American Democracy Now, 2nd Edition (Harrison)

Chapter 11: Congress

Chapter Outline



  1. The Origins of Congress
  2. Congressional Elections
    1. Incumbency
    2. Reapportionment and Redistricting
  3. Powers of Congress
  4. Functions of Congress
    1. Representation Comes in Many Forms
      1. Models of Representation
      2. Pork Barrel and Earmarks
      3. Casework
    2. Policy Making: A Central Responsibility
    3. Oversight: A Check on the Executive Branch
    4. Agenda Setting and Civic Engagement
    5. Managing Societal Conflict
  5. The House and the Senate Compared
  6. The Legislative Process
    1. Introducing a Bill
    2. The Bill in Committee
    3. Debate on the House and Senate Floor
    4. Presidential Action
  7. Congressional Leadership
    1. Leadership in the House Of Representatives
    2. Leadership in the Senate
  8. Decision Making in Congress: The Legislative Context
    1. Political Parties and Partisanship in Decision Making
    2. Colleagues and Staff: Trading Votes and Information
    3. Interest Groups: Influence Through Organization
    4. The President's Effect on Decision Making
    5. Constituents: The Last Word
  9. The People and Their Elected Representatives
Harrison: American Democracy Now, 2nd Edition
Glencoe Online Learning CenterSocial Studies HomeProduct InfoSite MapContact Us

The McGraw-Hill CompaniesGlencoe

Please read our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice before you explore our Web site. To report a technical problem with this Web site, please contact the Web Producer.