CONGRESS
PART 2
PRIVILEGES OF CONGRESS
 1-free from arrest except felony & treason
 2-can’t be sued for libel on anything said in
Congress
Can be sued for items in press releases & news letters
 3-can decide whether to allow an elected office a
seat
“power of exclusion”
 4-can punish, expel or censure a member
Censure-disapproval
Expel—most serious crimes committed
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP IN
THE HOUSE
 435 MEMBERS---MANY FORMAL RULES
5 minutes or less to speak
1 day for debate
 COMMITTEES DO MOST OF THE WORK
Organize into smaller groups to get the job done
Specialize on a few important issues that are important
to constituents
 PARTY AFFILIATION IMPORTANT
Republicans sit on right side
Democrats on the Left side
Whomever has the majority—picks the leadership
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Picked by majority party caucus
JOBS
Decides who gets to speak first
Appointments to committees
Schedules bills for action
Refers bill to committee
Persuasion on bills
Follows VP in succession to Presidency
OTHER HOUSE LEADERSHIP
 MAJORITY LEADER
 ASSISTS SPEAKER
 PLANS LEGISLATIVE
PROGRAM FOR PARTY
 FLOOR LEADER
 ELECTED BY MAJORITY
PARTY
 MAJORITY WHIP
 ASSIST FLOOR
LEADERSHIP
 SEE HOW REPR. ARE
GOING TO VOTE
 MAKE SURE ALL ARE IN
CHAMBERS TO VOTE
 MINORITY WHIP
 Leadership of party NOT
in power
 Voting & persuasion
PROPOSING A LAW
1-INTRODUCE A BILL
“PUT IN THE “HOPPER”
2-SPEAKER SENDS IT TO COMMITTEE
10,000 BILLS INTRODUCED EACH TERM
10% GO TO FULL HOUSE FOR A VOTE
3-BILLS THAT SURVIVE COMMITTEE
GET PUT ON 1 OF 5 CALENDARS FOR
CONSIDERATION
5 Types of House Calendars
 1-Union
 $ issues
 2-Private
 Individual people & places honored
 3-Consent
 Special cases
 Unanimous consent to debate out of regular order of calendar
 4-discharge
 Discharge a petition out of committee to go to a vote
 5-House
 Public bills
 Most bill go on this calendar
LEADERSHIP IN THE SENATE
 VP-presides over the Senate
 but only votes if there is a tie
 No debate allowed by VP
 Recognize members to speak
 Can use political influence
 President Pro Tempore (temporary)
 Elected by Senate; Senior member
 Helps if VP is absent
 Floor Leaders=party leaders
 Majority-plans work schedule, steers bills thru
 Minority-develops criticism of other party & their bills
Proposing a Law in the Senate
 1-any member can introduce a bill
 No rules committee to decide what bills to put up
 2-Senate leaders control bills to committee & then to the
floor for debate
 3-only 2 calendars
 General orders-all bills
 Executive-treaties & appointments
 Usually it is unanimous to bring bills to floor to discuss
 4-filibuster-keep talking until the majority in the Senate
either gets rid of the bill or agrees to modify it
 After 3 hours—can talk about anything
 Stopped by 3/5 vote
 Cloture-limit of 1 hour to speak
TYPES OF COMMITTEES
 1-STANDING
 Permanent groups about certain topics
 Majority party picks leaders
 Ex: Foreign relations; Judiciary
 2-SELECT
 Temporary committee-1 term
 Ex: 9/11 Investigation
 3-JOINT
 From Senate & House; report findings
 Can’t propose bills
 4-CONFERENCE
 Temporary committee when House & Senate have passed
 different versions of the same bill
Special Committee-House Rules
 Directs flow of legislation
 Most powerful committee in House
 Decides On:
1-time limit for debate
2-whether a bill can be moved up on a calendar
3-How much the bill can be amended
4-can block or delay voting on a bill they don’t want
 Use quorum=218 members
 Or Committee of the Whole—only need 100 members
• COW can’t pass a bill—just reports the amendments/changes
HOW TO CHOOSE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS?
1-STRENGTHEN CAREER
2-EXPERIENCE
3-EXERT INFLUENCE ON OTHERS—
RULES & APPROPRIATIONS
4-CAN INFLUENCE NATIONAL POLICY
MAKING
WHO DECIDES?
PARTY LEADERS, COMMITTEE CHAIR
USE SENIORITY
How a Bill Becomes a Law . . .
 2 types of Bills
 Private
 Individuals—honoring achievements/bravery
 Public
 Usually controversial—30% of all bills
 Resolutions
 Simple—internal house matter only
 Joint-correct an error; have the force of law
 Needs both houses & Pres. sign
 Concurrent Don’t need a law passed—no Pres. sign
 Action of Congress—ex. adjournment
 Riders Attached to another bill that is likely to pass
 Ex-$ for a bridge; water cleanup etc
Only 5% of All Bills Become Laws
1-long & complicated process
2-need to be willing to compromise &
bargain
3-introduce bills that the Representatives
know won’t get passed
SPECIAL TYPES OF BILLS
 TAX & SPENDING BILLS
HOUSE—Ways & Means Committee
SENATE-Finance Committee
 No proposal for taxes
 Special interest tax breaks only
 APPROPRIATIONS-approval of Gov’t spending
1-authorization
2-appropriation
 Every department needs to testify before this committee to
get funding
 Entitlements*
WHAT INFLUENCES WHETHER A BILL
GETS PASSED?
1-VOTERS
2-PARTIES
3-PRESIDENT
4-INTEREST GROUPS
4-POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES