Who Are The Members Of Congress And What Are Their Personal And Political Backgrounds?

12.8 Members of Congress

Learning Objectives

Afterwards reading this department, you should exist able to answer the following questions:

What kinds of people are elected to Congress?
How practice members make news and generate publicity for themselves?
What jobs are performed by congressional staff members?

Members of Congress are local politicians serving in a national establishment. They spend their days moving between 2 worlds—their domicile districts and Washington. While many come up from the ranks of the social and economic elite, to be successful they must be true to their local roots.

Figure 12.xviii

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was shot outside a grocery store where she was holding a "Congress on Your Corner" event to come across personally with constituents in her district in 2011. Six people were killed, including a nine-year-old girl, in the incident, which raised issues about the safety of members of Congress.

Members tailor the job to their personalities, interests, objectives, and elective needs.Richard Fenno, Home Fashion (New York: Longman Classics, 2003) They appoint in activities that improve their chances for reelection. This strategy works, equally the reelection rate for incumbents is over 90 percentage.Gary Jacobson, The Politics of Congressional Elections, 5th ed. (Boston: Allyn and Salary, 2002). They promote themselves and reach out to constituents by participating in events and public forums in their habitation districts. More recently, outreach has come to include using social media to connect with the public. Members of Congress take positions on issues that volition be received favorably. They claim success for legislative activity that helps the commune—and voters believe them.Alan I. Abramowitz, "Name Familiarity, Reputation, and the Incumbency Upshot in a Congressional Election," Western Political Quarterly 28 (September 1975): 668–84; Morris P. Fiorina, Congress: Keystone of the Washington Institution (New Haven, CT: Yale, 1977); David R. Mayhew, Congress: The Electoral Connexion (New Oasis, CT: Yale Academy Press, 1974). Successful members excel at constituent serviceMembers of Congress aid people in their habitation districts deal with problems and negotiate authorities bureaucracy. , helping people in the district deal with bug and negotiate the government hierarchy.

Profile of Members

The vast majority of members of Congress are white males from middle- to upper-income groups. A majority are infant boomers, born betwixt 1946 and 1964. The 111th Congress—which coincided with the administration of President Barack Obama, one of the nation's youngest presidents, who took role at age forty-seven—was the oldest in history. In the 112th Congress, the boilerplate age of Firm members is fifty-seven and the average of senators is sixty-two. Most have a college didactics, and many take advanced degrees.Jennifer Eastward. Manning, "Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile," CRS Report for Congress (Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, March 1, 2011).

Gender and Race

Since the 1980s, more women and members of diverse indigenous and racial groups take been elected, but they withal are massively underrepresented. 90-one of the seats in the 112th Congress, or 16 percent, were held by women. These included seventy-4 women in the Business firm and seventeen in the Senate. A record number of forty-4 African Americans served in the Business firm, only in that location were none in the Senate. There were twenty-8 Hispanics in Congress—xx-six in the Business firm and two in the Senate. Thirteen Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and a single Native American were members of Congress.

Women and minority group representation in Congress tin can make a difference in the types of policy issues that are debated. Women members are more likely to focus on bug related to health care, poverty, and education. They have brought media attention to domestic violence and kid custody. Members of minority groups raise issues pertinent to their constituents, such as special cancer risks experienced by Hispanics. The pocket-size number of women and minorities serving tin can hinder their ability to get legislation passed.Michele L. Swers, The Divergence Women Make (Chicago: University of Chicago Printing, 2002).

Wealth

Members of Congress are a wealthy group. More than half of all members in 2009 were millionaires. More than 50 had net worths of over $x 1000000.Albert Bozzo, "Members of U.S. Congress Get Richer Despite Sour Economy," CNBC, November 17, 2010, accessed Dec 12, 2010, http://www.cnbc.com/id/40233691/Members_of_US_Congress_Get_Richer_Despite_Sour_Economy. Members earn a bacon of $174,000; leaders are compensated slightly more.Ida Brudnick and Eric Peterson, Congressional Pay and Perks (Alexandria, VA: TheCapitolNet.com), 2010. While this may seem like a lot of money, most members must maintain residences in Washington, DC, and their districts and must pay for trips back home. Some members take tremendous pay cuts to serve in Congress. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) clustered a fortune of over $40 million equally an executive for a Seattle software company before being elected in 2000.Amy Keller, "The Roll Phone call 50 Richest," Roll Call, September 8, 2003.

