Congress Gets Organized! The First Day in the House The First Day in the House All members are sworn in All members are sworn in House elects the Speaker.

Congress Gets Congress Gets Organized!Organized! The The First DayFirst Day in the House in the House

All members are All members are sworn insworn inHouse elects the House elects the SpeakerSpeaker

Always a member of the Always a member of the majority partymajority party – they have – they have picked him in picked him in private private meetingsmeetings before session before session

John Boehner Elected John Boehner Elected SpeakerSpeaker

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoChannel=1003&videoId=174161251




Congress Gets Congress Gets Organized!Organized! Members are put into Members are put into

committeescommitteesAlso Also prearrangedprearrangedMajority party gets a Majority party gets a majoritymajority in every committeein every committee

Seniority RuleSeniority Rule – longest – longest serving members get the serving members get the first first pickpick, become chairperson, become chairperson

Congress Gets Congress Gets Organized!Organized!

First Day in the First Day in the SenateSenate1/31/3 of the members are of the members are sworn in (only 1/3 coming sworn in (only 1/3 coming off of election)off of election)

VacantVacant committee seats are committee seats are filledfilled

House LeadershipHouse Leadership

Speaker of the Speaker of the HouseHouse John BoehnerJohn Boehner (R-OH)(R-OH)

Presides overPresides over House House sessionsession

House LeadershipHouse Leadership Speaker of the Speaker of the

HouseHouse RefersRefers bills to bills to

relevant relevant committeecommittee

Appoints Appoints members of members of the the Rules Rules committeecommittee


House Majority House Majority LeaderLeaderEric CantorEric Cantor (R-VA)(R-VA)

Helps Speaker Helps Speaker to plan to plan party party strategystrategy


House Majority House Majority WhipWhipKevin McCarthyKevin McCarthy (R-CA)(R-CA)

Right handRight hand of of Majority LeaderMajority Leader

House LeadershipHouse Leadership LinkLink between between

leadershipleadership and and “rank and file”“rank and file”

CheckCheck who plans who plans to to votevote and how and how

Persuade Persuade “defectors” to “defectors” to vote vote with the with the partyparty

House LeadershipHouse Leadership House Minority House Minority

LeaderLeader Nancy Pelosi Nancy Pelosi

(D-CA)(D-CA) Plans minority Plans minority

party strategy to party strategy to take power backtake power back

Expected to Expected to become Speakerbecome Speaker if they winif they win


House House Minority WhipMinority WhipSteny Steny HoyerHoyer (D- (D-MD)MD)

Senate LeadershipSenate Leadership

President of the President of the SenateSenateVice President Vice President of the U.S.of the U.S.

Joe BidenJoe Biden


Presides over Presides over the Senatethe Senate

PowerlessPowerless and and thankless jobthankless job

V.P. has V.P. has better better thingsthings to do to do

Can only vote to Can only vote to break a tiebreak a tie

Senate LeadershipSenate Leadership President Pro-President Pro-

Tempore of the Tempore of the SenateSenatePatrick LeahyPatrick Leahy

(D-VT)(D-VT)Presides Presides in in place ofplace of the the VPVP

Senate LeadershipSenate Leadership President Pro-President Pro-

Tempore of the Tempore of the SenateSenate Longest servingLongest serving

member of the member of the majority partymajority party

Also doesn’t Also doesn’t want to do it, want to do it, passes the job passes the job offoff on junior on junior membersmembers

Senator Byrd and Ted Senator Byrd and Ted StevensStevens

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-january-5-2006/headlines---braked-alaska





Senate Senate Majority LeaderMajority LeaderHarry ReidHarry Reid (D-NV)(D-NV)

Plans party Plans party strategystrategy


Places bills on Places bills on the calendarthe calendar for votingfor voting

May May speak firstspeak first on any billon any bill

Refers billRefers bill to to relevant relevant committeecommittee


Senate Senate Majority WhipMajority WhipRichard Richard “Dick” Durbin“Dick” Durbin (D-IL)(D-IL)


Senate Senate Minority Minority LeaderLeaderMitch Mitch McConnellMcConnell (R-KY)(R-KY)


Senate Senate Minority WhipMinority Whip

John Cornyn III John Cornyn III (R-TX)(R-TX)

CommitteesCommittees

CommitteeCommittee – – expert groupsexpert groups of of Congressmen who Congressmen who decidedecide what bills will go to the what bills will go to the whole whole househouse for a vote for a vote

Most workMost work in Congress is in Congress is done in committeesdone in committees

