ABSTRACT
Congress is a dynamic institution. Since the country’s founding, the U.S. Congress has steadily evolved in response to the changing political landscape. Although certain similarities exist to the early congresses, much has changed across the two legislative chambers over the past 200+ years. In addition to procedural changes, competitive elections regularly bring new members to both the House and Senate. Consider the recent 2010 election, which resulted in the biggest turnover at the midterm for either party since 1938. After four years of Democratic control, the Republicans regained majority status in the House of Representatives and will have to work in the next two years with a Democratic President and Senate. The 112th Congress will also be one of the most polarized in history, harking back to levels of partisan polarization that have not been seen in this country since the Civil War. When one factors in the current budget deficits, debates over taxes, and the lingering economic turmoil in the nation, it is clear that Congress will continue to play a central role in politics in the years to come.
