Congress - Comparing Congress & Parliament


Working of the Houses:
Congress:
Parliament:
No government programme of legislation exists
A government programme of legislation dominated the agenda
Level of party discipline is lower
High levels of party discipline
Thousands of bills introduced in any session
Few bills passed into law
Individual members introduce pieces of legislation
Most bills passed into law
Limited number of bills introduced in a session
Committee stage after second reading
Committee stage comes before floor debate
Non-permanent standing committees and non-specialist members
Permanent standing committees with policy specialists
Bills considered by two houses consecutively
Bills considered concurrently
Lower chamber is dominant
Two chambers have equal power
Royal Assent is no longer held.
POTUS has significant veto powers


Oversight:
Congress:
Parliament:
Standing committee hearing
Select committee hearings
Select committee hearing
Prime Minister’s Question Time
Confirmation of hearings
Liaison committee hearing
Ratification of treaties
Correspondence with ministers
Impeached by the upper house
Tabling of early day motions
Vote of no confidence


Strengths and Weaknesses of the Lower Chambers:
House of Representatives:
House of Commons:
Strengths:
Strengths:
Has initiative power on all money bills
Powers
Draws up articles of impeachment
Presence of the executive
Power of standing committees
Power of backbench MPs
Strong constituency links because of a two-year term
Select committees
Prime Minister’s Question Time
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses:
Executive branch members can appear only in committees, not on the floor
Party strengths unreflective of votes at general election
POTUS rarely, if ever, gives direct evidence
‘Punch and Judy’ politics at PMQs
Shares legislative power with the Senate
Overly dominated by the government
Short election cycle
Unrepresentative in terms of gender
Gridlock, partisanship and possibility of divided government
Strong parties can mean weak constituency representation


Strengths and Weaknesses of the Upper Chambers:
Senate:
House of Lords:
Strengths:
Strengths:
Exclusive power over confirmation of appointments
Membership is somewhat more representative of UK society
Exclusive power over treaty ratification
Expertise and experience of members
Sole power to try cases of impeachment
Lack of strict party discipline
Regarded as recruitment pool for POTUS and VPOTUS
Quality of debate
Six-year terms
Members not subject to the whim of constituency pressures
Equal power in legislation with the house.
Continuity
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses:
Executive branch members can appear only in committees, not on the floor
Lack of democratic mandate
POTUS rarely, if ever, gives direct evidence
Has mostly delaying powers regarding legislation
Shares legislative power with the Senate
Seen as a chamber of political failures and retirees
Gridlock, partisanship and possibility of divided government
Government often lacks a majority
Presence of Anglican bishops.


Similarities and Differences In Both Legislatures:
Similarities:
Differences:
Both are bicameral
Congress: Both houses elected, Parliament: One house elected
Different parties may control each house
Congress: Two equal houses, Parliament: Lower chamber dominates
POTUS/PM’s party may not have control in both houses
Congress: Only two parties represented, Parliament: Multiple parties, especially in the Commons, represented
Both houses have a role in passing legislation and in oversight of the executive
Congress: Executive branch excluded, Parliament: Executive branch included
Much work done away from the chambers in committees
Terms of Office: 2 years in the HOR, 5 years in HOCs. 6 years in the Senate, life-tenure in HOLs
Oversight function conducted by the standing committees in Congress and by select committees in HOC.
Size of upper houses: Senate – 100, HOL - ~800. Also lower house in UK is significantly larger in the UK
All elections done via first-past-the-post
Senate has oversight powers unknown to the HOLs (e.g confirmation of appointments)
Each American has three representatives in Congress (One in the House and 2 in the Senate), Brits have one representative in Parliament.