Introduction to the
American Political Process
Legislative Behavior: The
Committee Model Part II
Congressional Committees
zWoodrow Wilson: “Congress in session is
Congress on public exhibition, whilst
Congress in committee-rooms is Congress
at work.”
zWhy Committees?
{Institutional Reasons
{Personal Reasons
zThe Trinity of Congressional goals: reelection, power,
public policy
Congressional Committees: Effects
zAssignment to committees
{Committee on Committees
{Role for self-selection
zThe possibility of bias
{Preference outliers
{Advantages and disadvantages
Committees and Policy
zRelationship between Committees and the
Floor Median
zImportance of Rules
Case 1
policy
C
M
SQ
•Under closed rule: committee would not kill bill
(i.e., no gatekeeping power used), but committee
will move legislation closer to their ideal point.
•Under open rule: result is median.
Case 2
policy
C
SQ
M
•Under closed rule: result is status quo; committee
kills bill.
•Under open rule: result is status quo; committee
kills bill.
Case 3
policy
SQ
C
M
•Under closed rule: committee gets what it wants
•Under open rule: result is median or SQ’, whichever is closer to C.
•Evidence that moderate committee are more successful
Placing Members in Space
zHow do we know where MOC and
Senators Stand?
{NOMINATE scores
{ADA score
NOMINATE
cong
107
107
107
107
107
107
107
cd
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
statenm
ALABAMA
ALABAMA
ALABAMA
ALABAMA
ALABAMA
ALABAMA
ALABAMA
party
200
200
200
200
100
200
100
107
107
107
107
107
107
107
107
107
107
107
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
9
10
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
MASSACH
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
name
CALLAHAN
EVERETT
RILEY
ADERHOLT
CRAMER
BACHUS
HILLIARD
OLVER
NEAL RICHA
MCGOVERN
FRANK BARN
MEEHAN
TIERNEY
MARKEY
CAPUANO M
MOAKLEY
LYNCH
DELAHUNT
dwnom1
0.41
0.52
0.523
0.486
-0.083
0.373
-0.573
-0.71
-0.459
-0.579
-0.583
-0.483
-0.565
-0.575
-0.673
-0.426
-0.412
-0.553
ADA Scores
Vote Number
1
ADA Position
Y
2
N
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
N
N
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
N
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Alabama
1
LQ
Callahan (R)
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
?
?
-
0%
Everett (R)
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0%
Riley (R)
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0%
Aderholt (R)
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0%
Cramer (D)
+
- +
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
+
-
+
+
-
-
Bachus, S. (R)
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hilliard (D)
-
+ +
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
?
+
+
2
3
4
45
5
6
%
0%
80
7
%