4. controls which bills get assigned to which committees
Majority Leader
ally of the Speaker; schedules bills and rounds of votes for that party's position
Whips
party leaders who count vote beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party
Minority Leader
leader of minority party in House and Senate
Who dominates Congressional policymaking?
Committees who control the Congressional agenda and guide legislation
4 Types of Committees
1. standing
2. joint
3. conference
4. select
Standing Committee
subject matter committees in each separate house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas
Joint Committees
few subject matter committees with membership drawn from both houses
Conference Committees
both houses work together to write a single bill from 2 separate, similar bills in each house
Select Committee
appointed for a specific purpose (ex: Watergate)
Legislative Oversight
Congressional committees/subcommittees process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration policy
Committee Chairs
most important influencers of the Congressional agenda; schedule hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills brought before the full house
Seniority System
rule for picking committee chairs in effect until the 1970s
General Rule
seniority is first rule for selecting chairs
Caucus
a group of members of Congress who share some interest or characteristic
What is the goal of a caucus?
to promote the interests around which they formed
3 Parts of the Congressional Staff
1. personal
2. committee
3. staff agencies
Personal Staff
provide services to constituents
Committee Staff
organize hearings, draft committee reports, etc.
3 Parts of Staff Agencies
1. Congressional Research Service
2. General Accounting Office
3. Congressional Budget Office
Congressional Research Service
provides research, info, and studies to Congress
General Accounting Office
helps Congress review activites of executive branch
Congressional Budget Office
analyze President's budget and make economic projections
Bill
a proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language
Unorthodox Lawmaking
lawmaking not through the usual means
Omnibus Legislation
legislation that addresses numerous and perhaps unrelated subjects, issues, and programs to create winning coalitions
At the Margins
the description of the President as a facilitator who works at the margins of coalition building to recognize and exploit opportunities presented by a favorable configuration of political forces
7 Steps For How a Bill Becomes A Law
1. Bill introduced in House or Senate; assigned to committee; sent to subcommittee
2. Subcommittee approves the bill; goes to the committee; committee approves the bill; bill is put on the calendar; Rules Committee sends bill to full House or Senate leaders schedule debate on the bill
3. Debated and voted on by full House and Senate
4. Conference Committee from both houses meet to iron out differences in the bill
5. Full House and Senate vote on Conference Committee bill
6. President signs or vetoes bill; 2/3 vote in both House and Senate overrides the veto
7. Bill is made into law
3 Theories of Constituency vs Ideology
1. trustees
2. instructed delegates
3. politicos
Trustees
Burke's idea that Congressperson's use their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people
Instructed Delegates
mirror the preferences of constituents
Politicos
adopt both trustee and instructed delegate roles as they strive to be both representatives and policymakers
What is the central legislative dilemma for Congress?
Combining the faithful representation of constituents with making effective public policy
