Inside Congress: A Guide for Navigating the Politics of the House and Senate Floors
Required reading for anyone who wants to understand how Congress works.
The House and Senate have unique rules and procedures that have evolved over the last 200 years. Each chamber uses those rules as tools for policymakers to influence the procses and work with the political leadership to drive the agenda and continue the nation's work.
To the novice, whether a newly elected representative, a lawmaker's staff member on her first day at work, or a constituent visiting Washington, the entire legislative process can seem confusing or overwhelming. WHat is an open rule for a House Appropriation bill and how does it affect consideration? Why are unanimous consent agreements needed in the Senate?
The authors of Inside Congress, all congressional veterans, have written an introductory guide to how Congress really works. It is the accessible and necessary resource to understanding and interpreting procedural tools, arcane precedents, and the role of party politics in the making of legislation in Congress.
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Learn how Congress works in our easy to read pocket guide and find out for yourself why CHOICE Magazine "Highly recommended" this book.
Reviewed & Highly recommended by CHOICE Magazine, January 2018:
Corning, Dodin, and Nevins provide a “pocket guide” for anyone interested in learning about the legislative process. It is particularly useful for undergraduate students and “political junkies” who care to understand how rules and maneuvers are used to fashion legislation. The authors highlight the inherent differences between the two chambers and attempt to demystify how the House and Senate work. They note that some rules are so arcane that the parliamentarians need to help members sort through them. Behemoth committees, including the all-powerful House Rules Committee, and party leadership positions are discussed. Much space is devoted to obstructionist strategies used by senators as well as procedures and tactics, such as reconciliation and “hotlining.” Inside Congress is a perfect companion to monographs like Sinclair’s Unorthodox Lawmaking (CH, Nov'97, 35-1824) and works like Mann and Ornstein’s It’s Even Worse than It Looks (Basic Books, 2012). The absence of an index does not detract from this slim book.
Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty.