Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: Congress: Serving Constituents Part 3
The interests of constituents are always foremost in the minds of elected representatives, who work hard to bring projects and services to their districts. This ceates a favorable impression which can help them to get re-elected.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 1
Some of the important powers and responsibilities of Congress are explained.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 2
How Congress is organized into houses and committees is outlined in this podcast.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 4: Select Committees
Select committees and task forces are used by both the House and the Senate for specific purposes and a limited time.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 5
The House of Representatives has a set of rules governing how committees function. They establish things such as the kinds of issues committees can address, how long they can last, how many members a committee can have, and how many...
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 6
The House of Representatives has rules that guide debates, as well as a rules committee that deals with rules for special debates. Other rules for hearings, the presentation of bills, etc. are set by various committees.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 7: Senate Rules and Filibusters
The rules of the Senate are less rigid than for the House of Representatives, and permit the practice of filibustering, as well as the amendment of bills on the floor.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 7: Political Party Control
Compares how political parties are controlled in the House and the Senate.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 8: The Speaker of the House
The Speaker of the House of Representatives wields a good deal of power. For example, the Speaker controls committee appointments and sits on the Rules Committee.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 9: Powerful House Committee Chairs
A discussion of the forms leadership takes in the House of Representatives and how it has changed at various times in American history. Committee chairs have sometimes held a lot of power and competed to control the legislative agenda.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 10: Political Party Control
The Speaker in the House of Representatives can exert strong control that emphasizes his or her party's agenda. For example, by appointing party members to chair committees, rather than members with seniority.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 11: House Speaker Partisanship
The Speaker of the House of Representatives has not always pushed a political party agenda. This began when Henry Clay became Speaker in 1812.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 12: Senate Leadership
Explains the role of the Vice-President of the United States as leader and President of the Senate, and how leadership in the Senate differs from that in the House of Representatives.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 13: Tie Breaking Vice Presidents
Prior to the 17th Amendment, which passed in 1917, Senators were appointed by state legislatures. After the 12th Amendment in 1804, the Vice-Presidents were detached from the Senate and only served to break a tie vote.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 14: House Whips
Explains the role a whip plays in the House of Representatives, which is to monitor members for their adherence to the party agenda.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 15: Resolutions
Resolutions in Congress can be simple or joint. They can be proposals for laws, for constitutional amendments, or for other matters.