Presentation Plus United States Government Democracy in Action

Presentation Plus! United States Government: Democracy in Action Copyright © by The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. Send all inquiries to: GLENCOE DIVISION Glencoe/Mc. Graw-Hill 8787 Orion Place Columbus, Ohio 43240

Chapter Focus Section 1 How a Bill Becomes a Law Section 2 Taxing and Spending Bills Section 3 Influencing Congress Section 4 Helping Constituents Chapter Assessment Click on a hyperlink to go to the corresponding content area. Press the ESC (escape) key at any time to exit the presentation.

Chapter Objectives • How a Bill Becomes a Law Explain the process by which federal legislation is proposed, reviewed, and enacted. (Section 1) • Taxing and Spending Bills Analyze the power of Congress to raise and spend money through tax laws and appropriations bills. (Section 2) • Influencing Congress Identify factors that often influence members of Congress. (Section 3) • Helping Constituents Explain how members of Congress help voters in their state or district. (Section 4) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Chapter Concepts • Section 1 Political Processes • Section 2 Public Policy • Section 3 Political Processes • Section 4 Federalism Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Making It Relevant Transparency The next slide is a political cartoon concerning the competence and motivations of members of Congress. The Framers of the Constitution saw government service as a noble profession and a public trust; however, some people feel that politicians abuse that trust.

Making It Relevant 7

End of Chapter Focus Click the mouse button to return to the Contents.

How a Bill Becomes a Law Key Terms private bill, public bill, simple resolution, rider, hearing, veto, pocket veto Find Out • Why is it easier to defeat legislation than to pass it? • What are the positive and negative implications of the lengthy process through which all bills must go before becoming laws? Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

How a Bill Becomes a Law Understanding Concepts Political Processes Why does it take so long for Congress to pass legislation? Section Objective Explain the process by which federal legislation is proposed, reviewed, and enacted. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Introduction • During each 2 -year term of Congress, thousands of bills are introduced–often numbering more than 10, 000. • Of the thousands of bills introduced in each session, only a few hundred become laws. Most die in Congress, and some are vetoed by the president. • If a bill is not passed before the end of a congressional term, it must be reintroduced in the next Congress to be given further consideration. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Types of Bills and Resolutions • Two types of bills are introduced in Congress: private bills and public bills. • Private bills deal with individual people or places. They often involve people’s claims against the government or their immigration problems. ie, tax issues, citizenship, visa processing and V. A. benefits. • In a recent Congress, only about 230 of the 11, 824 bills introduced were private bills. • Public bills deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Types of Bills and Resolutions (cont. ) • Public bills may involve such issues as raising or lowering taxes, national health insurance, gun control, civil rights, or abortion. • Major public bills account for about 30 percent of the bills passed in each term of Congress. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Resolutions • Congress may also pass several types of resolutions to deal with unusual or temporary matters. • A simple resolution covers matters affecting only one house of Congress and is passed by that house alone. • Because it is an internal matter, it does not have the force of law and is not sent to the president for signature. • Example-On Saturday November 7, the House passed a resolution recognizing the heroism of those who died in the Fort Hood Massacre on the Space Bar to display Click the mouse button or press. November 5. the information.

Joint Resolutions • When both houses pass a joint resolution, the president’s signature gives it the force of law. • Joint resolutions may… – correct an error in an earlier law. – appropriate money for a special purpose. – propose a constitutional amendment. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Joint Resolution • To authorize small appropriations; • For continuing resolutions, which extend appropriation levels adopted in one fiscal year when one or more of the twelve annual appropriations acts have not yet become law; • To create temporary commissions or other bodies, such as the 9/11 Commission; • To create temporary or one-off exceptions to existing law, such as joint resolutions providing a day other than January 6 for counting electoral votes or providing for a Saxbe fix reducing the pay of an office so that a member of Congress may avoid the Ineligibility Clause and • To declare war. • To annex independent nations, (such as the case with Texas and Hawaii), without a treaty

Joint Resolution-Annexation of Texas-March 1, 1845 • Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress doth consent that the territory properly included within and rightfully belonging to the Republic of Texas, may be erected into a new State to be called the State of Texas, with a republican form of government adopted by the people of said Republic, by deputies in convention assembled, with the consent of the existing Government in order that the same may by admitted as one of the States of this Union.

Concurrent Resolutions • Concurrent resolutions cover matters requiring the action of the House and Senate, but on which a law is not needed. • A concurrent resolution… – may express Congress’s opinion about an issue. – does not require the president’s signature. – does not have the force of law. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

• Concurrent resolutions were once used to override executive actions via the legislative veto.

