Inside Congress : a guide for navigating the politics of the House and Senate floors

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Title:

Inside Congress : a guide for navigating the politics of the House and Senate floors

Author:

Corning, Trevor, author.

ISBN:

9780815727323

Personal Author:

Corning, Trevor, author.

Physical Description:

vii, 110 pages ; 18 cm

General Note:

Source of cataloging data: WCP

Abstract:

"Required reading for anyone who wants to understand how to work within Congress. The House and Senate have unique rules and procedures to determine how legislation moves from a policy idea to law. Evolved over the last 200 years, the rules of both chambers are designed to act as the engine for that process. Each legislative body has its own leadership positions to oversee this legislative process. To the novice, whether a newly elected representative, a lawmaker's staff on her first day at work, or a constituent visiting Washington, the entire process can seem incomprehensible. What is an open rule for a House Appropriations bill and how does it affect consideration? Why are unanimous consent agreements needed in the Senate? The authors of Inside Congress, all congressional veterans, have written the definitive guide to how Congress really works. It is the accessible and necessary resource to understanding and interpreting procedural tools, arcane precedents, and the role of party politics in the making of legislation in Congress"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction and overview : two chambers, two ways -- The House of Representatives : where the majority party rules -- The Senate : where debate and deals rule -- Conclusion.

Subject Term:

Legislation -- United States.

Added Author:

Dodin, Reema,

Nevins, Kyle W.

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Summary

Required reading for anyone who wants to understand how to work within Congress.

The House and Senate have unique rules and procedures to determine how legislation moves from a policy idea to law. Evolved over the last 200 years, the rules of both chambers are designed to act as the engine for that process. Each legislative body has its own leadership positions to oversee this legislative process.

To the novice, whether a newly elected representative, a lawmaker's staff on her first day at work, or a constituent visiting Washington, the entire process can seem incomprehensible. What is an open rule for a House Appropriations bill and how does it affect consideration? Why are unanimous consent agreements needed in the Senate?

The authors of Inside Congress , all congressional veterans, have written the definitive guide to how Congress really works. It is the accessible and necessary resource to understanding and interpreting procedural tools, arcane precedents, and the role of party politics in the making of legislation in Congress.

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

Corning, Dodin, and Nevins provide a "pocket guide" for anyone interested in learning about the legislative process. It is particularly useful for undergraduate students and "political junkies" who care to understand how rules and maneuvers are used to fashion legislation. The authors highlight the inherent differences between the two chambers and attempt to demystify how the House and Senate work. They note that some rules are so arcane that the parliamentarians need to help members sort through them. Behemoth committees, including the all-powerful House Rules Committee, and party leadership positions are discussed. Much space is devoted to obstructionist strategies used by senators as well as procedures and tactics, such as reconciliation and "hotlining." Inside Congress is a perfect companion to monographs like Sinclair's Unorthodox Lawmaking (CH, Nov'97, 35-1824) and works like Mann and Ornstein's It's Even Worse than It Looks (Basic Books, 2012). The absence of an index does not detract from this slim book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. --Melanie J. Blumberg, California University of Pennsylvania