Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process

"The book does an outstanding job in covering all the necessary details on congressional rules and procedures, most of which are not easy to understand. [...] It has been and will remain to be a must-read for all the congressional politics students and Washington insiders." – Hong Min Park, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process examines the entire arc of the legislative process—from a bill’s introduction, to its signature into law, to congressional review of the law’s administrative implementation—and the many procedural pitfalls that exist along the way. Author Walter J. Oleszek and co-authors Mark Oleszek, Elizabeth Rybicki, and Bill Heniff, Jr. do not shy away from the complexity of the topic, yet they ensure that the operations of Congress are understandable to students and practitioners alike. Through an array of interesting examples, case studies, and the authors’ personal anecdotes, this definitive work delivers timely explanation and analysis of the nation’s premier lawmaking institution.

Table of Contents:
Preface About the Authors Chapter 1: Congress and Lawmaking The Constitutional Context Functions of Rules and Procedures Rules and Policymaking in Congress Congressional Decision Making The House and Senate Compared Pressures on Members Chapter 2: The Congressional Budget Process Authorization–Appropriations Process Establishing a Congressional Budget Process Evolution of Statutory Budget Procedures Case Study: The Government Shutdown of 2013 Chapter 3: Preliminary Legislative Action Categories of Legislation Bill Referral Procedure Consideration in Committee The Committee Chair’s Role Committee Hearings The Markup Committee Markup Procedures The Report Bypassing Committees Chapter 4: Scheduling Legislation in the House The House Legislative Calendars Minor and Noncontroversial Measures Privileged Legislation Major Legislation Promises of Openness by the Majority Party Legislation Blocked in Committee Final Scheduling Steps Chapter 5: House Floor Procedure Debate Voting Consideration of Major Legislation Final Procedural Steps Opposition Tactics Chapter 6: Scheduling Legislation in the Senate Legislative and Calendar Days Calendars and Rule XIV Motion to Proceed to Consider a Bill Bills Taken Up by Unanimous Consent Bills Privileged for Consideration Clearance Holds Executive Businesses Major Scheduling Considerations Chapter 7: Senate Floor Procedure Debate and the Filibuster Cloture The Amending Process Principle of Precedence and the Amendment Trees Unanimous Consent Agreements and the Amending Process Strategic Uses of Amendments Quorum and Voting Procedures Procedural Change in the Senate Chapter 8: Resolving House–Senate Differences Procedural Methods for Reaching Agreement Amendment Exchange Between the Chambers Preconference Considerations Conference Committee Process Presidential Approval or Veto Case Study: A Procedural Sketch: The Surface Transportation Conference, 2012 Chapter 9: Legislative Oversight Oversight: An Overview Techniques of Oversight Impeachment Oversight Trends and Incentives Lack of Consensus on Oversight Chapter 10: A Dynamic Process Observations About Lawmaking Centralization of Authority in the Speakership Congress and the Information Age Resurgence of Sharp Partisanship Glossary of Selected Congressional Terms Selected Bibliography Selected Internet Sources Index

About the Author :
Walter J. Oleszek is a senior specialist in the legislative process at the Congressional Research Service. He has served as either a full-time professional staff aide or consultant to many major House and Senate congressional reorganization efforts beginning with the passage of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. In 1993, he served as policy director of the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress. A former adjunct faculty member at American University, Oleszek is a frequent lecturer to various academic, governmental, and business groups. He is the author or co-author of several books, including Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process, 11th ed. (2020), and Congress Under Fire: Reform Politics and the Republican Majority, with C. Lawrence Evans (1997).

Review :
"With no exaggeration, I love teaching this text. The main strength of the text is the framing of the work around the policy making process. Our Political Science program has a strong Public Administration tone, so this text explains how the nuts and bolts of policy are created and how the legislative branch truly affects the outcome. We are trying to prepare our students to work in government, so any textbook that explains the nitty-gritty of policy-making is a must teach." "The book does an outstanding job in covering all the necessary details on congressional rules and procedures, most of which are not easy to understand. Oleszek and et. al. successfully explains very technical concepts in a clear and accessible fashion. In addition, a lot of examples and anecdotes certainly help. It has been and will remain to be a must-read for all the congressional politics students and Washington insiders." "This book offers impressively comprehensive coverage of just about every aspect of congressional procedures that I can think of. In terms of the language, the text is very readable and accessible for undergraduates, and I appreciate how the authors have used quotes from members of Congress to illustrate numerous specific points."