Examples of Concurrent Resolutions • providing for a recess or adjournment of more than three days • permitting the use of the Capitol rotunda, which is under the control of both Houses • providing for a Joint Session of Congress, normally to hear a message from the President, such as the State of the Union Address • correcting the enrollment of a bill that has already passed both Houses • asking the President to return a bill that has been presented to him, before he has signed or vetoed the bill • launching the budget process • creating a temporary joint committee

Riders • Bills and resolutions usually deal with only one subject, such as civil rights or veterans’ benefits. Sometimes, however, a rider is attached to a bill. • A rider is a provision on a subject other than the one covered in the bill. • Lawmakers attach riders to bills that are likely to pass. • Sometimes lawmakers attach many unrelated riders simply to benefit their constituents. Such a bill resembles a Christmas tree loaded with ornaments. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

http: //www. theriderchronicle. com/ news/2010/04/14/rider-attached-to -health-care-bill-changes-studnetloan-business/

Riders (cont. ) • “Christmas tree” bills sometimes pass because of the essential nature of the underlying bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Why So Few Bills Become Laws • Less than 5 percent of all bills introduced in Congress become public laws. • One reason that so few bills become public laws is that the lawmaking process itself is very long and complicated. • At many points in the lawmaking process a bill can be delayed, killed, or changed. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Why So Few Bills Become Laws (cont. ) • This process has two important implications: – Groups that oppose a bill have an advantage over those that support it. – Sponsors of a bill must be willing to bargain and compromise with lawmakers and interest groups. • Another reason so few bills become law is that lawmakers sometimes introduce bills they know have no chance of ever becoming law. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Why So Few Bills Become Laws (cont. ) • Lawmakers introduce these bills to … – go on record in support of an idea or policy. – attract the attention of the news media. – satisfy an important group from their state or district. – call attention to the need for new legislation in an area such as health care or highway safety. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Introducing a Bill • The Constitution sets forth only a few of the many steps a bill must go through to become law. • The remaining steps have developed as Congress has grown in size and complexity and as the number of bills has increased. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

How Bills Are Introduced • The first step in the legislative process is proposing and introducing a new bill. • The ideas for new bills come from private citizens, interest groups, the president, or officials in the executive branch. • Only a member of Congress can introduce a bill in either house of Congress: – In the House a representative simply drops the bill into the hopper, a box near the clerk’s desk. – In the Senate the presiding officer of the Senate must first recognize the senator who then formally presents the bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

How Bills Are Introduced (cont. ) • Bills introduced in the House and Senate are given a title and a number and then are printed and distributed to lawmakers. • The first bill introduced during a session of Congress in the Senate is designated as S. 1, the second bill as S. 2, and so forth. • In the House, the first bill is H. R. 1, the second bill, H. R. 2, and so on. • This process is the first reading of the bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Committee Action • In each house of Congress, new bills are sent to the committees that deal with their subject matter. • Committee chairpersons may, in turn, send the bill to a subcommittee. • Under the chairperson’s leadership, the committee can ignore the bill and simply let it die–a procedure known as “pigeonholing. ” Most bills die quietly this way. • However, the committee also can kill the bill by a majority vote. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Committee Action (cont. ) • The committee can recommend that the bill be adopted as it was introduced, make changes, or completely rewrite the bill before sending it back to the House or Senate for further action. • The House and Senate almost always agree with a committee’s decision on a bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Committee Hearings • When a committee decides to act on a bill, the committee (or subcommittee) will hold hearings on the bill. • Hearings are sessions at which a committee listens to testimony from people interested in the bill. • Hearings are supposed to be an opportunity for Congress to gather information on the bill. • Most detailed information about the bill, however, comes from research done by the committee staff. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Committee Hearings (cont. ) • Skillful chairpersons may use hearings to influence public opinion for or against a bill or to test the political acceptability of a bill. • They may also use hearings to help focus public attention on a problem or give interest groups a chance to present their opinions. • After the hearings are completed, the committee meets in a markup session to decide what changes, if any, to make in the bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Committee Hearings (cont. ) • A majority vote of the committee is required for all changes that are made to the bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Reporting a Bill • When all the changes have been made, the committee votes either to kill the bill or to report it–send it to the House or Senate for action. • Along with the revised bill, the committee will send to the House or Senate a written report that… – explains the committee’s actions. – describes the bill. – lists the major changes the committee has made. – gives opinions on the bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Reporting a Bill (cont. ) • The report is often the only document available to lawmakers or their staffs as they decide how to vote on a bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Floor Action • The next important step in the lawmaking process is the debate on the bill on the floor of the House and Senate. • Voting on the bill follows the debate. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Debating and Amending Bills • Usually, only a few lawmakers take part in floor debates. • The floor debate over a bill is the point where amendments can be added to a bill. • During the floor debate, the bill receives its second reading, section by section. After each section is read, any lawmaker may offer amendments. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Debating and Amending Bills (cont. ) • Opponents of the bill sometimes propose amendments to slow its progress through Congress or even to kill it. • In both the House and the Senate, amendments are added to a bill only if a majority of the members present approves them. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Voting on Bills • After the floor debate, the bill, including any proposed changes, is ready for a vote. • If there is a quorum, or a majority of the members present, the House or Senate receives a third reading of the bill, and a vote is taken. • Passage of a bill requires a majority vote of all the members present. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Voting on Bills (cont. ) • House members vote on a bill in one of three ways: – Voice vote, in which members together call out “Aye” or “No. ” The Speaker determines which side has the most voice votes. – Standing vote, or division vote, in which those in favor of the bill stand are counted, then those opposed stand are counted. – Recorded vote, in which members’ votes are recorded electronically. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Voting on Bills (cont. ) • The Senate has three methods of voting: a voice vote, a standing vote, and a roll call. • The voice vote and the standing vote are the same as in the House. • In a roll-call vote, senators respond “Aye” or “No” as their names are called in alphabetical order. • Roll-call votes are recorded and over the years have become increasingly common. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Final Steps in Passing Bills • To become law a bill must pass both houses of Congress in identical form. • A bill passed in the House of Representatives often differs somewhat from a bill on the same subject passed in the Senate. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Conference Committee Action • If one house will not accept the version of a bill the other house has passed, the bill must go to a conference committee to work out differences between the versions. • The members of the conference committee are called conferees, or managers, and usually come from the House and Senate committees that handled the bill originally. • The conferees work out the differences between the two bills by bargaining and arranging compromises. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Conference Committee Action (cont. ) • A majority of the members of the conference committee from each house drafts the final compromise bill, called a conference report. • Once it is accepted, the bill can be submitted to each house of Congress for final action. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Presidential Action on Bills • After both houses of Congress have approved a bill in identical form, it is sent to the president. • The president may take any one of several actions: – The president may sign the bill, and it will become law. – The president may keep the bill for 10 days without signing it. If Congress is in session, the bill will become law without the president’s signature, but this rarely happens. • Most of the time presidents sign the bills that Congress sends them. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Vetoing Bills • The president can also reject a bill in two ways: – The president may veto a bill. In a veto the president refuses to sign the bill and returns it to the house of Congress in which it originated. – Congress can override a veto by a 2/3 majority vote in each house. – The president may kill a bill passed during the last 10 days Congress is in session simply by refusing to act on it. This is called a pocket veto. Because Congress is no longer in session, it cannot override the veto and the bill automatically dies. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

