Congress at Work: Behind the Scenes

Congress Behind the Scenes

Explore the inner workings of Congress and gain insight into the behind-the-scenes processes that shape our nation's laws and policies.

Congress Convenes

Congress is a complex enterprise with over 30,000 employees and a $5 billion budget. Opening Day in the House and Senate marks the start of each session. The presiding officers are the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate. The Speaker is chosen by the House of Representatives, while the Vice President serves as the President of the Senate.

Congress Organization

Congress is organized along party lines. The House and Senate have party officers, including the Speaker and Floor Leaders. Committee Chairs play a crucial role in the legislative process. The Seniority Rule is used to select committee chairs. The work of Congress is divided among standing committees.

Multiple Select

What are the two major parties in the U.S. Congress

• Republicans

• Democrats

• Whigs

• Communists

Multiple Choice

What is Seniority Rule used for?

• to select committee chairs

• to census senior citizens

• to tabulate votes based on age

Committee Chairs

To divide the work of Congress among standing committees. Committee chairs play a crucial role in allocating tasks and responsibilities to different committees, ensuring efficient functioning of Congress. They help in streamlining the legislative process and promoting specialization in various policy areas. This division of work allows Congress to address a wide range of issues effectively and efficiently.

Multiple Choice

What is the role of committee chairs in Congress?

• To organize Congress along party lines

• To select the Speaker and Floor Leaders

• To divide the work of Congress among standing committees

Congressional Committees

• Standing Committees: Permanent committees that handle specific policy areas.
• Select Committees: Temporary committees established for specific purposes.
• Joint Committees: Composed of members from both houses to address overlapping issues.

Multiple Choice

What are the three types of committees in Congress?

• Standing Committees, Select Committees, Joint Committees

• Permanent Committees, Temporary Committees, Composed Committees

• Policy Committees, Established Committees, Overlapping Committees

• Standing Committees, Temporary Committees, Joint Committees

Types of Committees

Trivia: Did you know that there are three types of committees in Congress? They are Standing Committees, Select Committees, and Joint Committees. Standing Committees are permanent committees, while Select Committees are temporary and formed for specific purposes. Joint Committees consist of members from both the House and the Senate.

The Presiding Officers

It is important that the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate vote to break a tie so that Congress is not at a standstill because of a single vote.

Multiple Choice

Why is it important for the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate to vote to break a tie?

• To prevent Congress from being at a standstill due to a single vote

• To ensure the passage of important legislation

• So that the two parties could one day become one

Preventing Standstill

To prevent Congress from being at a standstill due to a single vote. In the event of a tie, the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate cast their votes to break the tie. This ensures that important legislation can move forward and prevents gridlock in the legislative process. Without this mechanism, a single vote could halt progress and hinder the functioning of Congress.