Coleman Federalism

Congress

13
4

Structure of Congress

Based on Article 1, Congress is a bicameral

legislature.

9.4

Bicameral= comprises two houses

Senate
Advise and consent for presidential appointments to courts and
cabinet positions.
Ratify foreign treaties
Conviction of president in impeachment trial

House

Impeachment

Evolution of Congressional
Elections

Congress has changed

since the beginning of the
republic.

More career-driven.
Members are more
electorally-aware.

9.4

U.S. House Tenure Has

Increased

9.4

Representation and
Reapportionment

9.4

Senate
Constitution stipulates there will be two
senators for every state.

House
Census taken every 10 years.
Afterwards, 435 seats are apportioned
according to the population distribution.
This is called reapportionment.

9.4

Redistricting
Draw new boundaries for
congressional districts after
decennial census.
Restrictions placed on number of
citizens in each district and
district shape.
Gerrymandering- redistricting to
secure a partisan advantage.

9.4

Gerrymandering

The Daily Show

9.4

Majority Minority Districts

9.4

Congressional districts constructed so that

racial and ethnic minorities comprise a
majority of the population.
Intended to increase non-white racial
representation in Congress.
Ongoing debate about effectiveness.

Majority Minority Districts

9.4

What do you perceive as the strengths and

weaknesses of these districts?
In House, it has increased the number of
black and Latino representatives.
May increase opposition in Congress by
making surrounding districts more racially
conservative.

FIGURE 13.2: African Americans, women,

and Hispanic Americans in Congress,
19512010

13.2

Congressional Nomination
Process

9.4

The congressional nomination process is

similar to the presidential process.

Most states choose their candidates in one

primary prior to the general election.
Hardest fought primaries occur when there is
an open seat.
Open seat: A House or Senate race with no
incumbent, because of death or retirement

House Elections

9.4

Safe seat: a congressional district certain to

vote for the candidate of one party.
Incumbency advantage: the electoral
advantage a candidate enjoys by virtue of
holding elected office.
Challengers face barriers to success.

Low visibility
Fewer resources

Models of Representation
Delegate
Representatives simply follow the
expressed preferences of their
constituents.
Trustee
May listen to constituent opinion, but
use best judgement when making a
decision.

13.2

Models of Representation

13.2

What are the strengths and weaknesses of

the delegate model?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of
the trustee model?
Which model of representation do you
endorse?
Could their application depend on the
context?

Objectives of
Representation
Objectives of Members of Congress

13.2

Reelection
Public Policy
Gaining influence within party
Serve constituents

Which objective are members of Congress

more concerned about?
Reelection

Representative Behavior

9.4

Representatives engage in constituency service:

District service: effort by members of Congress
to secure federal funding for their districts.

Casework: to help constituents when they have

difficulties with federal agencies

Member Resources

9.4

Each member has:

Use of the franking privilege (free use of
the U.S. mail).
A Washington office and one or more
district offices.
Typical House member employs 18
personal staff assistants.
Travel subsidies

Campaign Funds

9.4

Elections for Congress have become

increasingly expensive.
The average total spent by winning House
candidates was almost $1.5 million in
2012.
The average winning senatorial candidate
spent almost $10.2 million in 2012.
The gap between incumbent and
challenger spending has widened.

9.4

Senate Elections

9.4

Incumbent Senators lose more frequently

than incumbent House members.
Senate elections differ from House elections
in:
Party competition
Uncontrolled information
Better challengers
The high ambitions of senators

National Forces in Congressional

9.4
Elections
Incumbent Senators lose more frequently
than incumbent House members.
Coattails

Positive electoral effect of a popular presidential

candidate on congressional candidates of the
presidents party.

Evidence suggests that congressional

elections are more nationalized today.

