Congress:
Structure and Processes
Jamie Monogan
University of Georgia
September 24, 2014
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
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
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 wellscripted
• 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