms
Population Based
All elected every 2
years
Focus on the
constituents in their
district
At least 25 years old
Citizen for 7 years
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Senate
100 members; 6 yr
terms
Equal Representation
1/3 elected every 2
years
Focus on their state
as a whole
At least 30 years old
Citizen for 9 years
Powers of Congress: Article 1.8
Legislative Powers
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Collect Taxes and Borrow
Money
Regulate Trade with foreign
nations and among states
Make laws about
naturalization
Coin money and set a
standard of weights and
measures
Establish Post offices and
highways
Declare war/Maintain Army
Non-legislative Powers
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Elect a President (House)
and a VP (Senate) of no one
gets a majority in the EC
Confirm appointments and
treaties made by the
President (Senate)
Propose Amendments
Call Conventions
Admit new states
Impeachment-Bring charges
(House), Try the case
(Senate)
Powers Denied to Congress: Article 1.9
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Congress’s Power is limited by the system of
Checks and Balances
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President has veto power of laws and Pocket Veto
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Pocket Veto: President can keep a bill for 10 days without
signing it, if Congress ends its session during this time the
bill will not become a law
Judicial Branch can declare laws unconstitutional
Specific Limited Powers Include:
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Habeas Corpus- you can not be held in jail without a
charge, brought before a judge
NO Ex Post Facto Laws- A law that makes an action
illegal after it was done
NO Bills of Attainder- A law that convicts a person
without a trial
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Speaker of the House:
Speaker of the House
John Boehner (R-Ohio)
• Most powerful-presides over sessions,
decides who speaks, assigns members
and bills to committees
• Speaker selected from and by the
majority party
Majority/Minority Floor Leader:
• Guide bills through Congress
Majority/Minority Whip:
• Assistant Floor Leader
• Persuade members to support the
party’s positions
Minority Party Leader
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
SENATE LEADERSHIP
President of the Senate
• Vice President of the US
presides over the Senate
President Pro Tempore
• Member of the Majority
or minority party that is
chosen to preside when
the VP is absent
Majority/Minority Leader
• Serves the same role as in
the house
Majority/Minority Whip
• Serves the same role as in
the house
President of the Senate
Joe Biden (D-DE)
President Pro Tem
Robert Byrd (D-WV)
"Congress in session is Congress on public
exhibition, whilst Congress in its committeerooms is Congress at work.” - Woodrow Wilson
Legislative Committees:
Function & Purpose
1. Consider bills (a.k.a.
“mark-up” bills)
2. Maintain
oversight of
executive agencies
3. Conduct
investigations
Types of Committees
 Standing Committees - permanent panel with full
legislative functions and oversight responsibilities
• Subcommittees – formed to tackle very specific
tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees
 Select or Special Committees - groups appointed for a
limited purpose and limited duration
 Joint Committees - includes members of both
chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping
tasks
 Conference Committee - includes members of House
& Senate to work out differences between similar bills
House Standing Committees
Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education & Workforce
Energy & Commerce
Financial Services
Government Reform
House Admin.
International Relations
Judiciary
Resources
Rules
Science
Small Business
Standards of Official
Conduct
Transportation &
Infrastructure
Veterans Affairs
Ways & Means
Senate Standing Committees
Agriculture, Nutrition, &
Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, & Urban
Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science,
Transportation
Energy & Natural Resources
Environment and Public
Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor
& Pensions
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and
Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs
Special, Select Committees
• House Select
Committee on
Energy
Independence &
Global Warming
• Senate Select
Committee on
Ethics
• House & Senate
Select Committees
on Intelligence
Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full
committee hearing of the Senate Select
Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be
director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Joint Committees
• Joint Economic Committee
• Joint Committee on Printing
• Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on
Taxation hearing
Title: Resolution
Date: 12/28/06
Artist: Bob Gorrell
Source: http://www.gorrellart.com/