Following Congress

For newer readers of Washminster - a short guide to following events in Congress.

The best resources come from the Houses and Senate themselves.

House of Representatives

The website can be found at http://www.house.gov There is lots of background information. Click on the tabs underneath the main header

- Members of the House [Representatives] - the district (UK - constituency); name; party; Office - do see the 'Key to Room Codes' on that page - and in future posts I will give some of the background to each of the Office Buildings); Telephone number; and the Committees that each member sits on. This page can be listed alphabetically either by State or by Members' last name.

- Leadership - Names (with pictures) of the leadership of each of the two parties. Currently the Republicans (also referred to sometimes as the G.O.P.) are the Majority, and the Democrats are the Minority.

- Committees - these are the powerful workhorses of the House. Woodrow Wilson (when writing as a scholar, before he became President) wrote that "The House sits, not for serious discussion, but to sanction the conclusions of its committees as rapidly as possible. It legislates in its committee rooms...". They are much more powerful than Westminster committees - although the power of the Leadership (the Speaker) has greatly increased in recent decades.

- Legislative Activity - This page has key links to resources enabling the House to be followed from off Capitol Hill - and indeed across the world. You can look ahead with the House calendar (the coming year); the more immediate schedule; keep up to date with the day's business as it happens - Floor proceedings.  The live streaming of committee meetings and hearings can be found at https://www.congress.gov/committees/video When the day is over, you can read the Daily Digest of the Congressional Record for the previous day (and other dates).

- The House Explained - is a good resource for learning about the House and how it works.

The Rules Committee has on its website, a 'parliamentary Bootcamp' - which provides an excellent course on House practice and procedure.

Senate

The Senate website is https://www.senate.gov. The red tabs take you to -

- A list of Senators, with key information about each. It also tells you which 'class' they are - this tells you when they are up for re-election. Class 1 Senators are up for re-election in November 2018.

- Committees

- Legislation and Records - allows you to search by bill number and track floor activity; and using the blue sidebar you can follow other Senate activities - such as confirmations and Treaty ratifications. The Senate calendar and Floor Schedule can be accessed at https://www.senate.gov/legislative/calendars.htm 

Other red tabs take you to information about the Seanate's history; the art it contains; advice on visiting the Senate; and other reference material.

The Senate website is compact - so worth exploring the various links on the site - because there is a host of information to be uncovered.

The Media

To watch Congress - C-SPAN is the place to head to. Again it is a website worth exploring. As well as live streams from the House and Senate - there is a vast, searchable, video library. This not only covers proceedings within Congress - but programmes about history, the courts, and political issues. I hope to produce a post shortly just on C-SPAN.

Congress has three main newspapers devoted to it - and they each have websites. You can subscribe to newsletters and alerts from each of them. They are

Politico
The Hill
RollCall

I'm a big fan of (even if President Trump isn't), and a subscriber to

The Washington Post
New York Times

A Confession...

I have to admit that I am becoming addicted to the Rules Committee of the House of Representatives. Of an evening I will watch videos of the meetings - either via the committee's own website or via the Archives on C-SPAN.

My daughter, Sarah Taylor, was telling in (when we met for a coffee in a local Starbucks) that while she was working as an intern in Washington - she would sometimes drop by the committee's room in the Capitol Building to sit in a meeting. It is a useful means of keeping up with the issues that the whole House will be considering - as well as seeing some of the procedural issues that arise.

This week the committee was considering a "Special Rule" for consideration of a bill to repeal Obamacare. Jim McGovern picked up the point that the original wording of the proposed resolution instructed other committees to submit recommendations, rather than "report" them. Much could have hung on this word - the usual practice, to "report" is backed by many precedents - but "submit" could be more woolly and might even mean that the relevant committee need not even meet to consider what is "submitted". The Chairman disappeared for a while - to return and announce that the point was taken, and so "report" would be inserted.

 I hope to post further on the role and work of the Rules Committee shortly.

Britain and the American Civil War

As long time members of the Washminster Community know, I am fascinated by the American Civil War (and very grateful to my friend John Dickert for taking me to so many of the battlefields.) Last week C-SPAN rebroadcast a very interesting programme about Britain's role in the US Civil War. Many Brits served in the opposing armies - and of course the war was of great interest to policy makers and politicians in London (to say nothing of manufacturers and their workers, particularly in the North and the Midlands).

