443 exam 1
conference committee
AKA: Third House of Congress. Members from each house
Speaker of the House
Elected by entire House (by majority of majority). Refers bills to committee. Sets House's agenda.
Legislative reorganization act of 1946
Reduced House and Senate committees over 50%. Pay raise
institutional change 1890
Reed's Rules. Speaker can refuse dilatory motions
make-up (committees)
Speaker decides who sits on committees. He puts people he trusts into important committees.
institutional change: prior 1890
minority party could delay most bills
Speaker' power change: Gingrich
more power
multiple referral
bill/legislation that gets sent to more than one committee
define formal institutions
boundaries, barriers to access, specialization, particular purpose
types of calendars (senate)
business and executive
define informal institutions
norms, uncodified rules
partisan theory (committee)
committees are proxies for the parties
distributive theory (committee)
committees exist to exact individual-level benefits
informational theory (committee)
committees exist to promote expertise among members
"A" committees
energy and commerce. environment and the economy. health.
Congressional budgetary reform act of 1974
example of reform that build on preexisting institutions, rather than sweep away current practices and start afresh.
senate majority leader
floor leader. sits on one or more committees. relies heavily on patience, perseverance, and personal ties.
concurrent resolution
amend rules/express general sentiment by both chambers
rules committee
arm of the leadership. decide order of legislation. set debate and amendments.
Unanimous Consent Agreements (UCA's)
how most work is done. sets debates, amendments, control of proceedings.
power of party
party brand. public sentiment. procedural votes are incredibly partisan. importance of maintaining a majority
voting variables
party loyalty/unity constituents (reelection) interest groups endorsements marginality: closeness of election
standing committee
permanent. created and dismantled through public law.
Home style
connecting with constituents. town hall, emails, campaigning.
descriptive representation (hill style)
could be gender-based, age, experience, and ethnicity
subcommittees
day-to-day business of legislation
two conditions of party government
ideological distance between parties. intraparty agreement.
when government is divided: president
is a divider, not uniter
time (home)
lots of time in districts, with constituents
substantive representation (hill style)
policy preferences
joint committee
printing, taxation, and economic committee
why parties exist
send signals to the public. alleviate collective action problems.
conditional party government theory
sometimes we will have party government: whole party votes together.
Speaker' power change: after 1910 revolt
speaker became broker between committees
select committee
temporary
scheduling on the floor (determined by)
the speaker
Speaker' power change: 1970 reform
took away power
types of calendars (house)
union, House, and private
joint resolution
very specific purpose
Speaker' power change: prior to 1890
very weak
time (hill)
votes, committees, and hearings
bypassing committees
add as amendment to another bill
House floor action
adoption of rule. committee of the whole. voting. recommit. passage.