More unified, and more distinct, political parties

Challenges Faced By Members of

Congress
Information Costs

13.3

Must grasp information on variety of issues

Must understand what other members think about the
issues

Collective Action
Some members bear disproportionate cost of passing
legislation compared to other members
May lead to inaction on legislation

Cycling
Lawmakers have a hard time deciding among a range
of different policy options

Congressional Structure
Congressional
committees help solve
the collective action
problem
Members are assigned
to committees that
cover particular policy
areas.

13.4

Types of Committees

13.4

Standing Committees
Well-defined policy areas.
Manage the bulk of legislative work (e.g., policy
deliberation, policy formulation and policy evaluation.

Subcommittees
Typically established within standing committees.
Handle subtopics being considered by standing
committee.
Serve information gathering function.

Types of Committees

13.4

Select Committees
Address more time-sensitive, specialized policy issues.
Typically, are disbanded after policy issue has been
resolved.
Example, House select committee to investigate attack
on U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya.

Joint Committees
Permanent committees that focus on specialized issue
areas.
Include members from both chambers of Congress.
Typically involved in collecting information on issues.

Committee Membership
There are two reasons that members of
Congress choose to serve on certain
committees.
Relevant of committee issue are to congressional
district.
Power of the committee.

Committee chairs
Chairs set the committee agenda.
Typically, the most senior committee member of the
majority party.

13.4

Party Leadership in House

Speaker of the House

Selected by majority party
Determines party agenda

Majority Leader
Assists Speaker with party agenda
Second in command

Minority leader
Selected by party with fewer seats
Mobilizes party around congressional agenda

Whip (majority and minority)

Communicates message from party leadership
Rallies party around party agenda
Delivers votes to support party stance on issues

13.4

Party Leadership in Senate

Majority leader
Same role as Speaker of House
Determines party agenda

President of the Senate

Vice President of the United States
Casts tie-breaking votes

Minority leader
Same role as minority leader in House
Mobilizes party around congressional agenda

Whip (majority and minority)

Same function as in the House

13.4

Party Polarization Is
Increasing

13.4

Rise in political partisanship over past 30

years
Little evidence to suggest the public has become more
liberal or conservative

Polarization and income inequality

Back and forth causality

Party Discipline

Parties help overcome collective action

problems by instilling discipline

Party caucus/Party conference

Gathering of party members
Often used to communicate party agenda

Minority leader
Selected by party with fewer seats
Mobilizes party around congressional agenda

Whip (majority and minority)

Counts votes
Persuades members to vote certain ways

Limit opportunities for leadership

Deny key committee chair positions
Limit access to party campaign funding

13.4

Party Polarization

13.4

Evidence suggests party discipline is

effective
Highest level of party polarization in U.S.
History
Members of both parties vote in step
with their party over 90 percent of the
time.

Party Voting (1969 to 1970)

13.4

Party Voting (2001 to 2002)

13.4

Party Voting (2011 to 2012)

13.4

Im Just a Bill

13.5

Lawmaking Is
Complicated
Bill needs sponsor to introduce to
chamber
Routed to the relevant standing
committee.
Determined by Speaker in House
Typically, the president pro tempore in Senate

Later, assigned to subcommittees

Where most of work on bill is done
Amend bill

13.5

Lawmaking Process
Goes back to full committee
Most bills die by this stage
Table bills by not acting on them

In Senate, goes directly to floor.

Determined by Speaker in House
Typically, the president pro tempore in Senate

In House, goes to Rules committee

Determine terms of amendment process
Sponsor prefer as few amendments to be made as
possible.

13.5

Final Stages
Frequently, bill must go to conference
committee.
Joint conference of members from both chambers
Compromise on conflicting portions of the bill.

Revised bills go back to each respective

floor for final vote
Goes to President to be signed
If vetoed, Congress can drop bill, amend bill to
Presidents liking, or override veto.

13.5

FIGURE 13.4: How a bill becomes a law

(or not)

13.5

FIGURE 13.5: Success rates for bills

introduced in Congress

13.5

Questions
What are your general feelings towards
Congress?
Why do you personally think they pass
so few bills?
What role does party polarization play?
What could be done to reduce such
polarization?

13.4