Congress

1. Congress

2. And so we begin… • There are two Congresses…The tight-knit complex world of Capitol Hill is a long way from home, in perspective and outlook as well as in miles • Trustees v. delegates • Congress is considered first among equals…why? • House: 25, 7, state • Senate: 30, 9, state

3. Perks • Time of the Founding v. now • Who wanted to run? • Salary is about $170,000 now • Getting elected is tough…staying there isn’t • 95% and 85% • Districts play a role • Constituency service • Pork-barrel • H: $800,000 and no more than 18 • S: Between $2 and $4M and between 30-50 • Franking privilege

4. Perks • Fundraising • Incumbents have a major advantage • Why?? • Costs are escalating ($1M for H…$20M for some S) • Open-seat elections

5. Redistricting • Reapportionment after census • Redistricting rests with state governments • Supposed to be near equal in population • But we can still gerrymander • What happens when a state loses seats? • Key role for state party heads

6. Redistricting • Population Equality - Each election district must have the same number of constituents. This number ranges between 640,000 - 650,000 people, approximating the size of current U.S. congressional districts. At the federal level, courts tend to enforce the population equality standard very strictly. • Contiguity - Each district must be one continuous shape. No "land islands" are allowed. U.S. courts always enforce the principle of contiguity. • Compactness - Generally speaking, districts need to be drawn in compact shapes. Extremely jagged edges and skinny extensions are features that are the hallmarks of gerrymandered districts. Because compactness is a traditional standard about which there is no generally accepted method of measurement, the courts in most states do not usually enforce the compactness principle in practice.

7. Redistricting • Cracking • Spreading like-minded voters apart across multiple districts to dilute their voting power in each. This denies the group representation in multiple districts. • Packing • Concentrating like-minded voters together in one district to reduce their voting power in other districts. This gives the group representation in a single district while denying them representation across districts.

8. Redistricting • Partisan Gerrymander • Bipartisan Gerrymander • The goal of a bipartisan gerrymander is to eliminate unpredictability in potentially competitive districts. For instance, two adjacent competitive (50/50) districts might be redrawn so that each one is 70/30 for its respective party. The resulting districts all but guarantee re-election by an incumbent of each party (or a representative from the incumbent's party). • Voting Rights Act • Under Section 2 of the VRA, plaintiffs can challenge the unfair political representation of racial and language minority communities in court. In the redistricting context, a state may violate the VRA by failing to protect a numerically large and geographically compact group of voters in a single district. Usually, a state cannot divide such a group if it could make up a majority in a single district. By showing attention to these concerns, the law guarantees a norm of fair play to racial communities of interest that have been historically denied political power.

9. Redistricting • Reform • Tanner's Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act (FAIR Act) seeks to eliminate the problems with partisan bickering and manipulation that often surrounds the current process of redistricting. By creating independent oversight in each state and limiting the factors that can be considered in drawing lines, the Tanner Proposal seeks to make a more fair redistricting process for the entire country. • Specifically, the FAIR Act mandates the establishment of independent redistricting commissions in each state. These commissions would be charged with drawing non-partisan district maps. The law would also eliminate the practice of mid-term redistricting, limiting the process to once every ten years. This independent commission would present a non-partisan solution to what has become a very partisan problem, with the ultimate goal of leading to better popular representation at the federal level.

10. Pitfalls of Incumbency • Disruptive issues • Look at 2010 • Personal misconduct • Scandal • Turnout variation • Midterm effect • Strong challengers

11. House Leadership • Speaker • Elected by members • Active in developing party positions and in persuading members • Right to speak first, recognize members, time limits, chooses chairperson and majority-party members of House Rules Committee • Assigns bills to committee • Majority Leader • Majority Whip

12. Senate Leadership • Vice President • President Pro Tempore • Majority leader • Agenda and support • Not presiding officer • No time limits • Majority whip

13. Committee System • Most work happens in committee systems • Standing committees (20 H/16 S p. 289) • 35 to 40 members/15-20 members • Most have subcommittees (about 200 total) • 12 members roughly • 10,000 bills every two years • Committee staffs • Select committees • Specific time period and purpose (Senate Select Committee on Intelligence) • Joint committees • Members of both houses that advise • Conference committees

14. Committee System • Bills should go to proper committee with jurisdiction • Serve on 2 House committees, 4 Senate • Committee chairs • Schedule meetings, determine order of consideration, preside, direct staff, can lead debate • Seniority v. other considerations • Six year term-limit

15. How a Bill Becomes a Law… • 1. Introduction • One of the houses • Number and title • Sent to committee • 2. Committee action • 90% of bills will die here • Subcommittee will schedule hearings if bill has merit • If seems good, will send back to full committee • They can mark up or hold more hearings • Vote it to the floor

16. How a Bill Becomes a Law… • 3) Floor action • House Rules Committee sets rules (or Senate Leadership) • When, how long, open/closed • Filibuster—cloture—30 hours • Germaneness • Difference between H and S (riders) • 4) Conference action • Simple majority to pass • Then goes to the other house • Different versions will require conference committee • Pass, defeat, or return…no amendment

17. How a Bill Becomes a Law… • 5) Presidential action • Veto • Fail to sign • Pocket veto

18. Congress’s Policymaking Role • Lawmaking Function • Remember it is two houses • Different constituencies and interests • Presidency better set for national issues (and media shows it) • Congressional Budget Office • Government Accountability Office • Congressional Research Service

19. Congress’s Policymaking Role • Representation Function • Lean toward local orientation • Logrolling • What do we do with national interests? • We tend to disagree on course of action • Debates over national goals fall on party lines • Oversight Function • Sheer magnitude is tough • Hold hearings • Budgets

20. For Thursday… • Look at the tax debate between Alexander Hamilton and Brutus and be ready to discuss • Let’s talk about the 2010 elections… • Search the news and find some articles that talk about the November elections • Google some info about the Tea Party movement and some of their big candidates