How Congress Works
eBook - PDF

How Congress Works

  1. 264 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

How Congress Works

About this book

In simple, clear language, the new edition of this classic work presents basic explanations of the procedures and rules that govern the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Highlighted sidebars further detail the impact of congressional action with interesting narrative examples from history, along with charts and tables that provide a complete overview of congressional procedures. This edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect the changes on Capitol Hill since 2008. How Congress Works helps readers place recent events in the context of the entire picture of how Congress operates. A detailed index rounds out this introduction to the real Congress.

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Information

Table of contents

  1. HOW CONGRESS WORKS-FRONT COVER
  2. HOW CONGRESS WORKS
  3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
  4. PREFACE
  5. CONTRIBUTORS
  6. CHAPTER 1: PARTY LEADERSHIP IN CONGRESS
  7. Congressional Leadership Structure
  8. Leadership Functions
  9. Messages through the Media
  10. Tools of Persuasion
  11. The House Speaker
  12. Framers’ Intentions
  13. Clay and the Shift of Power
  14. From Clay to Colfax
  15. Rise of Minority Obstructionism
  16. Reed Rules
  17. “Cannonism”
  18. Decline of the Speaker’s Power
  19. The Power of Persuasion: Rayburn
  20. Transitional Speakers: McCormack, Albert
  21. The Modern Speakership: O’Neill
  22. The Limits of Power: Wright
  23. End of an Era: Foley
  24. Transforming the House and Beyond: Gingrich
  25. Absolute Power: Hastert (and DeLay)
  26. The House: A Woman’s Place
  27. Boehner: A Careful Balancing Act
  28. House Leadership: A Hierarchy of Support
  29. The Majority Leader
  30. The Minority Leader
  31. Party Whips
  32. The Party Caucuses
  33. Making Committee Assignments
  34. Policy and Strategy Committees
  35. Leadership in the Senate: “We Know No Masters”
  36. Evolution of Senate Leadership
  37. Emergence of Republican Leaders
  38. Emergence of Democratic Leaders
  39. Early Effective Leaders
  40. The Johnson Years
  41. The Age of Collegiality
  42. The Modern Leadership: Mitchell
  43. Reid: The Return of the Insider
  44. Modern Republican Leadership
  45. Dole: Sharp Tactics, Hard Edges
  46. Lott: Pragmatic Ideologue
  47. Frist: The Outsider Within
  48. Party Support Structure in the Senate
  49. Party Whips
  50. Party Conferences
  51. Other Party Committees
  52. Notes
  53. Selected Bibliography
  54. CHAPTER 2: THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
  55. Rules Guide the Process
  56. Evolution of Rules
  57. Change in Party Control
  58. Pitfalls to Passage
  59. Developing Legislation
  60. Introduction of Legislation
  61. In Committee
  62. House Floor Action: Structured Efficiency
  63. Scheduling Floor Action
  64. House Floor Procedures
  65. Senate Floor Action: Flexibility, Informality
  66. Scheduling in the Senate
  67. Senate Floor Procedures
  68. Final Action: Resolving Differences
  69. Conference Action
  70. Final Legislative Action
  71. Notes
  72. Selected Bibliography
  73. CHAPTER 3: THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM
  74. Committees in Transition
  75. The History of Committee Evolution
  76. Expansion of the Standing Committee Systems
  77. Committee Membership
  78. The Seniority System
  79. Harbingers of Reform
  80. Revival of the Democratic Caucus
  81. 1970s Reform Movements
  82. House Committee Changes
  83. Senate Committee Changes
  84. Committee Structure
  85. Standing Committees
  86. Subcommittees
  87. Select and Special Committees
  88. Joint Committees
  89. Ad Hoc Committees
  90. Task Forces
  91. Committee Sizes and Ratios
  92. The Chair’s Role
  93. Committee Assignments
  94. The Assignment Process
  95. The Seniority Factor
  96. Plum Assignments
  97. Committee Procedures
  98. Jurisdictional Conflicts
  99. Multiple Referrals
  100. Spending Rivals
  101. Budget Brinksmanship
  102. Oversight Mandate
  103. Notes
  104. Selected Bibliography
  105. CHAPTER 4: CONGRESSIONAL STAFF
  106. Postwar Waves of Staff Expansion
  107. Explaining Staff Growth
  108. Employment Practices
  109. Evolution of the Congressional Staff
  110. Birth of the Modern Congress: The 1946 Reorganization Act
  111. Reform Era: Reorganization Act of 1970
  112. Changes in 1974–1979
  113. Staff Contraction in the 1980s and 1990s
  114. Committee and Personal Staff: What They Do
  115. Committee Staffs
  116. Personal Staff
  117. Qualifications and Tenure of Hill Staffers
  118. The Cost and Pay of Congressional Staff
  119. House Allowance
  120. Senate Allowance
  121. Changes in Staff Salaries
  122. Congressional Staff: Ethics and Legalities
  123. Workplace Compliance
  124. Legislative Work versus Politics
  125. Questionable Hiring Practices
  126. Moving Beyond a Staff Job
  127. Notes
  128. Selected Bibliography
  129. REFERENCE MATERIALS
  130. How a Bill Becomes a Law
  131. Political Party Affiliations in Congress and the Presidency, 1789–2011
  132. Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789–2011
  133. House Floor Leaders, 1899–2011
  134. Senate Floor Leaders, 1911–2011
  135. Recorded Votes in the House and Senate, 1947–2011
  136. Attempted and Successful Cloture Votes, 1919–2011
  137. Congressional Information on the Internet
  138. INDEX