Lesson 6

Chapter 6: Congress at Work

Read
Chapter 6, Section 1, pp 113-117
Objectives
What are the terms and sessions of Congress?
How is congressional leadership organized?
What are the rules of conduct in Congress?
Activities, Chapter 6.1
I. Define the following terms in your own words and provide an example of each:
1. Quorum
The minimum number of congressional members that must be present for the
Congress to gather and conduct business. In the House 218 members must be present
and 51 members in the Senate must be present for a quorum.
2. Term limits
A restriction that limits the number of terms an elected congressman may serve in
office
3. Incumbent
The current holder of a political office.
4. Majority party
The political party in congress that holds the most seats.
5. Minority party
The political party in congress that holds the least seats.
6. Speaker
The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives with the most
influence.
7. Floor leader
Floor leaders are the spokesmen from both major parties, elected by their parties.
8. Party whip
An official in Congress from both parties whose primary purpose is to monitor and
influence or ensure party discipline in a legislature.
9. President pro tempore
A high-ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate in the
absence of the vice president.
10. Censure
A strong expression of disapproval in reaction to a Congressmans misconduct.

11. Expulsion
The process of forcing a Congressman from office as a result of inappropriate conduct
while in office.
II. Brainstorm a bill youd like to see adopted as law. Try to make your bill as
logical and well-supported as possible. What procedural steps will you have to take to
see your bill passed?
I would like to see a Bill pass to increase the college loans available and reduce the
college loan interest payments to zero for those students who are in financial need and
who have not been able to find work after college (through no fault of their own).
The future of education is at risk to many Americans if the rate of increase of a cost of
a college education keeps skyrocketing until effectively make it an option for the rich.
The argument would continue to show that those who are eligible currently with the
pool of available funds is a tiny percentage of the potential eligible candidates who
would like to apply to the college of their choice rather than be restricted to in-state
tuition schools which are still beyond the reach of many families especially with more
than one child
The first step is to have the district vote on the proposed bill and to be able to send it
to the Congressman in the district to introduce the legislation to the Congress. The bill
is referred to the appropriate committee by the Speaker of the House or the presiding
officer in the Senate. Bills are placed on the calendar of the committee to which they
have been assigned. Failure to act on a bill is equivalent to killing it. A bill can be
amended, approved, or defeated.
III.
2

Review: Answer questions 2, 3a, 3b and 4 of the Section 1 Review on page 117.

Similarity
Censure

Expulsion

Difference

Censure
Power to punish
Congressional member for
misconduct or
inappropriate conduct.
Requires a vote from either
House
Extent is a financial fine.
Requires a majority vote.

Expulsion
More extreme punishment
befitting conduct
inappropriateness. Either
House or Senate can vote.

Extent can be dismissal

from office. Requires a
two-thirds vote.

