US Congressional Powers and Roles

Congressional Powers and Roles

• Members of Congress can assist constituents with federal job applications and finding lost Social Security checks
• Pork barreling: bringing federally funded projects, grants, and contracts that primarily benefit a single district or state to their home constituency, examples include roads, dams, parks, research grants, weapons contracts, and demonstration projects
• Pork barreling is important for getting re-elected

Speaker of the House

• Presiding officer and member of the majority party
• Acts as the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Responsible for:
  • Administering the oath of office to members of the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Giving members permission to speak on the House floor
  • Designating members to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore
  • Counting and declaring all votes
  • Appointing members to committees
  • Sending bills to committees
  • Signing bills and resolutions that pass in the House
• Second in line to become President should the President be unable to fulfill their duties
• Continues to serve the residents of their district and has all duties of other members of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Traditionally, the Speaker does not serve on committees or participate in floor debate

Presiding Officer of the Senate (Vice President)

• Decides the question of Presidential disability
• Must be ready to assume the Presidency at a moment's notice
• Qualifications for Vice President:
  • Natural-born U.S. citizen
  • At least 35 years old
  • Resident in the U.S. for at least 14 years

Presidential Succession

• Designated manner in which a vacancy in the Presidency is to be filled
• If a President dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the Vice President succeeds to the office and becomes President
• Order of succession after the Vice President:
  • Speaker of the House
  • President Pro Tem of the Senate
  • Secretary of State (first cabinet officer)
  • Other 13 cabinet members in order of precedence

Presidential Disability

• If the President is disabled, the Vice President may temporarily assume the duties of the office
• The Vice President and a majority of the members of the cabinet must inform Congress, in writing, that the President is incapacitated
• The President may resume duties by informing Congress that any previous incapacitation due to disability no longer exists
• The cabinet and the Vice President may challenge the President's resumption of power
• If there is a challenge, Congress has 21 days to decide the matter

25th Amendment

• Provides for the succession of the President by the Vice President
• The Presidential Succession Act (1947) established the line of succession following the Vice President

Vice Presidential Vacancy

• If the office of Vice President is vacated, the President must nominate a new Vice President
• The nomination must be confirmed by a majority vote of both houses of Congress
• Example: Vice President Gerald Ford was nominated by President Nixon upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew
• The two major political parties try to choose Vice-Presidential candidates who will help "balance the ticket"
• The Vice President cannot be removed from office by the President

Majority and Minority Leaders

• Majority Leader:
  • Controls selection of officers, flow of debate, committee chairmanships, majority on each committee, office space, and other perks of office
  • Controls floor debate but cannot limit it
  • Schedules legislation to be considered on the House floor
  • Organizes daily, weekly, and yearly legislative plans
  • Consults with members to understand how party members feel about issues
  • Works to advance the goals of the party
  • Continues to represent their district in the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Usually does not serve on committees and does not lead floor debate on major issues
• Minority Leader: selected every two years during minority party meetings before the start of a new Congress