• Number of vetoes by Presidents of the United States. doc

Line-Item Veto • In 1984, President Reagan suggested a constitutional amendment that would give a president the power to veto specific provisions (lines or items) of a bill while accepting the main part of the legislation. • To sidestep the need for an amendment, Congress passed an enhanced recision bill in 1996. • This bill allowed Congress to override a line -item veto by two-thirds majority vote of both houses. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Clinton v. City of New York • When President Clinton used this new power to cancel a provision of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and parts of the Taxpayer Relief act of 1997, two parties filed suit. • In 1998 the Supreme Court ruled that the Line Item Veto Act was unconstitutional in the case of Clinton v. City of New York. • JUDICIAL REVIEW! Click the blue hyperlink to explore the Supreme Court case.

Congressional Override of a Veto • Congress can override a president’s veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses. If Congress overrides the veto, the bill becomes law. • Congress does not override vetoes very often because it is usually difficult to get the necessary two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Congressional Override of a Veto (cont. ) • Opponents of a bill, on the other hand, need to have only one-third of the members present and voting plus one additional vote in either the Senate or the House to uphold a veto. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Registering Laws • After a bill becomes law, it is registered with the National Archives and Records Service. • Part of this process includes identifying it as a public or private law, and assigning it a new number that identifies the Congress that passed the bill and the number of the law for that term. • For example, Public Law 187 under the 105 th Congress is registered as PL 105187. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Registering Laws (cont. ) • This law is then added to the United States Code of current federal laws. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Why is it easier to defeat legislation than to pass it? The legislative process makes it hard for a bill to pass without challenge, and some bills cannot gain enough support to overcome the challenges. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What are the positive and negative implications of the lengthy process through which all bills must go before becoming laws? Positive: The process forces deliberation, so it is unlikely that unwise legislation would pass. Negative: Worthy legislation can be slowed or even stopped by political power plays. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

End of Section 1 Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.

