> Guide to Congress 2012
From the desk of the Speaker of the House:
Welcome to the United States House of Representatives! In the House, you will spend much of your time in committee, drafting and debating bills based on the briefings you have been assigned. After committee sessions, you will then join with members of your party from other committees to discuss party positions on the bills that have passed your various committees. Finally, you will gather with the full complement of three other committees in Full Session to vote on the bills that passed through committees.
As a House member, drafting bills is the most crucial part of your position. You are expected to come to committee prepared to defend your stance on the issues at hand as you undertake in rigorous and informed debate. Throughout the bill-writing process, you will work closely with your committee chairs. Your chairs will be a great resource for answering questions about the bill-writing process or legislative issues, so do not hesitate to reach out to them now or during the conference.
As Speaker of the House, it is my job to preside over Full Session, though do not be surprised to see your committee chairs directing Full Session from time to time. Like your chairs, I am also here to make sure the conference runs smoothly and that you have all of the information you need. As you prepare for the conference, feel free to email me using our site’s contact form. Please take the time to look around the website and use the numerous resources available to you in order to prepare for the conference. Pay particular attention to the briefings assigned for your committee and the Guide to Congress; these materials will be invaluable to you. I look forward to seeing you in February!
In Committee:
Twelve committees, each of approximately sixty-five members, comprise the House of Representatives. Each committee discusses three controversial topics under its jurisdiction. Delegates are assigned to one of these specialized committees, in which they learn to work with their fellow committee members, discuss issues in depth, and craft well-reasoned and detailed legislation. During formal debate, representatives address the committee from the podiums at the front of the chamber, gaining valuable experience in public speaking. Representatives have the chance to utilize their speaking skills in four plenary sessions, in which delegates from four committees assemble as one of the three full House of Representatives simulated at HMC.
Party Caucuses and Constituent Responsiveness:
Party caucuses are designed to teach students about partisanship, loyalty, and dissent. Caucuses are led by Harvard undergraduates who act as minority or majority leaders and maintain these roles through the full sessions. The first caucuses excite students for the start of committee by introducing members of Congress to the pomp and circumstance of American political parties. Substantively, the caucuses provide a forum for introducing congressmen to their respective party’s position on different issues by reviewing and amending the party platforms. Caucuses also are designed to prepare students for the full sessions. Party leaders inform their members which bills will be considered for Full Session; members then have the chance to discuss the party’s views on each bill. Bill authors will have the opportunity to introduce and explain their proposed legislation.
Caucuses simulate the pressures of party affiliation by challenging delegates to reconcile their party line with the needs of their constituencies and their personal convictions. The challenge of congressmen to remain faithful to their constituencies is emphasized throughout the conference. If members fail to accurately represent the interests of their constituents or a significant home-district special interest, they may receive a letter threatening withdrawal of electoral or financial support. The HMC staff works to ensure the most realistic simulation of a legislator’s experience possible.
Full Session:
Representatives and senators convene in their respective chambers for Full Session four times during the conference. Here, members of Congress have the opportunity to present and discuss the legislation that has survived committee mark-up before an entire body of Congress in the hope that bills will eventually be passed into law. Full Session exposes delegates to the broad range of policy issues their peers are tackling in other committees. New questions of party loyalty and constituent needs challenge elected representatives’ opinions on current issues as they launch into spontaneous debate and engage with topics outside their area of expertise. To ensure the highest quality of experience for representatives in full session, the House meets in three sections of roughly 260 students each. Legislation that passes the full House is then sent to its Senate counterpart. Only bills passing both chambers are submitted to the Presidents of HMC, who either sign or veto the bills each evening. Bills that are vetoed are eligible to be overridden by a two-thirds majority of each chamber of Congress. Like committee sessions and caucuses, Full Session in the House is an excellent opportunity for students to practice their public speaking and debate skills in front of their peers.