3a
Congressional Leadership
House Leader

Senate Leader

Speaker of the House

VP of the US

President Pro Tempore

Majority Floor Leader
Majority Whip

Minority Floor Leader

Minority Whip

Majority Floor Leader

Majority Whip

Minority Floor Leader

Minority Whip

3b
Members of Congress are elected every two years (even years) and take office on
January 3rd of the new year (elections are in November). There are no limits for how
many times a congressman can be reelected (unlike the US President which is limited
in terms to a maximum of two consecutive terms).
4
Since a US president can only serve two terms and a Congressman can be reelected as
many times as he/she can win without restriction, it stands to reason that the similar
reasoning to limit a presidential reelection should apply to Congressman (with
modifications of the number of terms limited to). Power and corruption and fear of a
lifetime in office is taken as the reason to limit an officials power from becoming a
demigod. In the case of a President 8 years was considered the limit to danger of
power. Similarly in te legislative branch there ought to be a similar power check and
balance. As congressmen need a minimum time to accomplish work and understand
the workings of the congressional machinery, it clearly not a lifetime in office. Also
the voting of the US public relies heavily on familiarity with a name and are less
likely to vote for an unknown candidate regardless of his/her commitment or ethics or
qualification. Thus a candidate once in can be sur to be reelected (statistics site that
only 8 percent of the congressional officials lose in reelection campaign so a 92%
likelihood of being reelected).
This confidence in the machinery of the congressional voting will cause elected
officials to take more liberty with their office rather than for working hard in every
term for their constituents. In comparison to a US presidential reelection, the public is
more aware of the US president from the media and are unforgiving of mistakes when
it comes time to reelect. This is not true for Congressional officials whose name and
their work I often unknown to the voting districts.
Read
Chapter 6, Section 2, pp 118-122
Objectives
Discuss the types of committees in Congress
Explain now committee assignments are made
Describe the kinds of staff that help congress-members and committees perform
their work
Activities, Chapter 6.2

I.

Review: Answer questions 2, 3a, 3b and 4 of the Section 2 Review on page 122.

Read
Chapter 6, Section 3, pp 123-128
Objectives
Describe how bills get referred to a committee
Explain the purpose of committee hearings and markup sessions
Discuss what happens to a bill when it reaches the full House or Senate floor
List the courses of action that can be taken by the president on a bill passed by
Congress
Activities, Chapter 6.3
I. Define the following terms in your own words and provide an example of each:
1. Filibuster
The term filibuster is from a Dutch word meaning "pirate" and is a means to delay or
block legislative action act in an obstructive manner in a legislature, especially by an
action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress to prevent a vote on a bill in
a legislative assembly.
In the early years of Congress, representatives as well as senators could filibuster. As
the House of Representatives grew in numbers, however, revisions to the House rules
limited debate. In the smaller Senate, unlimited debate continued on the grounds that
any senator should have the right to speak as long as necessary on any issue.
2. Cloture
A device that allowed the Senate to end a debate (a filibuster) with a majority vote.
3. Roll-call vote
A vote in which each senator votes "yea" or "nay" as his or her name is called by the
clerk, so that the names of senators voting on each side are recorded. Under the
Constitution, a roll call vote must be held if demanded by one-fifth of a quorum of
senators present, a minimum of 11.
4. Pocket veto
The Constitution grants the president 10 days to review a measure passed by the
Congress. If the president has not signed the bill after 10 days, it becomes law without
his signature. However, if Congress adjourns during the 10-day period, the bill does
not become law.
5. Line-item veto
The line-item veto, or partial veto, is a special form of veto that authorizes a chief
executive to reject particular provisions of a bill enacted by a legislature without
vetoing the entire bill.
II. A filibuster is a tactic wherein senators seek to delay the final vote on a bill by
extending debate. The Senates rules state that a vote can only occur once a debate

ends. As of 2005, Senate Republicans are contemplating what they call the nuclear
option, which would outlaw the practice of filibustering. This idea worries some
constitutional scholars because the filibuster is a valuable weapon in the arsenal of the
minority party. Eliminating the filibuster could conceivably upset the balance of
power in the Senate and render the minority partywhichever party that might
currently be-- completely ineffective. That, in turn, means that some Americans will
be disenfranchised. Do you think eliminating the filibuster will lead to more effective
governance, or lay the foundations for extremism? As always, present a wellreasoned argument and support your assertions.
I think that the technique of filibustering is used to give a minority a chance to be able
to stop a runoff of bills being passed by the majority party. However the situation of
the status quo of the majority and minority congress was due mainly to election results
and therefore the elected officials being placed there in those numbers was from the
will of the people. Using filibustering as a technique to kill a bill from the other
majority party seems to be bizarre although its intention to give the minority a chance
in office and to prevent railroading majority bills is acceptable. There should be a stop
to the practice of filibustering on principle but perhaps with it a modification on the
procedure for bills going to a vote. Like any minority rights, there should be red lines
that should not be crossed in terms on what bills go to vote and if the proposed bills
skirt the constitutional rights they can be flagged and could request the supreme court
to approve its legality first in extreme cases. Additionally if there is a 100% consensus
by the minority against a proposed bill, there should be a way of having the people
vote (a sort of referendum) on whether these proposed bills should go to congress for
a vote and debate. If the proposed bill passes these tests, then filibustering should not
prevent it.
III.
2