Occupations

For many members, serving in Congress is a career. Members of the Business firm serve an average of nine years, or almost 5 terms. Senators average virtually 11 years, or almost two terms. Almost 75 percent of members seek reelection each bike.Gary Jacobson, The Politics of Congressional Elections, 5th ed. (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2002). Members go out office because they seek more lucrative careers, such as in lobbying offices, or because they are prepare to retire or are defeated.

Many members come from backgrounds other than politics, such as medicine, and bring feel from these fields to the lawmaking process. Business, law, and public service have been the dominant professions of members of Congress for decades.David T. Canon, Actors, Athletes, and Astronauts (Chicago: Academy of Chicago Printing, 1990). Members who accept come from nontraditional occupations include an astronaut, a magician, a musician, a professional baseball game player, and a major league football player. Members also come from media backgrounds, including television reporters and an occasional sportscaster. Previous legislative experience is a useful qualification for members. Many were congressional staffers or country legislators in earlier careers.Mildred L. Amer, "Membership of the 108th Congress: A Contour," CRS Written report for Congress, May, 2003.

Members Making News

Because disseminating data and generating publicity are keys to governing, gaining reelection, and moving careers forward, many members of Congress hungrily seek media attention. They use publicity to rally public stance behind their legislative proposals and to keep constituents abreast of their accomplishments. Media attention is particularly important when constituents are deciding whether to retain or replace their member during elections or scandals.R. Douglas Arnold, Congress, the Printing, and Political Accountability (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2004).

Members of Congress toe a sparse line in their relations with the media. While garnering press attention and staying in the public eye may exist a useful strategy, grabbing too much of the media spotlight tin can backfire, earning members a reputation for being more "show horseA fellow member of Congress who actively seeks press attention. " than "work equus caballusA fellow member of Congress who works behind the scenes to comport out the concern of the institution and get legislation passed. " and raising the ire of their colleagues.

Alluring national media attention is easier said than washed for most members.Timothy E. Cook, Making Laws & Making News (Washington, DC: Brookings, 1989). Members appoint a variety of promotional tactics to court the printing. They distribute printing releases and concur press conferences. They use the Capitol's studio facilities to tape television and radio clips that are distributed to journalists via the Internet. Rank-and-file members can increase their visibility by participating in events with prominent leaders. They can stage events or hold joint printing conferences and photo ops.

Testimony

Senator Chuck Schumer Meets the Press

One member of Congress who continually flirts with beingness overexposed in the media is Senator Charles "Chuck" Schumer (D-NY). Known as the consummate "show horse," Schumer has been in public life and the media spotlight since being elected to the New York State Assembly at the age of twenty-three and so to the House of Representatives at twenty-ix. He became a US Senator in 1998 and has declared himself to be a "senator for life," who does non have presidential aspirations. This claim gives him greater liberty to speak his mind in a mode that appeals to his New York constituency without worrying about pleasing a national audition. Schumer comes from pocket-size means—his family unit owned a small pest extermination business organization—and has relied heavily on unpaid publicity to ensure his Senate seat. Over the years, the prolifically outspoken Schumer has earned a reputation for being one of the most notorious media hounds on Capitol Hill as well every bit one of the hardest working senators.

Schumer hails from Brooklyn, to which he attributes his affinity for speaking his mind. "That'southward ane of the benefits of being a Brooklynite. You're a direct shooter with people, and people are back with yous. And sometimes y'all offend people."Mark Leibovich, "The Senator Has the Flooring," Washington Post, August 15, 2005: C01. While his Brooklynese may offend some, information technology generates headlines and plays well in New York, where he hands wins reelection campaigns.

Schumer'south communications staff is one of the busiest on Capitol Colina. Numerous printing releases on a variety of problems affecting his home state and national policy might be issued in a single mean solar day. On the same day he announced legislation that would reverse plans to require passports at the Canadian edge, called for the suspension of President Bush's counselor Karl Rove's security clearance for allegedly revealing the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, and publicized a list of xx-five questions that should be asked of a Supreme Courtroom nominee. This aggressive press strategy prompted his opponent in the 2004 ballot to pledge that he would "establish 25 trees to replace the trees killed concluding twelvemonth to impress Chuck Schumer's printing releases."Mark Leibovich, "The Senator Has the Floor," Washington Post, Baronial xv, 2005: C01.

