Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch

A brief, accessible guide to the institution, Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch walks students through the inner workings of the modern Congress. Congressional experts Casey Burgat, Charles Hunt, and SoRelle Gaynor help students understand the branch by examining legislators’ responsibilities toward constituents, the ways their backgrounds and perspectives influence their work, and the incentives that drive lawmaking in today′s hyperpolarized Congress. In this updated Second Edition, new features, case studies, and data-based figures focus on changes to the institution over time and the ways individuals operate the pulls and levers of the branch to achieve legislative goals.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Chapter 1: Introduction: Congress on the Brink How Is Congress Perceived Today? What Does It Mean to Represent? What Big Challenges Does Congress Face? Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 2: Mastering the Basics: Organization, Rules, and Leaders of the House and Senate The Constitution and Congress One Congress, Two Different Chambers Constituents Empower Representatives The Modern Institutionalized Congress Pivotal Players: House and Senate Leadership Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 3: Representation: Making Connections at Home and in Washington How Do Political Scientists Explain Representation? Representation at Home: Home Styles Representation in Washington Legislative Styles Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 4: Congressional Elections: The Pathway to Congress Who Runs for Congress? The Institutional Environment Voting in Congressional Elections Money in Congressional Campaigns Congressional Primaries The General Election Campaign Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 5: Parties in Congress: Power and Polarization Parties in Congress, 1789–1980 Two-Party Polarization in the Modern Congress, 1960–2024 How Parties Organize Congress How Party Leaders Wield Power Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 6: The Congressional Committee System: Dividing the Workload Why Does Congress Have Committees? What Types of Committees Exist in Congress? What Do Committees Do? How Are Members Assigned to Committees? Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 7: Policymaking in the Gridlock Era Why Does Today’s Congress Pass So Few Laws? What Does Gridlock Look Like in Congress? How Regular Order Lawmaking Works How Lawmaking Works in the Gridlock Era Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 8: The Congressional Budget Process: Follow the Money How Do We Talk About the Federal Budget? Where Does the Money Come From—And Where Does It Go? How Is the Budget Process Designed to Work? How Does the Budget Process Actually Work? How Might the Budget Process Be Fixed? Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 9: Congress and the President: The Two Ends of Pennsylvania Avenue What Is the President’s Role in Lawmaking? How Can the President Make Policy Without Congress? How Does Representation Affect the Executive-Legislative Relationship? How Do the President and Congress Balance Power Today? Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 10: Congress, the Courts, and the Bureaucracy: Non-Legislator Legislating How Does Congress Interact With the Courts? How Has Polarization Affected the Courts? How Does Congress Interact With the Bureaucracy How Does Congressional Oversight Work? Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 11: Congress and External Influences: Interest Groups, Social Movements, and Media What Are Interest Groups? How Do Interest Groups Influence Congress? How Do Social Movements and Activists Influence Congress? How Does the Media Affect Congress? Who Do Interest Groups, Social Movements, and Media Represent? Conclusion Key Terms Chapter 12: Conclusion: The Congress We Deserve How Well Does Congress Represent Us? How Might We Reform Congress? Glossary

About the Author :
Casey Burgat is an Assistant Professor and the director of the Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. Prior to joining GWU, Dr. Burgat was a Senior Governance Fellow at the R Street Institute where his research focused on issues of congressional capacity and reform. Dr. Burgat writes regularly for both scholarly and journalistic publications, including CNN, the Washington Post, Politico, Legislative Studies Quarterly, and Congress and the Presidency. He regularly appears on a variety of television and radio outlets.  Previously, Casey served as a staffer at the Congressional Research Service. There served in the Executive Branch Operations and the Congress & Judiciary sections. There, he was responsible for responding to congressional requests about federal rulemaking, issues of congressional reform, the president’s role in federal budgeting, federal advisory committees and congressional staffing. Casey received a masters degree from George Washington University and his doctorate in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Sara and two children.   Charles Hunt is an Associate Professor of Political Science in Boise State University’s School of Public Service. He is also the author of Home Field Advantage: Roots, Reelection, and Representation in the Modern Congress, which assesses the local roots that members of Congress do (or do not) have in the local communities they represent, and the representational and electoral consequences of these roots. He conducts research broadly on Congress, elections, representation, and political geography that has appeared in academic journals like the Journal of Politics, Legislative Studies Quarterly, and American Politics Research. His research has also been featured in journalistic outlets like The Washington Post, USA Today, US News and World Reports, and The Conversation. Charlie received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Brown University before serving as Director of Public Affairs for a political consulting firm in Providence, Rhode Island. He then received his doctorate in Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2019. Charlie lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife Keara and his dogs Rhody and Pennie.   SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on congressional leadership and political parties, institutional reform, and how Congress communicates. Her work has been published in Journal of Politics, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Electoral Studies, and more, as well as public-facing entities like the Washington Post and PS Today. SoRelle has worked in various capacities throughout Congress, including staff for House Leadership, as a Senate press secretary and speechwriter, and most recently, as an American Political Science Public Service Fellow for House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, where she researched and help implement solutions to improve and reform Congress. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and history, with Honors, from the University of Alabama, and her doctorate in Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2021. She lives in Virginia with her husband, Michael, and her sons, James and Lewis.

Review :
Congress Explained by Burgat and Hunt is a concise yet thorough text, perfect for courses that include more in-depth consideration of the presidency or other related topics. My students found the text to be clear and engaging. I run a legislative simulation and this text is the academic anchor of my course. Its readable, with excellent detail, and has a breadth of coverage that provides a great foundation for any Congress class.