Types of CommitteesTypes of Committees

Standing CommitteeStanding Committee – – permanentpermanent committees that committees that remain from session to remain from session to sessionsession

Current Standing Committees Current Standing Committees in the House of in the House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

AgricultureAgriculture AppropriationsAppropriations Armed ServicesArmed Services BudgetBudget Education and the Education and the

WorkforceWorkforce Energy and CommerceEnergy and Commerce Financial ServicesFinancial Services Government ReformGovernment Reform House AdministrationHouse Administration International RelationsInternational Relations

JudiciaryJudiciary ResourcesResources RulesRules ScienceScience Small BusinessSmall Business Standards of Official Standards of Official

ConductConduct Transportation and Transportation and

InfrastructureInfrastructure Veterans AffairsVeterans Affairs Ways and MeansWays and Means

Current Standing Committees Current Standing Committees in the Senatein the Senate

Agriculture, Nutrition, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestryand Forestry

AppropriationsAppropriations Armed ServicesArmed Services Banking, Housing, and Banking, Housing, and

Urban AffairsUrban Affairs BudgetBudget Commerce, Science, Commerce, Science,

and Transportationand Transportation Energy and Natural Energy and Natural

ResourcesResources Environment and Environment and

Public WorksPublic Works

FinanceFinance Foreign RelationsForeign Relations Governmental AffairsGovernmental Affairs Health, Education, Health, Education,

Labor, and PensionsLabor, and Pensions Indian AffairsIndian Affairs JudiciaryJudiciary Rules and Rules and

AdministrationAdministration Small BusinessSmall Business Veterans AffairsVeterans Affairs

Types of CommitteesTypes of Committees Select or SpecialSelect or Special Committees Committees

– – TemporaryTemporary committee to committee to investigateinvestigate wrongdoing or wrongdoing or researchresearch a special matter a special matterExamples: Examples: Senate Senate Watergate CommitteeWatergate Committee, , Select Committee on AgingSelect Committee on Aging

Types of CommitteesTypes of Committees

Joint CommitteesJoint Committees – have – have members of bothmembers of both the House the House and Senateand SenateConference Conference Committees – Committees – compromise compromise different different versionsversions of bills between of bills between House and SenateHouse and Senate

How a Bill Becomes a LawHow a Bill Becomes a Law

For a brief overview, let’s For a brief overview, let’s watch a short documentary watch a short documentary on the processon the process


Step 1 – The HouseStep 1 – The HouseBill is Bill is introducedintroduced

Can only be introduced by Can only be introduced by a member of a member of the Housethe House

Bill is Bill is readread to the entire to the entire chamberchamber

How a Bill Becomes a LawHow a Bill Becomes a Law Step 2 – The HouseStep 2 – The House

Referred to a Referred to a standing standing committeecommitteeSpeaker of the HouseSpeaker of the House chooses the committeechooses the committee

Full committee decides Full committee decides whether to whether to consider itconsider it, or , or ““pidgeonholepidgeonhole” it” it


ReferredReferred to subcommittee to subcommitteeChairmanChairman of the committee of the committee decides which decides which subcommitteesubcommittee

Subcommittee does the vast Subcommittee does the vast majority of researchmajority of research and work and work on the billon the bill

90%90% of bills die in steps 2 and 3 of bills die in steps 2 and 3


Committee/Subcommittee Committee/Subcommittee HearingsHearingsGovernment officials, Government officials, expertsexperts invited invited to speakto speak in favor or against bills in favor or against bills

Congressmen may take “Congressmen may take “junketsjunkets,” or ,” or tripstrips to locations for further to locations for further researchresearch

Meanwhile, they “Meanwhile, they “markupmarkup,” or make ,” or make changeschanges to the bill to the bill


Sent back to Sent back to full committeefull committeeCommittee can eitherCommittee can either

Send the bill to step 6 with Send the bill to step 6 with a “a “do passdo pass” ” recommendationrecommendation

Or Or refuserefuse to report the bill, to report the bill, thus killing itthus killing it


*If the rest of Congress *If the rest of Congress disagrees disagrees with a committee’s with a committee’s decision to killdecision to kill a bill, there is a bill, there is one option*one option*

Discharge PetitionDischarge Petition – – majoritymajority of of the House votes to pull a dead the House votes to pull a dead bill bill out ofout of committee committee


Step 6 – The HouseStep 6 – The House Referred to Referred to Rules CommitteeRules Committee

Places bill on the Places bill on the calendarcalendarSets the rules for Sets the rules for time limitstime limits and and number of number of amendmentsamendments allowed allowed