Taxing and Spending Bills Key Terms tax, closed rule, appropriation, authorization bill, entitlement Find Out • What authority does Congress have over how the national government will raise and spend money? • What is the procedure whereby Congress provides money to the executive agencies and departments? Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Taxing and Spending Bills Understanding Concepts Public Policy When Congress votes to begin a government program, what process is followed to fund that program? Section Objective Analyze the power of Congress to raise and spend money through tax laws and appropriations bills. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Introduction • Today, running the national government costs more than $1. 2 trillion a year. • The Constitution gives Congress the authority to decide where this money will come from and in what ways it will be spent. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Making Decisions About Taxes • The national government gets most of the money it needs to keep the government functioning from taxes. • Taxes are money that people and businesses pay to support the government. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The House’s Power Over Revenue Bills • The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the exclusive power to start all revenue measures. • Almost all important work on tax laws occurs in the House Ways and Means Committee. • The Ways and Means Committee… – decides whether to go along with presidential requests for tax cuts or increases. – makes the numerous rules and regulations that determine who will pay how much tax. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The House’s Power Over Revenue Bills (cont. ) • For many years the committee’s tax bills were debated on the House floor under a closed rule. • A closed rule forbids members to offer any amendments to a bill from the floor, which means that only members of the Ways and Means Committee could have had a direct hand in writing a tax bill. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The House’s Power Over Revenue Bills (cont. ) • Other House members accepted this closed-rule procedure on tax bills for several reasons: – House leaders claimed that tax bills were too complicated to be easily understood outside the committee. – Representatives could come under great pressure from special interests if tax bills could be revised from the floor. – Floor amendments might upset the fair and balanced legislation recommended by the committee. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The House’s Power Over Revenue Bills (cont. ) • In the 1970 s House members revolted against the Ways and Means Committee, and in 1973 the House allowed members to amend a tax bill on the floor. • Critics charged that tax bills soon became a collection of amendments written to please special interests. • In the Senate no closed rule exists, and tax bills often do become collections of amendments. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Senate’s Role in Tax Legislation • All tax bills start in the House, but the Senate may propose amendments and often tries to change tax bills the House has passed. • As a result, many people view the Senate as the place where interest groups can get House tax provisions they do not like changed or eliminated. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Senate’s Role in Tax Legislation (cont. ) • The Senate Committee on Finance has primary responsibility for dealing with tax matters. • Like the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee is powerful. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Appropriating Money • In addition to passing tax laws to raise money, Congress has the power of appropriation, or approval of government spending. • Congress’s approval is needed before departments and agencies of the executive branch can actually spend money. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

How Congress Appropriates Money • Congress follows a two-step procedure in appropriating money–an authorization bill and an appropriations bill. • An authorization bill sets up a federal program and specifies how much money may be appropriated for that program. • An appropriations bill is the second step. It provides the money needed to carry out the many laws Congress has passed. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

How Congress Appropriates Money • Each year the president presents budget to Congress. • In Congress, the appropriations committees create their own appropriations bills. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. (cont. ) his

The Appropriations Committees • The House and Senate appropriations committees and their subcommittees handle appropriations bills. • Both the House and Senate appropriations committees have 13 subcommittees that deal with the same policy areas in each house. • Every year heads of departments and agencies and program directors testify before the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees about their budgets. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Appropriations Committees (cont. ) • Each year agency officials must return to Congress to request the money they need to operate in the coming year, giving lawmakers a chance to become familiar with the federal agencies and their programs. • Appropriations subcommittees often develop close relationships with certain agencies and projects that they tend to favor in appropriating funds. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Appropriations Committees (cont. ) • In addition, powerful interest groups try hard to influence Congress and the appropriations subcommittees to give these agencies all the money they request. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Uncontrollable Expenditures • About 70 percent of the money the federal government spends each year is already committed to certain uses and, therefore, not controlled by appropriations committees. • These expenditures are termed uncontrollables because the government is legally committed to spend this money. • Such required spending includes Social Security payments, interest on the national debt, and federal contracts that already are in force. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Uncontrollable Expenditures (cont. ) • Some of these expenditures are known as entitlements because they are social programs that continue from one year to the next. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

2009 Federal Budget $3. 1 Trillion • • • • • • • • • Mandatory spending: $1. 89 trillion (+6. 2%) $644 billion - Social Security $408 billion - Medicare $224 billion - Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) $360 billion - Unemployment/Welfare/Other mandatory spending $260 billion - Interest on National Debt Discretionary spending: $1. 21 trillion (+4. 9%) $515. 4 billion - United States Department of Defense $145. 2 billion(2008*) - Global War on Terror $70. 4 billion - United States Department of Health and Human Services $45. 4 billion - United States Department of Education $44. 8 billion - United States Department of Veterans Affairs $38. 5 billion - United States Department of Housing and Urban Development $38. 3 billion - State and Other International Programs $37. 6 billion - United States Department of Homeland Security $25. 0 billion - United States Department of Energy $20. 8 billion - United States Department of Agriculture $20. 3 billion - United States Department of Justice $17. 6 billion - National Aeronautics and Space Administration $12. 5 billion - United States Department of the Treasury $11. 5 billion - United States Department of Transportation $10. 6 billion - United States Department of the Interior $10. 5 billion - United States Department of Labor $8. 4 billion - Social Security Administration $7. 1 billion - United States Environmental Protection Agency $6. 9 billion - National Science Foundation $6. 3 billion - Judicial branch (United States federal courts) $4. 7 billion - Legislative branch (United States Congress) $4. 7 billion - United States Army Corps of Engineers $0. 4 billion - Executive Office of the President $0. 7 billion - Small Business Administration $7. 2 billion - Other agencies $39. 0 billion(2008*) - Other Off-budget Discretionary Spending

