CONGRESS:

I.  The Roots of the Legislative Branch:

	A.	Article I of the Constitution--
		1.  Bicameral legislature at the national and state level.
		2.  Formal requirements for officeholding:
			a.  25 years of age for House, 30 for the Senate
			b.  must have resided in U.S. for the past 7 years 	
			     for the House and 9 years for the Senate.
			c.  must be legal residents of the state you are 	
			representing.
		3.  Informal Requirements:
			a.  Wealthy, Republican or Democratic, white 	
				male, white collar workers predominate. 
		
II.	The Powers of Congress:
			A.  Legislate
			B.  Powers of the Purse:
				1.  Lay and collect taxes.
				2.  Borrow money
				3.  Regulate commerce



			C.	Power to Declare War
				1.  War Powers Act (1974)
				2.  Constitutional Issues re: War Powers
			D.  The House of Representatives:			
				1.  all revenue bills must originate in the 	
				House of Representatives.
				2.  the House has the power of impeachment.
			C.  The Senate:
				1.  Advice and consent:
					a.  Approves presidential 			
					appointments by a simple majority.
					b.  approves treaties by a two-thirds 	
						vote.
				2. Tries impeachment offenses.

III.	Members of Congress
			A.	What do they do?
				1.  David Mayhew--
					a.  Advertising
					b.  Position-taking
					c.  Credit-claiming
				2.  Michael Parenti/Domhoff/Mills--
					a.  serve the interests of the rich.
					b.  become rich.
					c.  become corrupt.
			B.  The (almost) never-ending election:
					1.  Raising Money
					2.  Incumbency Advantage:
						a. Name Recognition
						b. Casework
						c. Franking privilege
						d. People and PACs give more money
							to incumbents
					3.  95%--97% win re-election.
					4.  Those who don't win re-election:
						a. Scandal
						b. Marginal districts
						c. Reapportionments
						d. Midterm slump.
			

III.		The Committee System
		1.  Types of Committees
			a.  Standing committees.
			b.  Ad Hoc committees.
			c.  Joint committees.
			d.  Conference committees.
		2.  Fenno Congressmen in Committees (1973)
			a.  Three Goals of Members of Congress
				1.  re-election 
				2.  influence within the House
				3.  making good public policy
			b.  Committees differ in the ways in which they 	
			support these goals.
		5.  pork barrel
		6.  logrolling