POLS 206 Lecture 15Outline of Previous Lecture-Ch. 11: Congresso11.1Memberso11.2Who wins elections?Advantages of IncumbencyOutline of Current Lectureo11.3American BicameralismCongressional LeadershipCommittees and SubcommitteesCaucusesLectureo11.3-American Bicameralism (need to know differences between houses)Bicameral Legislature - set up by Article I in the Constitution -Bills must pass both houses-Checks and balances -Result of Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise) House -More institutionalized and seniority-based -More rules governing them than Senate, Rules Committee -Rules Committee -Limit debate -Set rules for debate and vote of bills Senate -Filibuster - unlimited debate (Only in Senate) -Used to need 60 to stop a filibuster -Now its only 51 -Possible that Senate may do away with filibuster -Less centralized and seniority-based -Power gap isn't as large as House Congressional Leadership-Chosen by party -House -Speaker of the House -Majority and minority leaders-Assist speaker -Whips-Other leadership roles that assist majority/minority leader -Senate -Vice president-Technically, presiding officer -In practice, the majority leader -Majority leader Committees and Subcommittees - where the bulk of the work is done -Four types of committees -Standing committees (most important)-Permanent -Joint committees -Members of house and senate, study or research committees -Conference committees-5 members from house and 5 members from senate -Iron out differences between bills passed in House and Senate -Select committees-For a special purpose-Executive oversight, some executive has done something wrong -Committees at work: legislation -Legislative oversight - investigate why the executive branch is not doing what they are supposed to be doing -Getting on a Committee-Constituent needs - want to be on committees that help you get reelected -Appealing to leadership Caucuses: Informal Organization of Congress-As important as formal structure -Dominated by caucuses -500 caucuses today-Goal is to promote their interests -Black caucus, Hispanic
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