2010 Federal Budget-$3. 55 trillion • Mandatory spending: $2. 184 trillion (+15. 6%) – – – • Discretionary spending: $1. 368 trillion (+13. 1%) – – • $695 billion (+4. 9%) - Social Security $453 billion (+6. 6%) - Medicare $290 billion (+12. 0%) - Medicaid $11 billion (+275%) - Potential disaster costs $571 billion (-15. 2%) - Other mandatory programs $164 billion (+18. 0%) - Interest on National Debt $663. 7 billion (+12. 7%) - Department of Defense (including Overseas Contingency Operations) $78. 7 billion (-1. 7%) - Department of Health and Human Services US receipt and expenditure estimates for fiscal year 2010. – – – – – – $72. 5 billion (+2. 8%) - Department of Transportation $52. 5 billion (+10. 3%) - Department of Veterans Affairs $51. 7 billion (+40. 9%) - Department of State and Other International Programs $47. 5 billion (+18. 5%) - Department of Housing and Urban Development $46. 7 billion (+12. 8%) - Department of Education $42. 7 billion (+1. 2%) - Department of Homeland Security $26. 3 billion (-0. 4%) - Department of Energy $26. 0 billion (+8. 8%) - Department of Agriculture $23. 9 billion (-6. 3%) - Department of Justice $18. 7 billion (+5. 1%) - National Aeronautics and Space Administration $13. 8 billion (+48. 4%) - Department of Commerce $13. 3 billion (+4. 7%) - Department of Labor $13. 3 billion (+4. 7%) - Department of the Treasury $12. 0 billion (+6. 2%) - Department of the Interior $10. 5 billion (+34. 6%) - Environmental Protection Agency $9. 7 billion (+10. 2%) - Social Security Administration $7. 0 billion (+1. 4%) - National Science Foundation $5. 1 billion (-3. 8%) - Corps of Engineers $5. 0 billion (+100%) - National Infrastructure Bank $1. 1 billion (+22. 2%) - Corporation for National and Community Service $0. 7 billion (0. 0%) - Small Business Administration $0. 6 billion (-14. 3%) - General Services Administration $19. 8 billion (+3. 7%) - Other Agencies $105 billion - Other

2012 Budget • http: //www. nytimes. com/packages/html/ne wsgraphics/2011/0119 -budget/index. html

http: //www. nytimes. com/interactiv e/2010/02/01/us/budget. html

What authority does Congress have over how the national government will raise and spend money? All revenue bills must originate in the House of Representatives. Congress must approve all government spending. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What is the procedure whereby Congress provides money to the executive agencies and departments? Department and agency heads testify in annual budget hearings. Congress then appropriates money for specific projects. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

End of Section 2 Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.

Influencing Congress Key Terms lobbyist, lobbying Find Out • How closely should the votes of members of Congress reflect the opinions of their constituents? • What factors must a member of Congress weigh when deciding whether to support the views of an interest group or of the president? Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Influencing Congress Understanding Concepts Political Processes What specific groups and individuals influence the legislators’ decisions? Section Objective Identify factors that often influence members of Congress. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Introduction • Members of Congress must constantly make difficult decisions. • By their speeches and actions they influence the direction of government policies and help shape the public’s views about a particular bill or issue. • Who influences the lawmakers? Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Influences on Lawmakers • Many factors influence a lawmaker’s decisions: – the lawmaker’s personality – congressional staff members who control information and set the agendas for individual lawmakers – the concerns of voters back home – their own political parties – the president – special-interest groups Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Influence of Voters • The political careers of all lawmakers depend upon how the voters back home feel about lawmakers’ job performance. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

What Voters Expect • Experienced lawmakers know that many of their constituents expect their representatives to put the needs of their state or district ahead of the needs of the nation. • On issues that affect their constituents’ daily lives, such as civil rights and social welfare, lawmakers generally go along with the voters’ preferences. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

What Voters Expect (cont. ) • In contrast, on issues where constituents have less information or interest, such as foreign affairs, lawmakers often make up their own minds. • Voters say they want their lawmakers to follow constituents’ wishes on the issues, but most do not take the trouble to find out how their senators and representatives cast their votes in Congress. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

What Voters Expect (cont. ) • In an election campaign, however, the candidate from the other party and opposing interest groups will bring up the lawmaker’s voting record, and may demand that the lawmaker explain votes that turned out to be unpopular back home. • The opposite is also true. A legislator running for reelection may call attention to his or her votes on certain measures in order to attract constituents’ support. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

