POS-4424 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Mike Pence, Quorum Call, Party Leaders Of The United States Senate
Exam 3 Study Guide
3/20 Notes
Woodrow Wilson: 28th President of the United States: Professor of Political Science and
President of Princeton University
Congressional Government (1885): “Congress on the floor is congress on display.
Congress in committees is congress at work.” Committee government you can’t
understand congress without understand the committee process, The American legislative
process is too slow. Suggest that we move to the Westminster model.
The Early Congresses:
The first ten congresses were dominated by the Executive Branch (particularly Alexander
Hamilton)
Parties emerge as coalitions supporting either Hamilton (the Federalists) or Jefferson
(The Democratic-Republicans)
Congressional Committees are primarily ad-hoc (power shared in the committee of the
whole) “For This”
The Rise and Decline of Committee Dominance (1820s-1960)
The Institutionalization of the Committee System before the civil war was a result of
chamber and party needs
oChamber needs: growing workload and size of body, Growing Permanence of
Executive Branch
oParty needs: Henry Clay and the standing committee system
Standing Committees: well defined jurisdictions, continue to exist from congress to congress,
members have “property rights”
Henry Clay: speaker of the House of Representatives (controls gavel and votes)
oCreated the standing committee system:
More powers given
More Committees created
More legislation referred
Power moved away from Committee of the Whole and Executive Branch
oProcedural Changes
Allows committees to report legislation
Makes referral of legislation to committees before floor action the norm
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
3/22 Notes
Self-Selection and Property Rights: members are going to get to say these are the committees I
want to be on (may not get your first preference, you will then get your second or third
preference) (Individuals and states have property rights)
- Once appointed to a committee, its mine until i leave
- States have property rights over these seats
Seniority System and Committee Chair Power,- The most senior member becomes the chair (a
norm, not a formal rule)
In the 1950's-1960's: Southern Democrats controlled the Committee Chair
Southern Democrats: are socially conservative, economically for redistribution of wealth
(but believe in Segregation) Blocked the legislation of segregation ending, National Party
does want to move forward with civil rights movement but get blocked by South
Democrats, During Civil Rights era democrats (racially liberal) get into office, Made a
white rule
Reform period: (1965-1980)
Rapid Influx of liberal democrats
in 1970 congress passed a bill to go over the heads of southern democrats
Legislature reorganization act of 1970: made a more expansive subcommittee system
(subcommittees fracture the power)
Subcommittee Bill of Rights: Some pieces of legislation must go to subcommittee,
specifically for appropriation bills
Post reform period,(1980's-today)
Two tiered System:
Decentralization of committee authority(subcommittee chairs have power)
Increased formal authority of party leadership(ex. rules committee has a huge amount of
power)
Caucus: where new membership is decided, it is decided by how loyal is one to the party
Subcommittee chair: is picked by a vote of the caucus
Democrat Caucus: Majority leader and Speaker of the house
Republican conference: Majority leader and speaker of the house
Party Vote: does a majority of one party vote against a majority of the other party
What is the only way a bill can get to the floor?
requires consensus in the committee
A majority of voted:
Don't count as party votes, most are bipartisan votes. This is because they work on bills
together to get it to the floor
Party Loyalty:
Vote with party leader
Fundraising for my fellow democrats or Republicans (Ex. Nancy Pelosi raised so much
money for candidates so she is the leader)
1994
Republican majority for the 1st time in 48 years
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Woodrow wilson: 28th president of the united states: professor of political science and. Congressional government (1885): congress on the floor is congress on display. Congress in committees is congress at work. committee government you can"t understand congress without understand the committee process, the american legislative process is too slow. Suggest that we move to the westminster model. The first ten congresses were dominated by the executive branch (particularly alexander. Parties emerge as coalitions supporting either hamilton (the federalists) or jefferson (the democratic-republicans) Congressional committees are primarily ad-hoc (power shared in the committee of the whole) for this . The rise and decline of committee dominance (1820s-1960) The institutionalization of the committee system before the civil war was a result of chamber and party needs: chamber needs: growing workload and size of body, growing permanence of. Executive branch: party needs: henry clay and the standing committee system.
