POLS 3200
U.S. Congress
Second Exam Review

Parties in Congress

• Changes in partisan patterns and the role of party leadership
  
  • Partisan votes
    
  • Conservative Coalition
    

Congressional Committees

• Functions
  
• Types
  
• Assignment process
  
• Committee process
  

Interest Groups

• Methods of influence
  
• Impact of the structure of Congress
  
  • subgovernments (iron triangles)
    
• Regulation: practices and problems
  

Legislative process

• Types of Legislation
  
• Scheduling
  
• Differences between House and Senate
  

Congressional-Presidential Relations

• sources of conflict
  
• tools of influence
  
• Changing balance of power between the branches
  

Terms you should know:

appropriating committees authorizing committees closed rule cloture motion concurrent resolution Conditional party government theory conference committee Conservative Coalition Committee of the Whole distributional hypothesis filibuster informational hypothesis iron triangles joint committee joint resolution line item veto

logrolling open rule partisan polarization party hypothesis party unity vote pocket veto pivotal voter theory quorum recommittal motion resolution Rules Committee standing committee suspension of the rules select committee Subcommittee Bill of Rights unanimous consent agreement

One of the following essay questions will appear on the exam. Since the question will be selected at random, it would be wise for you to be prepared to answer any one of them.

1. Discuss how and why the role of parties and party leadership has changed over the past century.
   
   
2. Describe the congressional committee system and the functions it performs for the institution and its members. How has the committee system evolved during the 20th century and what, if any, effect has this change had on Congress' ability to govern?
   
   
3. Discuss the nature of the relationship between the President and Congress. What are the sources of their contention with one another, and the tools each has in exercising influence? How has the balance of power between the branches changed since the founding, and why?.