What Voters Expect (cont. ) • Lawmakers try to find out what the voters back home are concerned about well before an election. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Learning What Voters Want • To try to keep track of their constituents’ opinions, lawmakers… – make frequent trips to their home districts. – rely on constituent mail, questionnaires, and opinion surveys. – pay close attention to the ideas of their rain-orshine supporters–those people who work in candidates’ campaigns, contribute money, and help ensure their reelection. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Influence of Parties • Almost every member of Congress is either a Republican or a Democrat. • Both political parties generally take stands on major issues and come out for or against specific legislation. Political party identification is one of the most important influences on a lawmaker’s voting behavior. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Party Voting • On major bills most Democrats tend to vote together, as do most Republicans. • Party voting is much stronger on some issues than on others, especially economic, farming, and social-welfare issues. • Party voting is much weaker on foreign policy issues because the two parties often do not have very fixed positions on international questions. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Importance of Parties • One reason Republicans or Democrats vote with their parties is that members of each party are likely to share the same general beliefs about public policy. • Democratic lawmakers are more likely than Republicans to favor: – social-welfare programs – job programs through public works – tax laws that help people with lower incomes – government regulation of business Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Importance of Parties (cont. ) • Republican members of Congress are likely to support: – less spending for government programs – local and state solutions to problems rather than solutions by the national government – policies that favor business and higher-income groups Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Importance of Parties (cont. ) • Another reason for party voting is that most lawmakers simply do not have strong opinions about every issue on which they vote; therefore, they often seek advice on how to vote from other lawmakers who know more about the issue. • On some issues party leaders pressure members to vote for the party’s position. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Importance of Parties (cont. ) • Congressional party leaders such as the Senate majority leader or the Speaker of the House usually use the power of persuasion, working hard to influence lawmakers to support the party’s position on key issues. • Very few issues are unaffected by political party affiliation. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Other Influences on Congress • Although voter preferences and political parties strongly influence the decisions of lawmakers, the influences of the president and interest groups are often equally strong. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Influence of the President • All presidents try to influence Congress to pass the laws that the president and his party support. • Members of Congress have often complained that presidents have more ways to influence legislation and policy than do lawmakers. • Presidents may also use their powers to influence individual members of Congress. They can give or withhold support to lawmakers. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Influence of the President (cont. ) • Since the early 1900 s, many presidents have succeeded in increasing their influence over Congress and the lawmaking process. • In more recent years Congress has taken steps that will limit the president’s influence, letting Congress remain a more autonomous legislative body. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Influence of Interest Groups • The representatives of interest groups called lobbyists try to convince members of Congress to support policies favored by the groups they represent. • Their efforts to persuade officials to support their point of view is called lobbying. • The largest and most powerful lobbies have their own buildings and full-time professional staffs in the nation’s capital. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

The Influence of Interest Groups (cont. ) • Lobbyists represent a wide variety of interests and work for groups that sometimes form to support or to oppose a specific issue. • Lobbyists use various methods to influence members of Congress and congressional committees, such as providing lawmakers with information, visiting their offices, and encouraging citizens to write to congressional members. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Political Action Committees • Political action committees, known as PACs, have dramatically increased in number and influence with the lawmakers. • PACs are political fund-raising organizations established by corporations, labor unions, and other special-interest groups. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Political Action Committees (cont. ) • PAC funds come from voluntary contributions of employees, stockholders, and union members. A PAC uses its funds to support lawmakers who favor the PAC’s positions on issues. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

How closely should the votes of members of Congress reflect the opinions of their constituents? Students’ answers should note the many influences on lawmakers. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What factors must a member of Congress weigh when deciding whether to support the views of an interest group or of the president? Members of Congress must weigh their personal beliefs about the issue, the wishes of their constituents, and the logic in the interest group’s arguments. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

End of Section 3 Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.

Helping Constituents Key Terms casework, pork-barrel legislation, logrolling Find Out • Why do legislators spend much of their time helping their constituents? • How do the organization and methods of Congress contribute to pork-barrel legislation? Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Helping Constituents Understanding Concepts Federalism How does the need to weigh the interests of their constituents affect national policy decisions by members of Congress? Section Objective Explain how members of Congress help voters in their state or district. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides.

Introduction • To be reelected, lawmakers must spend much of their time on two important tasks: – They must act as problem solvers for voters who have difficulties with departments or agencies of the federal government. – They must make sure that their district or state gets its share of federal money for projects such as new post offices, highways, and contracts. • As the national government has grown, these two duties have become a timeconsuming part of the lawmaker’s job. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Handling Problems • All lawmakers today are involved with casework–helping constituents with problems. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Many Different Requests • Lawmakers respond to thousands of requests from voters for help in dealing with executive agencies. • Many lawmakers complain that, although voters say they want less government, they demand more services from their members of Congress. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Who Handles Casework • All lawmakers have staff members called caseworkers to handle the problems of their constituents. • In most instances the caseworkers are able to handle the requests for help themselves. • At other times, however, the senator or representative may have to get directly involved. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Purposes of Casework • Casework serves three important purposes: – to help lawmakers get reelected – to help Congress oversee the executive branch by bringing problems with federal programs to the attention of members of Congress – to provide a way for the average citizen to cope with the huge national government Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Helping the District or State • Lawmakers bring federal government projects and money to their states in three ways: – through pork-barrel legislation – through winning federal grants and contracts – through keeping federal projects Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Public Works Legislation • Every year, through public works bills, Congress appropriates billions of dollars for a variety of local projects, such as post offices, dams, military bases, and masstransit system projects. • Government projects can bring jobs and money into a state or district. • Such public works bills are often called pork-barrel legislation. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

