CON - Congress Topics Lesson

        

LO 2.1.A - Describe the different structures, powers, and functions of each house of Congress.

    

        

EK 2.1.A.1 - Republicanism, the democratic principle that the will of the people is reflected in government debates and decisions by their representatives, is shown in the bicameral structure of Congress. The Senate is designed to represent states equally, while the House is designed to represent the people.

EK 2.1.A.2 - Different membership sizes influence the formality of debate in each chamber. Debate in the House, which has 435 members, is more formal than in the Senate, with 100 members.

EK 2.1.A.3 - Interactions in Congress are affected by the two-party system and term-length differences. One-third of the Senate is elected every two years, creating a continuous legislative body. All House members are elected every two years.

EK 2.1.A.4 - The enumerated and implied powers in the Constitution allow Congress to participate in the public policy process by:

1. Passing a federal budget, raising revenue by laying and collecting taxes, borrowing money, and coining money
2. Declaring war and providing the funds necessary to maintain the armed forces
3. Determining the process for naturalization by which people can become citizens of the U.S. iv. Regulating interstate commerce
4. Creating federal courts and their jurisdictions
5. Enacting legislation under the authority of the necessary and proper clause
6. Conducting oversight of the executive branch, including federal agencies in the bureaucracy

 

    

        

Review the two videos below before moving forward in this module.

Video 1 - Congress: Senate & House | by Carey LaManna

 

Video 2 - CONGRESS: The Senate and the House of Representatives by Heimler's History

    

        

LO 2.2.A - Explain how the structure, powers, and functions of both houses of Congress affect the policymaking process.

    

        

EK 2.2.A.1 - The structures and powers of the Senate and House are different by design. This difference directly affects the legislative process.

EK 2.2.A.2 - Both chambers refer bills to committees, which conduct hearings and debate and mark up bills with revisions and additions. Leadership in committees is determined by the majority political party.

EK 2.2.A.3 - Chamber-specific rules and procedures affect the legislative process.

1. In the House, the Speaker is elected by a majority of members and presides over the legislative work in the House. All revenue bills must originate in the House. Rules for debate in the House on a bill are established by the Rules Committee. The House can form a Committee of the Whole in order to expedite debate on bills. An individual representative in the House can file a discharge petition to have a bill brought to the floor for debate, but it is rarely done.
2. In the Senate, bills are typically brought to the floor by unanimous consent, but a Senator may request a hold on a bill to prevent it from getting to the floor for a vote. During debate, a Senator can use the filibuster (a tactic to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill) or make a motion for
3. When a bill passed by both chambers on the same topic has variation in its wording, a conference committee meets to reconcile those differences.

EK 2.2.A.4 - Congress must generate a budget that addresses both mandatory and discretionary spending.

1. Mandatory spending is required by law for entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
2. Discretionary spending is approved on an annual basis for defense spending, education, and infrastructure. As entitlement costs grow, discretionary spending opportunities will decrease unless tax revenues increase, or the budget deficit increases.

EK 2.2.A.5 - Pork-barrel legislation (funding for a local project in a larger appropriation bill) and logrolling (combining several pieces of legislation into one bill to secure enough votes for passage) affect the legislative process in both chambers.

    

        

Review the three videos below before moving forward in this module.

Video 1 - Structures, Powers, & Functions of Congress by Carey LaManna

 

Video 2 - Structures, Powers, and Functions of CONGRESS by Heimler's History

 

Video 3 - Congress: Entitlement Spending by Carey LaManna

    

        

LO 2.3.A - Explain how congressional behavior is influenced by election processes, partisanship, and divided government.

    

        

EK 2.3.A.1 = Congressional behavior and governing effectiveness are influenced by ideological divisions between political parties. Partisan voting (when members of Congress vote based on their political party affiliation) and polarization (when political attitudes move toward ideological extremes) can lead to gridlock (a situation in which no congressional action on legislation can be taken due to a lack of consensus).

EK 2.3.A.2 - Gerrymandering, redistricting, and unequal representation of constituencies have been partially addressed by Supreme Court cases that opened the door for equal protection challenges to redistricting.

EK 2.3.A.3 - Elections that have led to a divided government (when one party controls the presidency and the other party controls at least one of the chambers of Congress) can lead to more intense partisanship. This partisanship can result in members of Congress voting against presidential initiatives and appointments, especially those of a lame duck president.

EK 2.3.A.4 - Accountability to constituents in each chamber is affected by how representatives perceive their roles.

1. A representative who conceives of their role as a trustee will vote on issues based on their own knowledge and judgment.
2. A representative acting as a delegate sees themselves as an agent of those who elected them and will vote on issues based on the interests of their constituents.
3. A politico uses a combination of these role conceptions.

 

    

        

Review the two videos below before moving forward in this module.

Video 1 - Congressional Behavior by Carey LaManna

 

Video 2 - Congressional Behavior by Heimler's History