Party and Procedure in the United States Congress

Edited by Jacob R. Straus Library of Congress, Matthew E. Glassman Library of Congress

Publication date:

20 July 2016

Length of book:

360 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

237x157mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781442258723

Understanding how Congressional political parties utilize floor procedure to advance a legislative agenda is fundamental to understanding how Congress operates. This book offers students and researchers an in-depth understanding of the procedural tools available to congressional leaders and committee chairs and how those tools are implemented in the House of Representatives, the Senate, and during negotiations between the chambers. While other volumes provide the party or the procedural perspective, this book combines these two features to create a robust analysis of the role that party can play in making procedural decisions. Additionally, the contributors provide an opportunity to take a holistic look at Congress and understand the changing dynamics of congressional power and its implementation over time. The second edition of Party and Procedure in the United States Congress includes case studies and analyses of the changes and innovations that have occurred since 2012, including the “nuclear option.”
First edition praise: For many scholars, trying to understand what Congress is doing and why it is doing it is a challenge. It is essential to understand the combined impact of political parties, organization, and the role and use of procedure. This volume provides an accessible and insightful set of essays that explain how political parties, institutional organization, and procedures such as roll call votes, the decline of deliberation in the Senate, the use of motions, and the filibuster in the Senate affect the functioning of Congress. The chapters are all clearly written and focus on important real-world examples. Highly recommended.