Congress and its members / Roger H. Davidson, Walter J. Oleszek.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Davidson, Roger H.

Contributor:

Oleszek, Walter J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Congress.

United States.

Legislators--United States.

Legislators.

Physical Description:

xiii, 544 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Edition:

Ninth edition.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : CQ Press, [2004]

Summary:

Proven and compelling, the book's core theme--the tension between Congress as a lawmaking institution and Congress as a collection of re-election-minded politicians--gives students a powerful way to understand Congress and the legislative process. Davidson and Oleszek use colorful and often witty examples, noteworthy quotations, telling cases, memorable photos, and helpful tables and figures, wrapping their strong narrative around this tightly organized conceptual framework. Every chapter features new analysis and the most recent and important scholarship.

Contents:

Part 1 In Search of the Two Congresses

The Dual Nature of Congress 4

Divergent Views of Congress 9

2 Evolution of the Modern Congress 13

Antecedents of Congress 13

Congress in the Constitution 17

Institutional Evolution 26

Evolution of the Legislator's Job 31

Part 2 A Congress of Ambassadors

3 Going for It: Recruitment and Candidacy 39

Formal Rules of the Game 40

Districting in the House 44

Becoming a Candidate 56

Nominating Politics 65

The Money Factor 68

4 Making It: The Electoral Game 81

Campaign Strategies 82

Campaign Resources 85

Campaign Techniques 90

The Parallel Campaigns 96

Who Votes? 97

How Voters Decide 100

Election Outcomes 111

After the Election Is Over 116

5 Being There: Hill Styles and Home Styles 119

Hill Styles 120

Looking Homeward 132

Office of the Member Inc. 140

Members and the Media 145

Part 3 A Deliberative Assembly of One Nation

6 Leaders and Parties in Congress 151

Leaders of the House 153

Leaders of the Senate 168

Selection of Leaders 177

Leadership Activities 178

Party Caucuses, Committees, and Informal Groups 182

Party Continuity and Change 185

7 Committees: Workshops of Congress 193

The Purposes of Committees 194

Evolution of the Committee System 195

Types of Committees 197

The Assignment Process 203

Committee Leadership 211

Policy Making in Committee 211

Committee Staff 219

Committee Reform and Change 221

8 Congressional Rules and Procedures 229

Introduction of Bills 231

Referral of Bills 234

Scheduling in the House 237

House Floor Procedures 246

Scheduling in the Senate 249

Senate Floor Procedures 252

Resolving House-Senate Differences 256

9 Decision Making in Congress 261

The Power to Choose 262

Types of Decisions 263

Determinants of Voting 271

Legislative Bargaining 282

Part 4 Policy Making and Change in the Two Congresses

10 Congress and the President 291

The President as Legislator 291

The Veto Power 305

Sources of Legislative-Executive Cooperation 309

Sources of Legislative-Executive Conflict 311

The Balance of Power 313

11 Congress and the Bureaucracy 319

Congress Organizes the Executive Branch 320

Congressional Control of the Bureaucracy 336

12 Congress and the Courts 345

Constitutional Review 346

The Court as Referee and Umpire 347

Advice and Consent for Judicial Nominees 356

13 Congress and Organized Interests 367

A Nation of Joiners 367

Pressure Group Methods 370

Groups and the Electoral Connection 376

Groups and Legislative Politics 381

Informal Groups of Members 383

Regulation of Lobbying 384

14 Congress, Budgets, and Domestic Policy Making 391

Definitions of Policy 391

Stages of Policy Making 393

Types of Domestic Policies 396

Characteristics of Congressional Policy Making 398

Congressional Budgeting 401

The 1974 Budget Act 407

Surpluses Arrive Unexpectedly 413

The Return of Deficits 414

15 Congress and National Security Policies 419

Constitutional Powers 420

Who Speaks for Congress? 421

Types of Foreign and National Security Policies 424

Structural Policies 424

Strategic Policies 429

Crisis Policies: The War Powers 437

16 The Two Congresses and the American People 447

Congress-as-Politicians 448

Congress-as-Institution 452

Twenty-first Century Challenges 457

"The Fundamental Things Apply" 461

Appendix A. Party Control: Presidency, Senate, House, 1901-2003 466

Appendix B. Internships: Getting Experience on Capitol Hill 468.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 516-521) and index.

ISBN:

1568028164

OCLC:

52717461