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Public Works Legislation (cont. ) • The idea is that a member of Congress has dipped into the “pork barrel” (the federal treasury) and pulled out a piece of “fat” (a federal project for his or her district). • Lawmakers often take the “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” approach to public works legislation. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Public Works Legislation (cont. ) • Believing that getting federal projects for the home state is a key part of their job, they usually help each other. Such agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other’s bills is called logrolling. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Winning Grants and Contracts • Federal grants and contracts are very important to lawmakers and their districts or states because these contracts are a vital source of money and jobs that can radically affect the economy of a state. • Lawmakers often compete for their share of such valuable federal grants or contracts. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Behind the Scenes • Lawmakers do not have the direct control over grants and contracts that they do over pork-barrel legislation. • Instead, agencies of the executive branch such as the Department of Defense or the Department of Labor award federal grants and contracts. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Behind the Scenes (cont. ) • Lawmakers, however, may try to influence agency decisions in several ways: – They may pressure agency officials to give a favorable hearing to their state’s requests. – Lawmakers may also encourage their constituents to write, telephone, or E-mail agency officials to make their requests or needs known. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Behind the Scenes (cont. ) – Many lawmakers assign one or more of their staff members to act as specialists in contracts and grants. These staff members become experts on how individuals, businesses, and local governments can qualify for federal money, and they help constituents apply for contracts and grants. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Why do legislators spend much of their time helping their constituents? It helps them get reelected and allows them to oversee executive branch programs. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

How do the organization and methods of Congress contribute to pork-barrel legislation? High-ranking members chair committees and may direct funds to their own states. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

End of Section 4 Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.

Describe the two types of bills that may be introduced and the three types of resolutions that may be passed in Congress. Private bills deal with individual persons or places. Public bills concern general matters that apply to the whole nation. A resolution deals with matters regarding only one house of Congress. Joint resolutions concern unusual or temporary matters. Concurrent resolutions address matters requiring the action of both houses. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What are four actions a president may take on a bill? 1. Sign the bill into law. 2. Veto the bill. 3. Pocket veto the bill. 4. Leave the bill unsigned and allow it to become law after 10 days if Congress is still in session. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What role does the House Ways and Means Committee play in tax legislation? It initiates and reviews all the tax laws. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What means do lawmakers use to bring federal projects or money to their states or districts? Lawmakers use pork-barrel legislation, federal grants and contracts, and keeping federal projects to bring projects and money to their states. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What factors influence lawmakers when they consider legislation? • voters at home • other lawmakers • staff members • the nature of the issue • political parties • the president • special-interest groups • the lawmaker’s own beliefs Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

When are members of Congress most likely to vote with their political party? Members of Congress will usually vote with their political party on major issues, including government intervention in the economy, farm issues, and social-welfare issues; or when lawmakers do not have strong opinions about, or much information on, an issue. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

How do lobbyists influence lawmakers? 1. They provide lawmakers with information about policies they support or oppose. 2. They visit lawmakers to get their support. 3. They encourage citizens to write members of Congress on the issues they favor or oppose. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

What key tool do lawmakers use to secure the passage of public works legislation? Lawmakers use logrolling to secure the passage of public works legislation. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

Why is Congress reluctant to appropriate the full amount of money requested by an agency? Congress may want an agency to avoid wasteful spending or force an agency to concentrate its allotted spending on the most effective measures. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

Chapter Bonus Question What are caucuses, and what role do they play in the work of Congress? Caucuses are groups that consist of members of Congress with a common interest–for example, the Congressional Black Caucus–who meet privately to discuss and plan legislation relating to causes that they want to support. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

End of Chapter Assessment Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.

Use the Mind. Jogger videoquiz as a preview, or both. Click the Videodisc button to play the Mind. Jogger video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer. Disc 1 Side 2 Chapter 7 If you experience difficulties, check the Troubleshooting section in the Help system. Click the Videodisc button to play the Mind. Jogger video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer.

Powers of the Congress Making Laws Powers of the Congress Overriding a Presidential Veto Click a blue hyperlink to select an ABCNews Interactive video segment.

Powers of the Congress Making Laws This segment explores the power of Congress to make laws. Click the Videodisc button to play the ABCNews Inter. Active™ video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer. If you experience difficulties, check the Troubleshooting section in the Help system. Side 1 Chapter 8 Click the Videodisc button to play the video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer.

