Inside the House Former Members Reveal How Congress Really Works

by Frey, Lou, Jr.; Hayes, Michael T.; Mazzoli, Romano L.; Holtzman, Elizabeth; Garcia, Robert; Smith, Denny; Symington, James W.; Sundquist, Don; Rhodes, Jay; Downey, Tom; McCloskey, Pete; McCarthy, Eugene J.; Sickles, Carlton R.; LaRocco, Christine B.; Hoch

• ISBN13: 9780761819370
• ISBN10: 0761819371
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-02-01
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

This is the first book that looks at how the U.S. House of Representatives really works, by drawing on the insights and experiences of former members. Chapters address every aspect of life in the House, from running for Congress to the impact on family life.

Table of Contents

Preface
Lou Frey, Jr.
Introduction
Michael Hayes
Part One Making a Difference
Ron, What Really Did You Do for a Living All Those Years in Washington?	1	(12)
Romano L. Mazzoli
The Youngest Woman Elected to Congress	13	(6)
Elizabeth Holtzman
Constituencies within Congress: The Experiences of an Hispanic Congressman	19	(8)
Robert Garcia
A Republican Hawk Takes on the Pentagon	27	(7)
Denny Smith
Part Two Getting Elected and Settling In
The Lure of Politics	34	(5)
James W. Symington
Mr. Sundquist Goes to Washington	39	(2)
Don Sundquist
Settling Into Washington as A First-Term Representative	41	(3)
Jay Rhodes
Tales from the House Gymnasium	44	(5)
Tom Downey
What Can a New Member Accomplish?	49	(5)
Pete McCloskey
Old Advice for New members of Congress	54	(3)
Eugene J. McCarthy
Congressman-At-Large: Representing the State of Maryland	57	(5)
Carlton R. Sickles
Part Three The Personal Side of Life in the House
Family Life in Washington: The Spouse's Perspective	62	(17)
Christine B. LaRocco
Dynamic Duo: A Marriage Devoted to Public Service	79	(8)
George J. Hochbrueckner
Religious Idealism and Reality in Congressional Polities	87	(5)
Jim Wright
The Impeachment of Richard Nixon: A Personal Recollection	92	(8)
Lawrence J. Hogan
Never Quite Over the Hill: Working as a Congressional Staffer	100	(10)
Joe Bartlett
Part Four Political Parties and the Life of the House
Party Government in Canada	110	(8)
The Late Eugene A. Forsey
How Political Parties Shape the Policy Decisions of Congress	118	(5)
William C. Cramer
Challenges That Speakers Face	123	(13)
Jim Wright
The Job of the Minority Leader	136	(3)
John J. Rhodes
Crossing the Party Line: My Life as a Republican...And a Democrat	139	(10)
Peter A. Peyser
Wielding Influence as a Conservative Democrat	149	(3)
G. V. ``Sonny'' Montgomery
Part Five Serving on Committees in Congress
Congress and Ways & Means	152	(5)
Barber Conable
The Appropriations Committee	157	(5)
R. Lawrence Coughlin
Forty-Eight Hours in the Life of a Congressional Appropriator	162	(5)
William Lehman
A Ranking Member of a Committee of the U.S. Congress	167	(10)
John N. Erlenborn
Power in the U.S. House and the Florida State Senate	177	(7)
Harry Johnston
Part Six The Member's Environment: Interest Groups, Constituents, and the Media
Questions People Ask Me About Representation	184	(8)
Lou Frey, Jr.
The Role of Mail in Decisions in Congress	192	(7)
Orval Hansen
Lobbies and Political Action Committees: A Congressman's Perspective	199	(15)
G. William Whitehurst
Soft Behavior Responses: How Legislators Serve Lobbyists in the Shadows of Capitol Hill	214	(11)
Burt Levine
Congress and the Media	225	(8)
Otis Pike
Dealing with the Press	233	(5)
Lou Frey, Jr.
Part Seven Congress and Policy-Making
A Look at the Rules of the House	238	(7)
Robert S. Walker
Taking on AT&T: Rewriting the Communications Act	245	(5)
Lionel Van Deerlin
Legislative Entrepreneurship: Different Strategies for Different Issues	250	(13)
Lou Frey, Jr.
Congress in Foreign Affairs	263	(7)
John S. Monagan
Changes in the Role of Congress in Foreign Affairs	270	(4)
Lee H. Hamilton
The Legislator's Role in Defense	274	(5)
H. Martin Lancaster
Congress and the Pentagon: Civil-Military Relations for a New Millennium	279	(11)
Glen Browder
Part Eight The Evolution of Congress
Early History and Development of the United States Congress	290	(7)
Clarence J. Brown
A Governor's Reflections on Life in the U.S. House	297	(3)
Don Sundquist
Congress-It Used to Work	300	(6)
Eugene J. McCarthy
Partisan Memories: Watergate Revisited	306	(7)
Lou Frey, Jr., with Michael Hayes
Contributors	313