The United States CongressThe role of the Congress is essential to any study of American government and politics. It would be impossible to gain a complete understanding of the American system of government without an appreciation of the nature and workings of this essential body. This text looks at the workings of the United States Congress, and uses the Republican period of ascendancy, which lasted from 1994 until 2000, as an example of how the Congress works in practice. The book illustrates the basic principles of Congress using contemporary and recent examples, while also drawing attention to the changes that took place in the 1990s. The period of Republican control is absent from many of the standard texts and is of considerable academic interest for a number of reasons, not least the 1994 election, the budget deadlock in 1995 and the Clinton impeachment scandal of 1999. The book traces the origin and development of the United States Congress, before looking in depth at the role of representatives and senators, the committee system, parties in Congress, and the relationship between Congress and the President, the media and interest groups. |
Contents
Origins and development of Congress | 1 |
Congressional elections | 16 |
Representatives and Senators | 39 |
Copyright | |
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107th Congress achieve action agenda amendment American approval area of policy argued Articles of Confederation attempt become law bill Bill Clinton budget candidates cent changes committee chair conference Congressional elections constituents Contract with America Corzine Democrat Democrat donations effect election campaigns electoral ensure federal government filibuster final floor debate full committee funds gain Gary Condit goals gridlock healthcare House and Senate House of Representatives House or Senate impeachment incumbents influence interest groups issue Johnson Jon Corzine legislative process Majority Leader majority party members of Congress ment Minority mittee Newt Gingrich opponents party controls party leaders party leadership persuade Policy Committee political pork barrel position President Clinton presidential primary elections priorities problems programmes proposals re-election Reagan Repre Republican Party Ribicoff role rule seats soft money Speaker spending strategies subcommittee success television tion United veto vote voters White House whole