"Sage reference."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Party leadership in Congress -- Congressional leadership structure -- The House speaker -- House leadership : a hierarchy of support -- Leadership in the Senate : "we know no masters" -- Party support structure in the Senate -- The legislative process -- Rules guide the process -- Developing legislation -- House floor action : structured efficiency --Senate floor action : flexibility, informality -- Final action : resolving differences -- The committee system -- Committees in transition -- The history of committee evolution -- Committee structure -- Committee assignments -- Committee procedures -- Jurisdictional conflicts -- Oversight mandate -- Congressional staff -- Postwar waves of staff expansion -- Evolution of the congressional staff -- Committee and personal staff : what they do -- The cost and pay of congressional staff -- Congressional staff : ethics and legalities -- How a bill becomes a law -- Political party affiliations in Congress and the Presidency, 1789-2012 -- Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-2012 -- House floor leaders, 1899-2012-- Senate floor leaders, 1911-2012 -- Recorded votes in the House and Senate, 1947-2011 -- Attempted and successful cloture votes, 1919-2011 -- Congressional information on the internet.

Examines the basic workings of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, looking at party leadership, the legislative process, and the committee system; and includes a selection of reference materials.

Adult

Adult