Review: Answer questions 2, 3a, 3b and 4 of the Section 3 Review on page 128.
Stages of Enacting a Law
1. Referral to Committee
4. Floor Consideration
Due to complexity of bills, Congressman need
to refer or send the proposed bill to a preestablished committees of experts to understand
and report to the Congressmen who rely on the
committee for its approval to then vote on it
(during the floor considerations stage). The
referral decisions are made by the Speaker
(House) and by the presiding officer (Senate).
These committees are established in all sectors
like agriculture, environment, defense, housing,
taxes, etc. A bill rarely reaches the full House
or Senate without Committee consideration and
approval. However the selection of which

When a bill reaches the House and Senate for

voting (either directly if a minor one or from a
committee hearing approval), certain rules are
applied such as floor debate time and bill
modifications allowed (mainly in the House,
with the Senate more free with the bills
presented to it). These guidelines are designed
to ensure that some bill remains by and large
intact following hearing approvals. Some rules
allow some changes, others no changes to the
bill as it is presented. This is overseen by the
Rules Committee. Bills that are minor or
privileged can be sent directly to the Senate or

committee is sent the bill determines the fate of

the bill as the committee position is often
known before hand or by its very representation
(ex an agricultural committee will favor pro
farmer and agricultural bills while the
environment will be contrary to this in some
situations eg pesticides use)

2. Hearings
Committee hearings are where the committee
reviews evidence, discuss and ultimately decide
on whether it approves a proposed bill. Often
testimony is given by several witnesses
approved by the committee chair on whether
the bill is useful and/or harmful to the citizens
if approved. These hearings are open to the
public and journalists who have a vested
interest to ensure transparency on how
proposed bills are ratified or rejected. However
again committee chairs have the last say on
who provides what evidence and in which order
and so can influence on how, when and what
the public views and can be complex and
drawn out or simple to follow by the common
man.

3. Markup
After a bill approved by the committee the
exact phrasing of the bill is done line by line at
the full committee level (all committee
members are present and required, which is not
the case during the committee hearings as some
Staffers sit in on often busy congressional
members of the committee). These phrasing
markups can affect the power of the bill as
decisions are made on the bill, its consequence,
its prerequisites, and its mode of availability
and operation. So in effect the details of the bill
are carved in a formerly outline state of the bill
in comparison. After markup it goes to the next
stage which is a floor debate

House floors without going through the Rules

Committee.

5. Conference Committees
Due to the practice that a bill usually has dual
versions in the House and Senate with some
differences, a Conference Committee is created
that is comprised of both House and Senate
representatives from the original committees
that drafted the initial version of the bill (ie
supporters of the bill that would like to have the
bill passed). A report which is made on the
committee to resolve the differences in both
version a single bill is sent to Congress for a
vote (which is rarely not accepted having gone
through the Conference Committee)

6. Presidential Action
Once the approved bill from Congress reaches
the President, he/she can either approve or veto
the bill. There are provisions for keeping a bill
for 10 days neither approving or vetoing it and
depending on whether Congress is in
adjournment or in session (the bill either
becomes law (if congress is in session) or is
killed (if Congress is in adjournment)
automatically after the ten days).
Vetoes are generally rare.