Powers of the Congress Overriding a Presidential Veto This segment explores the process of overriding a presidential veto. Click the Videodisc button to play the ABCNews Inter. Active™ video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer. If you experience difficulties, check the Troubleshooting section in the Help system. Side 1 Chapter 15 Click the Videodisc button to play the video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer.

Serving You Congress’s primary responsibility is to make law. Did you know that members of Congress also make appointments to military academies, provide passes to visit the Capitol and the White House, and cut red tape in your dealings with the government bureaucracy? The Chapter 7 video lesson Congress at Work will show you how Congress works and how you can access its services.

Congress at Work Disc 1 Side 1 Chapter 7 Click the Videodisc button anytime throughout this section to play the complete video if you have a videodisc player attached to your computer. Click inside this box to play the preview. Click the Forward button to view the discussion questions and other related slides.

Congress at Work Objectives Disc 1 Side 1 Chapter 7 • Understand the multiple facets of a lawmaker’s responsibility. • Appreciate the dedication members of Congress must make to carry out their jobs. • Develop a sense of the diversity of members of Congress. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Congress at Work Activity How does Senator Campbell usually start his day? He usually goes to the gym because he feels that health is an important part of being able to do a good job. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Disc 1 Side 1 Chapter 7

Congress at Work Activity List four activities in which a member of Congress might participate on a typical day. 1. attend hearings 2. attend committee meetings 3. meet with constituents 4. vote Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Disc 1 Side 1 Chapter 7

Congress at Work Activity Congresswoman Clayton has introduced legislation to help needy families with what issue? The legislation, called “Hunger Has a Cure, ” involved the issue of nutritional needs. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Disc 1 Side 1 Chapter 7

Congress at Work Activity Disc 1 Side 1 Chapter 7 How often do members of Congress vote during a typical day? According to Senator Campbell, he votes from 9 to 15 times in any given day. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

End of Why It’s Important Click the mouse button to return to the Contents.

Explore online information about the topics introduced in this chapter. Click on the Connect button to launch your browser and go to the United States Government: Democracy in Action Web site. At this site, you will find interactive activities, current events information, and Web sites correlated with the chapters and units in the textbook. When you finish exploring, exit the browser program to return to this presentation. If you experience difficulty connecting to the Web site, manually launch your Web browser and go to gov. glencoe. com

Section Focus Transparency 7 -1 (1 of 2)

1. balanced budget 2. Possible answers may include to emphasize an issue’s importance, genuine disagreement with previous resolutions, or to gain personal publicity. 3. There were 40 for continuing appropriations and 74 others covering more than 30 subjects. Section Focus Transparency 7 -1 (2 of 2)

Section Focus Transparency 7 -2 (1 of 2)

1. a continued increase 2. Outlays have remained at about the same percent of the Gross Domestic Product 3. The Gross Domestic Product must have shown a continued increase. Section Focus Transparency 7 -2 (2 of 2)

Section Focus Transparency 7 -3 (1 of 2)

1. Answers will vary, but students should be able to explain their choices. 2. Answers will vary but should show understanding of the effects of these influencing factors. 3. Answer will vary, but students should recognize a great range of possible degrees of agreement and disagreement. Section Focus Transparency 7 -3 (2 of 2)

Section Focus Transparency 7 -4 (1 of 2)

1. California, New York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania 2. California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania 3. Florida and Pennsylvania rank highest in amount of per capita federal funds received. Section Focus Transparency 7 -4 (2 of 2)

If a lawmaker must be absent during a vote, he or she sometimes will try to “pair off” with an opposition colleague who also will be absent. The “paired” votes (which are listed in the Congressional Record) thus cancel each other out and do not affect the result. (If one of the lawmakers is in attendance for the vote, the colleagues are called a “live pair. ”)

Civil Rights Act of 1964 The general use of riders is to get an unpopular proposal enacted by attaching it to a bill likely to pass. A bill’s opponents, if they cannot muster the votes to defeat it, may attach a rider to make the bill undesirable to some of its supporters. In 1964 Senate opponents of the Civil Rights Act tried to kill it by adding a rider to prohibit gender discrimination in the workplace. To their surprise both bill and rider passed, giving the nation a law against both racial and gender discrimination.

Remembering the Folks Back Home Being sensitive to constituents’ tastes is not a new trend. More than a century ago, Representative J. Proctor Knott of Kentucky was asked in Washington one day whether he thought that Hamlet or Macbeth was a better Shakespearean play. Knott replied, “Friend, don’t ask me that question. I am a politician, and a candidate for reelection to Congress. My district is about equally divided. Hamlet has his friends down there, and Macbeth his, and I am unwilling to take any part between them!”

Clinton v. City of New York (1998) This case consolidated two challenges to line-item vetoes President Clinton issued in 1997. The Court ruled 6 to 3 in favor of New York City hospitals and Idaho’s Snake River Potato Growers, who challenged separate vetoes. Justice Stevens said Congress could not endow the president with power to alter laws without amending the Constitution. Click the Section Start button to return to the lecture notes.

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