THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS June 23 rd

THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS June 23 rd

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives • committee system – important – dominated according to seniority

Inside Congress -- Inside the Senate • the Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial Privileges

Party Unity – The Senate SENATE SUPPORT Republicans Democrats Allard, CO 98% Dayton, MN 99% Helms, NC 98% Reed, RI 99% Kyl, AZ 98% Daschle, SD 98% Lott, MS 98% Kerry, MA 98% Mc. Connell, KY 98% Levin, MI 98%

Party Unity – Senate (Support for Republicans) Highest (D) and Lowest (R) Republicans Democrats Chafee, RI 50% Miller, GA 58% Specter, PA 60% Nelson, NB 42% Snowe, ME 64% Breaux, LA 41% Collins, ME 67% Baucus, MT 33% Mc. Cain, AZ 67% Cleland, GA 22%

Inside Congress -- Inside the Senate • the Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial Privileges • Cloture and the Filibuster • the committee system

Inside Congress -- Between the Houses • A Congress Divided?

Inside Congress -- Between the Houses • A Congress Divided? • Differences between the Houses – electoral time-frames – representational concerns – dynamics of operation • balancing different interests

Congress and the President • United vs. Divided Government – frequency

United and Divided Government, 1968 -2004 • • • 1968 -69 Nixon, Sen. =D, Rep=D 1970 -71 Nixon, Sen. =D, Rep=D 1972 -73 Nixon, Sen. =D, Rep=D 1974 -75 Nixon/Ford, Sen. =D*, Rep=D 1976 -77 Carter, Sen. =D*, Rep=D 1978 -79 Carter, Sen. =D, Rep=D 1980 -81 Reagan, Sen. =R, Rep=D 1982 -83 Reagan, Sen. =R, Rep=D 1984 -85 Reagan, Sen. =R, Rep=D • • • 1986 -87 Reagan, Sen. =R, Rep=D 1988 -89 Bush, Sen. =D, Rep=D 1990 -91 Bush, Sen. =D, Rep. =D 1992 -93 Clinton, Sen. =D, Rep=D 1994 -95 Clinton, Sen. =R, Rep=R 1996 -97 Clinton, Sen. =R, Rep=R 1998 -00 Clinton, Sen. =R, Rep=R 2000 -02 Bush, Sen. =R, Rep=R 2002 -04 Bush, Sen. =R, Rep=R *senate supermajority Total Years=36 Total Years Divided Gov’t=26 Total Years United Gov’t=10

Congress and the President • United vs. Divided Government – frequency – causes of divided government – effects of divided vs. united government

Congress and the President • • • United vs. Divided Government The President and His Party The President and the “Other” Party

Party Unity – House Presidential Support Highest (D) and Lowest (R) Republicans Democrats Paul, TX 49% Hall, TX 86% Morella, MD 53% Lucas, KY 81% Leach, IO 60% John, LA 69% Gilman, NY 62% Cramer, AL 67% Ramstad, MN 65% Shows, MS 64%

Party Unity – Senate Presidential Support Highest (D) and Lowest (R) Republicans Democrats Chafee, RI 84% Miller, GA 82% Snowe, ME 84% Breaux, LA 77% Specter, PA 87% Landrieu, LA 74% Collins, ME 88% Nelson, NB 74% Mc. Cain, AZ 91% Baucus, MT 71%

Main Point! • the American Constitutional deliberately makes it difficult to get legislation passed – the two houses of Congress are designed to act as a check on each other – Congress acts as a check on Presidency and vice versa • the effect is that less gets done – however, to get things done requires a broad consensus