Congress is an evolving institution.  Watershed events in U.S. history such as the Great
Depression, the Vietnam conflict, and Watergate have often been associated with major shifts in
Congressional policy.  The structure of Congress has also affected the ways the institution
accomplishes its tasks.  The 1994 Congressional election and the rise of the Republican majority
in the House and Senate may also prove to be a watershed event that shifts the focus of policy
debates permanently, as well as how Congress performs its oversight and representation roles.
The 1996 elections may or may not provide Republicans with continued majorities in the House
and Senate.  Regardless, new members of Congress will affect the ways the House and Senate
performs its functions and they will affect policy outcomes in the next two years.
This class will focus on interrelated aspects of the Congress that will help us understand
what has transpired in Washington, D.C. prior to and during the tenure of the 104th Congress, as
well as what we might expect from the 105th Congress.  Some of these aspects include: the
electoral connection (how members get to Congress), the organization and rules of the institution
(the controls on members as they perform their tasks), relationships with other institutions and
actors (outside influences that Congress must consider), and finally, the combined influence of
elections, institutions, and organizations on the Congressional environment.
Three examinations will be given that will comprise the student's grade.  Examinations
will have both subjective and objective components.  The final exam will be non-cumulative A
paper option will be offered to students as "extra-credit."