If they refuse to put rules on it…If they refuse to put rules on it…


Step 7 – The HouseStep 7 – The House Whole House DebatesWhole House Debates

During debate, members can During debate, members can propose amendmentspropose amendments to add to add onto the billonto the bill

In the House, amendments In the House, amendments must be must be relevant to the relevant to the subjectsubject of the bill of the bill


Step 8 – The HouseStep 8 – The HouseWhole House VotesWhole House Votes

Majority vote Majority vote passespasses, , sends bill to the sends bill to the SenateSenate

How a Bill Becomes a LawHow a Bill Becomes a Law Step 9 – The SenateStep 9 – The Senate

IntroducedIntroduced in the Senate in the Senate Step 10 – The SenateStep 10 – The Senate

Referred to a Referred to a standing standing committeecommitteeSenate Majority Leader Senate Majority Leader chooses which chooses which committeecommittee


Step 11-12 – The SenateStep 11-12 – The SenateSameSame as House – referred to as House – referred to subcommitteesubcommittee, back to , back to committeecommittee, then out to floor , then out to floor for for debatedebate


Step 13 – The SenateStep 13 – The Senate Whole Senate DebatesWhole Senate Debates

No Rules CommitteeNo Rules Committee, so no , so no limits on time or amendmentslimits on time or amendmentsFilibusterFilibuster – talking at length – talking at length to to stall actionstall action on a bill, can on a bill, can only be ended by only be ended by cloturecloture (60 (60 votes)votes)


Riders - amendments that have Riders - amendments that have nothingnothing to do with a bill to do with a bill

This leads to…

Pork Barrel SpendingPork Barrel Spending Generally occurs through a process Generally occurs through a process

called “called “EarmarkingEarmarking”” Setting asideSetting aside money within an money within an

appropriations bill and “earmarking” it for appropriations bill and “earmarking” it for a a specific purposespecific purpose

For some reason, For some reason, doesn’tdoesn’t go through go through typical spending typical spending authorization proceduresauthorization procedures that other spending proposals go throughthat other spending proposals go through

Cost taxpayers approximately Cost taxpayers approximately $17.1 $17.1 billionbillion in 2008 in 2008

In 2008 Taxpayers Paid In 2008 Taxpayers Paid For…For…

$148,950 for the Montana Sheep Institute$148,950 for the Montana Sheep Institute $211,508 for olive fruit fly research in $211,508 for olive fruit fly research in

Paris, FranceParis, France $1,117,125 to suppress Mormon crickets$1,117,125 to suppress Mormon crickets $1,950,000 for the Charles B. Rangel $1,950,000 for the Charles B. Rangel

Center for Public Service (Rangel is the Center for Public Service (Rangel is the Congressman who got this money spent)Congressman who got this money spent)

$98,000 to develop a walking tour of $98,000 to develop a walking tour of Boydton, VirginiaBoydton, Virginia

Pork Barrel SpendingPork Barrel Spending

How congressmen “How congressmen “bring bring home the baconhome the bacon””

Shows Shows constituentsconstituents that their that their congressman gets “stuff” for congressman gets “stuff” for their district or statetheir district or state

Helps congressman Helps congressman win win reelectionreelection!!

How a Bill Becomes a LawHow a Bill Becomes a Law Step 14 – The SenateStep 14 – The Senate

Senate votesSenate votes Step 15 – Step 15 – Conference CommitteeConference Committee

Members of both houses’ Members of both houses’ subcommittees that worked on subcommittees that worked on the bill the bill compromisecompromise

Both houses then Both houses then vote againvote again on on the compromise billthe compromise bill


Step 16 – The Step 16 – The PresidentPresident President has President has

3 3 options options (maybe (maybe 44):):1. 1. Sign the Sign the billbill, make it , make it lawlaw


Step 16 – The PresidentStep 16 – The PresidentPresident has 4 options:President has 4 options:

2. 2. Veto the billVeto the bill, explain , explain whywhyGoes back to Congress, Goes back to Congress, who can who can overrideoverride with with 2/3 vote in both houses2/3 vote in both houses


3. 3. Wait 10 daysWait 10 days and let it and let it become law without his become law without his signaturesignature

4. (Maybe) 4. (Maybe) Pocket VetoPocket Veto - If - If Congress Congress endsends its session its session before before 10 days10 days are up, bill are up, bill dies without a vetodies without a veto

Congress Gets Organized! The First Day in the House The First Day in the House All members are sworn in All members are sworn in House elects the Speaker.

Documents

house session slide

speaker house

house speaker

house leadership speaker

party slide

house leadership link

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committee majority party