Government by Committee: Organizing for Congressional Business
Congress has twin organizational bases: committees where most of the substantive work on legislation occurs and the leadership provided by the party. Initially Congress tried to operate as a "committee of the whole" but the gridlock that resulted mo...
Government by Committee: Balancing Act: National vs. Local Priorities
Members of Congress are often asked about the role their constituents play in the decisions they make, as if the issues lack complexity and their constituents speak with one voice. Legislators are elected, in part, to exercise wise judgment when fac...
Government by Committee: Congress, Traditional Yet Changing
Many aspects of Congress are the same today as they were 100 years ago: the dominance of congressional committees, the importance of seniority, controlled access to the floor by the House Rules Committee, the threat of filibuster in the Senate. But ...
Government by Committee: Reconciling Differences Between House and Senate Versions of a Bill
Once a bill has passed both the House and Senate, it becomes necessary to reconcile the differences between the two versions of bills. There is no requirement to hold a conference; in fact that is one of the ways the party in power may be able to ki...
Government by Committee: Interest Groups and Professional Lobbyists
Every member of Congress is besieged by interest groups and professional lobbyists whose job it is to provide information about legislation that will support their causes. Members of Congress, legislators agree, need to listen to competing sides of ...
Government by Committee: How Party Interests Impact Legislative Decision making
In comparison to other pressures that face members of Congress as they make voting decisions, party interests sometimes take a back seat. Still representatives know just how important it is for their party to be in control. Sometimes mistakes are ma...
Government by Committee: Forming Coalitions
Getting enough votes to pass legislation is challenging, particularly when the partisan margins in the two chambers are Members of Congress need to know how to craft coalitions to either pass or block legislation. They also learn to trade votes, sup...
Government by Committee: Decisions, Decisions!
In any given year an average of 2,000 bills will make it through the various committees to the House and Senate floors. Jim McDermott, Loretta Sanchez, and Mickey Edwards talk about the strategies they have employed to help them make intelligent dec...
The First Branch: Motivation to Run for Public Office
What motivates a person to run for public office? Three people who have served in the House of Representatives--Mickey Edwards, Jim McDermott, and Loretta Sanchez--talk about the factors that caused them to compete for a Congressional seat. Fifty ye...
The First Branch: Maintaining a Presence in Home District
In addition to their day-to-day responsibilities in the nation's capitol, Representatives need to maintain a presence in their home districts. Loretta Sanchez, California representative, talks about how she maintains a presence on both coasts.