The programme can be accessed at

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/BritainsRo

While I'm Working

I sometimes prefer to work in silence. This is particularly useful when when I am researching and writing. At other times I need to listen to music. One of the advantages of modern computers is that is possible to work on the computer – whilst also using the machine to play a CD or listen to internet radio. I’ve grown to enjoy French (language) music – which I have done since the mid 1980s as a way of improving my language skills. My favourite internet station is ChanteFrance (which is almost completely music – and plays a wide range of ‘pop music’). I also listen occasionally to Radio France London (which has a higher proportion of talk).


When not listening to French music – I will avail myself of the wonderful services provided by C-SPAN. I subscribe to the podcasts of “Washington Today” (which I tend to listen to when walking). At the computer I listen to (and watch sometimes) live broadcasts from the House of Representatives (C-SPAN 1) and sometimes the Senate (C-SPAN 2). I will also watch specific programmes – either because they have advertised on the C-SPAN website or I have discovered them through a search in the C-SPAN archive).

I may occasionally watch a broadcast from Westminster (though NOT PMQs – which I despise).

[David's other blog is - The Furzton Blog]

A Free University

I do it at home - but while I'm in Washington DC, I've been doing it more - and that is watching C-SPAN programmes. Although primarily known for its live broadcasting of the House of Representatives and the US Senate - C-SPAN has programming which goes out 24 hours a day on 3 TV channels and a radio station. It is available on cable TV in the US, but can be accessed via the internet or through an app (I use the app on my iPhone and iPad). There is also an extensive library of programmes from previous years.

All this adds up to a first rate free university, full of lectures - documentaries and a wealth of primary materials. As I write this I am in a home in Northern Virginia - it is 7.40 on Easter Sunday morning - and I am listening to a C-SPAN programme on my iPad - "Edmund Burke and the origins of modern conservatism". David Norcross is delivering an interesting, informative lecture to the Citadel Military College.

Each day I check the text schedules on the internet (and these have hyperlinks to the programmes themselves). I listen to, or watch programmes which look interesting - which will extend my knowledge and understanding. It may be a history documentary; or a lecture on political philosophy. Perhaps it covers a current controversy or the progress of the US Elections. I wish I had time to watch everything of interest that is on offer. I don't need to worry about time the broadcast is actually made - since I'm actually watching programmes in the video library. (Note for readers outside the US - you need to remember the time difference. Your browser in Britain may think it is noon, so shows you the schedule from 12.00 - wheras you need to look backwasrds at 7.00 (the 'previous' 24 hour schedule) which is the time in the Eastern US)

The complete covereage of Chamber proceedings of both Houses of Congress (plus many committee proceedings); plus broadcasts of political events gives an excellent source of primary materials. They are useful for learning about practice and procedure.

I thoroughly commend C-SPAN - and invite you to explore how it can enhance your understanding (and frankly) enjoyment of politics; history and many other related subjects.

The attempted coup against the Speaker

In the run up to the Florida primary, there were many references to the attempt to remove the then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in July 1997. Bob Cusack of The Hill explains the background in the video below.



The Hill article is available here. The Conspirators were an interesting bunch. A key player was Tom DeLay the Majority Whip. John Boehner, now the Speaker himself was involved (his role is the subject of some dispute). Others were Dick Armey (now they key player in the influential "Freedom Works"), but then House Majority Leader - Deputy to the Speaker; Bill Paxon; Steve Largent; Mark Souder; Lindsey Graham (now Senator for South Carolina). Armey is believed to have told his Chief of Staff to warn Gingrich.

An article by then Time Reporter, now White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney is accessible here.

Welcome to 2011!

If your New Year's Resolution is to learn about the US and UK Constitutions; their governmental institutions and elections - then Washminster is the place - day by day - to increase your knowledge and appreciation.

Can I recommend watching C-SPAN this Sunday (2nd Jan) at 6:30 pm ET [11.30pm UK] when they will be broadcasting "The Supreme Court: Home to America's Highest Court"

This documentary takes an unprecedented look at the Court, in which you hear directly from all current and retired Supreme Court Justices about the role of the Court, its traditions, and its history. Tour the building and go behind the scenes with experts on the Court, including staff, journalists, and historians. Originally aired in 2009, the documentary has been updated to include comments from the newest Justice, Elena Kagan, as well as a look at several recent developments at the Court.

It is available live on C-SPAN (sadly not broadcast via satellite TV in Europe); or via their website. It will also be broadcast on C-SPAN Radio (for which there is an iPhone app). For those of you in Europe, or otherwise unable to watch live - it will be available later on C-SPAN's archive website.

Farewell Speeches in the Senate

It is expected that today, the Senate will hear farewell speeches from Bob Bennett (R-Utah); Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota); and Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky).

The speeches will be broadcast on C-SPAN 2, and will shortly be available in the C-SPAN Archive.