Congress and Its Members

Nineteenth Edition

Roger H. Davidson - University of Maryland, USA
Walter J. Oleszek - Congressional Research Service , American University Washington
Frances E. Lee - Princeton University, USA
Eric Schickler - University of California-Berkeley, USA
James M. Curry - University of Utah

Courses:
Congress | Introduction to American Government

October 2023 | 656 pages | CQ Press

Congress and Its Members has been the gold standard for Congress courses for thirty years. Now in its 19th edition, the book offers comprehensive coverage of the U.S. Congress and the legislative process by examining the tension between Congress as a lawmaking institution and as a collection of politicians constantly seeking re-election. The 19th edition covers the outcomes of the 2022 election and subsequent changes in in congressional organization and leadership, including the protracted battle for the House speakership. The book’s election coverage details regional shifts in party strength, voting behavior, the use of digital media in congressional elections, and state-level efforts to expand and restrict voting access. Up-to-date information on the diversity of the new Congress in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and professional background is provided. The politics and outcomes of the 2022 primary elections are covered, as well.

Always balancing great scholarship with currency, the book features lively case material along with relevant data, charts, maps, and photos.

Available Formats

ISBN: 9781071901762	Paperback	Suggested Retail Price: $129.00	Bookstore Price: $103.20
ISBN: 9781071901793	Electronic Version	Suggested Retail Price: $86.00	Bookstore Price: $68.80

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Part I • In Search of the Two Congresses

Chapter 1 • The Two Congresses

Chapter 2 • Evolution of the Modern Congress

Part II • A Congress of Ambassadors

Chapter 3 • Going for It: Recruitment and Candidacy

Chapter 4 • Making It: The Electoral Game

Chapter 5 • Being There: Hill Styles and Home Styles

Part III • A Deliberative Assembly of One Nation

Chapter 6 • Leaders and Parties in Congress

Chapter 7 • Committees: Workshops of Congress

Chapter 8 • Congressional Rules and Procedures

Chapter 9 • Decision Making in Congress

Part IV • Policy Making and Change in the Two Congresses

Chapter 10 • Congress and the President

Chapter 11 • Congress and the Bureaucracy

Chapter 12 • Congress and the Courts

Chapter 13 • Congress and Organized Interests

Chapter 14 • Congress, Budgets, and Domestic Policy Making

Chapter 15 • Congress and National Security Policies

Part V • Conclusion

Chapter 16 • The Two Congresses and the American People

Appendix A: Party Control: Presidency, Senate, House, 1901–2023

Appendix B: Internships: Getting Experience on Capitol Hill

Supplements

Instructor Website
Online resources included with this text

The online resources for your text are available via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site, which offers access to all text-specific resources, including a test bank and editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides.

Accessible to students and comprehensive material.
The writing style makes this text an enjoyable read.

Dr Deborah Leonie Toscano

Political Science Dept, University Of New Orleans

January 31, 2024

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Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION

New developments and fresh research on nearly every aspect of Congress provide clarity to areas such as the 2022 midterm election results, regional shifts in party strength, voting behavior, the use of social media in congressional elections, state-level efforts to expand and restrict voting access, and much more.
Up-to-date information on the diversity of the new Congress in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and professional background is provided.
Examines the challenges party leaders face in balancing their conflicting responsibilities to the institution and to their party amidst a polarized context. Changes in internal procedure are examined, including increased use of the Senate’s cloture process and continued decline of conference committees.
Includes up-to-date information on party voting in Congress and support for the president’s position. Major recent enactments are discussed, including the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the American Rescue Plan. The chapter on domestic policymaking and the budget process has been significantly revised for improved accessibility of presentation.
Covers important recent developments in interbranch relations. The congressional fall-out from the Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs decision is detailed. The Biden administration’s initiatives in foreign and domestic policy are discussed, along with the president’s approach to congressional relations. Biden’s historic appointment of Katanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court receives attention, as well as his record of making appointments to the federal courts more generally. The chapter on Congress and foreign policy covers the politics of aid to Ukraine, Chinese surveillance, and the Biden administration’s approach to trade policy. The concluding chapter reflects on the attack on the Capitol of January 6, 2021, and what it reveals about Americans’ attitudes toward the institution.

KEY FEATURES

Comprehensive coverage of Congress and the legislative process provides students with an insightful look at the tension between Congress as a lawmaking institution and as a collection of re-election-minded politicians.
A judicious balance of great scholarship and currency provides readers with a contemporary look at the realities of the legislative institution and process.
Lively case material, along with relevant data, charts, maps, and photos, brings concepts to life.