Congressional Reform INTRODUCTION This study examined the

This study examined the concept of, need for, nature of, and prospects for congressional reform. In this initial chapter of the study, the role of Congress in American politics, a definition of reform, and the need for congressional reform are addressed. The functioning of Congress is addressed in the second chapter of the study, while congressional reform is addressed in chapters three, four, and five. Subjects for reform are covered in Chapter 3, past reforms are reviewed in Chapter 4, and the probable effects of congressional reform are considered in Chapter 5. The probability of congressional reform is assessed in Chapter 6, while the conclusions of the study are presented in the final chapter.

The powers of Congress are established in Article I of the Constitution of the United States, wherein all constitutionally granted powers are vested in the Congress. Section 8 of Article I specifies 18 specific powers vested in Congress, while Section 9 enumerates eight prohibitions against congressional action.

While the outcomes of the ongoing battle between the executive and legislative branches of American government are often said to be trending in favor of the president, "Presidential government is rate in American politics."1 By and large, presidents either cooperate with Congress, or governmental stalemate occurs.

1Nigel Bowles, The White House and Capitol Hill (Oxford, England: Clarendon Pre

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to demands for congressional reform. In the contemporary period, fundamentalist religious groups are notorious in this context.18 Since the mid 1960s, the fundamentalist religious bodies have enjoyed phenomenal growth in the United States.19 This growth has been achieved in the face of generally declining memberships for most of the mainline religious bodies. While the fundamentalist bodies are far from having a majority of the American population as members, their growth has both provided them with some legitimacy as political forces and has provided them with increased confidence.20 As a minority force, however, they would remain somewhat ineffectual, if it were not for the peculiarities of the American system of representative government. The fundamentalist religious bodies see their religious "rights" as outweighing all other rights; therefore, they are quite willing to pursue objectives which are opposed by the majority in American society.21 This philosophy provides the impetus for their actions in relation to school prayer. The fact that they can use their members as voting blocs provides them with a power which their members would not possess, if all policies in the United 18Jeffrey K. Hadden, and Ans

Category: Government - C