3
a. The referral decisions are made by the Speaker (for the House) and by the
presiding officer (for the Senate).
b. Due to complexity of bills, Congressman need to refer or send the proposed bill
to a pre-established committees of experts to understand and report to the
Congressmen who rely on the committee for its approval to then vote on it
(during the floor considerations stage). The selection of which committee is
sent the bill determines the fate of the bill as the committee position is often

known before hand or by its very representation (ex an agricultural committee

will favor pro farmer and agricultural bills while the environment will be
contrary to this in some situations eg pesticides use).
4 Due to complexity of bills, Congressman need to refer or send the proposed bill to a
pre-established committees of experts and as the number of issues increases, the
number of committees and the number of sessions of each committees may grow
substantially. Thus there is a need to have resources for busy and stretched
Congressman to be able to keep in touch with all the issues being debated and bills
drafted. At the same time if the number of resources grows too large as the number of
hearings, there is a de facto delegation of the Congressman to usually inexperienced
staff resources to make judgments on behalf of the Congressman on many legislation.
Read
Chapter 6, Section 4, pp 129-132
Objectives
Identify whether special interest groups obstruct Congress in promoting
public good
Explain the main criticism of the committee system and how it affects the
public good
Describe the role Congress plays in promoting the public good
Activities, Chapter 6.4
I. Define the following terms in your own words and provide an example of
each
1. Interest Groups
An organized group that tries to influence the Congress to adopt certain policies or
measures for its self-interest.
2. Pork-Barrel spending
Pork barrel is the setting aside of money or funds of government spending for
localized projects secured primarily to benefit to a representative's home district.
3. Home district
The area represented by an elected member in the US Congress.
II. Consider the examples of pork-barrel spending on page 130. Are there any
specific instances of pork-barrel spending you know of? Write a brief essay
defending or opposing this practice. How might pork-barrel spending aid or obstruct
Congress in supporting the public good? Be aware that critics charge both the
committee system and special interest groups with adversely affecting the public
good. Do you agree with those critics? Explain why or why not.
The practice of pork barrel spending has produced absurd examples such as:

$1.2 million to study the breeding habits of the woodchuck.

$19 million to examine gas emissions from cow flatulence.
$144,000 to see if pigeons follow human economic laws.
$219,000 to teach college students how to watch television.
$2 million to construct an ancient Hawaiian canoe.
$20 million for a demonstration project to build wooden bridges.
$800,000 for a restroom on Mt. McKinley.
$100,000 to study how to avoid falling spacecraft.
$1 million to preserve a sewer in Trenton, NJ, as a historic monument.
$1 million for a Seafood Consumer Center.
$57,000 spent by the Executive Branch for gold-embossed playing cards on Air
Force Two.
The fact that pork-barreling can occur while funds for the poor and college loans are
still low is in principal showing a neglectfulness and extravagances with the public
money collected from the peoples taxes. The congress and government is bound and
entrusted to protect that money as if it were their own.. The governments mandate is
to provide an equitable public good and the taxes collected from all the people cannot
be viewed as a barrel to be porked from for the interest of elected congressman to
keep their jobs by pleasing their district in any way imaginable.
III. Building Social Studies Skills: Answer questions 3a-3d and 4 of Analyzing
Primary Sources on page 135.
3
a. Congress represents the local public that no other branch of government
represents.
b. The representation by districts electing representatives is what differentiates
public representation as a whole while the Constitution upholds the law and
defends the minority rights when infringed. The executive branch checks and
balances the power of congress and vice versa so they ensure lack of corruption
and abuse of power.
c. Without congressional representation there is no means for the public to voice
its concerns and participate in government and if lost would harm the public
good through the loss of representation in government policies and laws.
4
Although pork-barrel expenditure is a low percentage of the budget, it is the principal
of abuse of funds that is the matter and it stains the image of the US government in the
public opinion and causes mistrust on the ability of the government and the elected
officials if there are instances where they can act so foolishly and defy common sense.

IV. Prepare and study your notes in anticipation of next weeks test! The test is
closed-book, open-note.
UPLOAD YOUR WORK BY CLICKING THE OPEN BUTTON BELOW. YOU
MAY UPLOAD MORE THAT ONE DOCUMENT FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.