Schumer's penchant for the media has fabricated him the punch line for numerous jokes by boyfriend members of Congress. Former senator Bob Dole coined 1 of Capitol Loma's favorite quips, "The nigh dangerous place in Washington is between Chuck Schumer and a microphone."Miranda, Manuel, "Behind Schumer'south Ill Humour," The Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2005, Editorial Folio.

Senator Chuck Schumer is a high-profile member of Congress who regularly courts the media.

Members of Congress use new media strategies to inform the public, courtroom the media, and gain publicity. All members have websites that publicize their activities and achievements. Some members make their views know through weblog posts, including in online publications similar TheHill.com and the Huffington Post. More than than 300 members of Congress utilize Twitter to postal service cursory announcements ranging from alerts well-nigh awaiting legislation to shout-outs to constituents who are jubilant anniversaries to Bible verses.

Congressional Staff

Members have personal staffs to help them manage their piece of work load. They also work with committee staff who specialize in detail policy areas. Most Hill staffers are young, white, male, and ambitious. Nearly members maintain a staff in their dwelling house districts to handle constituent service.

Congressional staff has grown substantially since the 1970s every bit the number of policy issues and bills considered by Congress increased. Today, House personal staffs consist of an average of xiv people. Senate staffs range in size from 13 to 70-one and boilerplate about thirty-four people.Roger H. Davidson and Walter J. Oleszek, Congress and Its Members, 8th ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2002). Every bit a result of staff expansion, each member has get the head of an enterprise—an organization of subordinates who form their own community that reflects the personality and strengths of the member.Robert H. Salisbury and Kenneth A. Shepsle, "U.S. Congressman as Enterprise," Legislative Studies Quarterly 6, no. 4 (Nov 1981): 559–76.

Congressional staffers take specialized responsibilities. Some staffers have authoritative responsibilities, such every bit running the function and handling the member's schedule. Others are responsible for assisting members with policy matters. Personal staffers piece of work in conjunction with commission staffers to research and set up legislation. They write speeches and position papers. Some deed as brokers for members, negotiating support for bills and dealing with lobbyists. Staff influence over the legislative procedure can exist significant, as staffers become experts on policies and take the lead on bug behind the scenes.Susan Webb Hammond, "Recent Research on Legislative Staffs," Legislative Studies Quarterly 21, no. 4 (Nov 1996): 543–76.

Some staff members focus on elective service. They spend a tremendous amount of time carefully crafting answers to the mountains of correspondence from constituents that arrives every day via snail mail, electronic mail, fax, and phone. People write to express their views on legislation, to seek information about policies, and to express their pleasure or dissatisfaction about a member's actions. They likewise contact members to ask for help with personal matters, such as immigration problems, or to alert members of potential public wellness menaces, such as faulty wiring in a large apartment building in the district.

Members of Congress resisted using electronic mail to communicate until contempo years. Members were not assigned electronic mail addresses until 1995. Despite the daunting alluvion of messages, electronic mail has helped congressional offices communicate with constituents efficiently. While the franking privilegeThe power of Congress members to post postal service without cost. , members' ability to post mail without price, is still important, due east-mail service has reduced the significance of this perk.

All members of Congress take press secretaries to coordinate their interactions with the media. They bring a journalistic perspective to congressional offices, acting every bit consultants in devising media strategies. In recent years, the press secretary'southward chore has expanded to include using social media to publicize the member'south deportment and positions. A press secretary for a publicity-seeking member who faces tough reelection bids constantly courts the media, making personal contacts, writing press releases, staging photo ops and events, and helping the member prepare video and audio interviews. The press secretary constantly updates the member'southward Facebook and Twitter messages and YouTube videos. A printing secretary for a member in a secure seat who prefers a low-fundamental media presence concentrates on maintaining contact with constituents through newsletters and the member's website.

Key Takeaways

In contempo years, the membership of Congress has become increasingly diverse, every bit more than women and minority group members have been elected. Nevertheless, the dominant profile of the member of Congress is an older, white male. In addition to their ramble duties, members of Congress engage in a host of other activities, many of which are related to getting reelected. Members strive to maintain close connections with their constituents while serving in Washington. They seek to publicize their activities through the mainstream press too equally social media. Congressional staffers aid members in keeping abreast of policy bug, performing constituent service, and dealing with the press.

Exercises

Who represents you in Congress? How do they compare with the typical fellow member of Congress?
How tin members of Congress attract media attention? What are the dangers of trying likewise hard for media attention?