Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T03:32:21.742Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Effects of Gender on Winnowing in the U.S. House of Representatives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2016

Victoria A. Rickard*
Affiliation:
University of Oklahoma

Abstract

Notwithstanding the importance of winnowing, scholars have devoted little attention to deciphering and systematically explaining the effects that gender may have on determining which small proportion of bills ultimately receive committee attention from the thousands that are introduced every legislative session. Building on past research evincing gendered differences in legislative behavior and effectiveness, this study analyzes the 111th and 112th Congresses in order to ascertain the extent to which gender affects winnowing in the U.S. House of Representatives. The findings suggest that female lawmakers are working hard to achieve legislative success by sponsoring a greater number of bills than their male colleagues, but that their efforts are not being similarly rewarded. Female sponsored bills fail to progress past the winnowing stage at rates comparable to male sponsored bills. Thus, policymaking may be skewed toward the preferences of male lawmakers despite the numeric and positional gains of women in the U.S. Congress.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anzia, Sarah F. and Berry, Christopher R.. 2011. “The Jackie (and Jill) Robinson Effect: Why do Congresswomen Outperform Congressmen?American Journal of Political Science 55 (3): 478–93.Google Scholar
Arnold, Laura W., and King, Barbara M.. 2002. “Women, Committees, and Institutional Change in the Senate.” In Congress in Women Transforming Congress, ed. Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.Google Scholar
Balla, Steven J., and Nemacheck, Christine L.. 2000. “Position Taking, Legislative Signaling, and Non-Expert Extremism: Cosponsorship of Managed Care Legislation in the 105th House of Representatives.” Congress and the Presidency 27 (2): 163–88.Google Scholar
Barnello, Michelle A., and Bratton, Kathleen A.. 2007. “Bridging the Gender Gap in Bill Sponsorship.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 32 (3): 449–74.Google Scholar
Baumgartner, Frank, and Jones, Brian. 1993. Agendas and Instabilities in American Politics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Google Scholar
Berkman, Michael B., and O'Connor, Robert. 1993. “Do Women Legislators Matter? Female Legislators and State Abortion Policy.” American Politics Quarterly 21 (1): 102–24.Google Scholar
Blair, Diane D., and Stanley, Jeanie R.. 1991. “Personal Relationships and Legislative Power: Male and Female Perceptions.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 16 (4): 495507.Google Scholar
Bratton, Kathleen A. 2002. “The Effect of Legislative Diversity on Agenda-Setting: Evidence From Six State Legislatures.” American Politics Research (formerly American Politics Quarterly) 30 (2): 115–42.Google Scholar
Bratton, Kathleen A. 2005. “Critical Mass Theory Revisited: The Behavior and Success of Token Women in State Legislatures.” Politics and Gender 1 (1): 97125.Google Scholar
Bratton, Kathleen A., and Haynie, Kerry L.. 1999. “Agenda Setting and Legislative Success in State Legislatures: The Effects of Gender and Race.” The Journal of Politics 61 (3): 658–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burrell, Barbara. 1994. A Woman's Place is in the House. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar
Cannon, David T. 1999. Race, Redistricting, and Representation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Carey, John M., Niemi, Richard G., and Powell, Lynda W.. 1998. “Are Women State Legislators Different?” In Women and Elective Office: Past, Present, and Future, ed. Thomas, Sue and Wilcox, Clyde. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Carroll, Susan J. 2001. “Representing Women: Women State Legislators as Agents of Policy-Related Change.” In The Impact of Women in Public Office, ed. Carroll, Susan J.. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Google Scholar
Crowley, Jocelyn E. 2004. “When Tokens Matter.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 29 (1): 109136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodson, Debra, and Carroll, Susan J.. 1991. Reshaping the Agenda in Office. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Center for the American Woman and Politics.Google Scholar
Dolan, Kathleen. 1998. “Voting for Women in the ‘Year of the Woman.’American Journal of Political Science 42 (1): 272–93.Google Scholar
Dolan, Kathleen, and Ford, Lynne E.. 1995. “Women in the State Legislatures: Feminist Identity and Legislative Behavior.” American Politics Quarterly 23 (1): 96108.Google Scholar
Duerst-Lahti, Georgia, and Johnson, Cathy Marie. 1990. “Gender and Style in Bureaucracy.” Women and Politics 10 (4): 67120 Google Scholar
Eichenberg, Richard C. 2003. “Gender Differences in Public Attitudes toward the Use of Force by the United States, 1990–2003.” International Security 28 (2): 110–41.Google Scholar
Epstein, Michael J., Niemi, Richard G., and Powell, Lynda W.. 2005. “Do Women and Men State Legislators Differ?” In Women and Elective Office: Past, Present, and Future, ed. Thomas, Sue and Wilcox, Clyde. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gelb, Joyce, and Palley, Marian Lief. 1996. Women and Public Policies: Reassessing Gender Politics. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press.Google Scholar
Gerrity, Jessica C., Osborn, Tracy, and Mendez, Jeanette Morehouse. 2007. “Women and Representation: A Different View of the District?Politics and Gender 3 (2): 179200.Google Scholar
Hawkesworth, Mary. 2003. “Congressional Enactments of Race-Gender: Toward a Theory of Raced-Gendered Institutions.” American Political Science Review 97 (4): 529–50.Google Scholar
Jewell, Malcolm E., and Whicker, Marcia L.. 1995. Legislative Leadership in the American States. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar
Jeydel, Alana, and Taylor, Andrew. 2003. “Are Women Legislators Less Effective? Evidence from the U.S. House in the 103rd–105th Congress.” Political Research Quarterly 56 (1): 1927.Google Scholar
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. 1977. “Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life: Skewed Sex Ratios and Responses to Token Women.” American Journal of Sociology 82 (5): 965–90.Google Scholar
Kathlene, Lyn. 1994. “Power and Influence in State Legislative Policymaking: The Interaction of Gender and Position in Committee Hearing Debates.” American Political Science Review 88 (3): 560–76.Google Scholar
Kathlene, Lyn. 2005. “In A Different Voice: Women and the Policy Process.” In Women and Elective Office: Past, Present, and Future, ed. Thomas, Sue and Wilcox, Clyde. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kelly, Rita Mae, and Duerst-Lahti, Georgia. 1995. “The Study of Gender Power and Its Link to Governance and Leadership.” In Gender Power, Leadership, and Government, ed. Duerst-Lahti, Georgia and Kelly., Rita Mae Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.Google Scholar
Kenney, Sally J. 1996. “New Research on Gendered Political Institutions.” Political Research Quarterly 49 (2): 445466.Google Scholar
Kessler, Daniel, and Krehbiel, Keith. 1996. “Dynamics of Cosponsorship.” American Political Science Review 90 (3): 555566.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kingdon, John. 1995. Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies, 2nd ed. New York: Harper Collins.Google Scholar
Koger, Gregory. 2003. “Position-Taking and Cosponsorship in the U.S. House.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 28 (2): 225–46.Google Scholar
Krutz, Glen S. 2005. “Issues and Institutions: ‘Winnowing’ in the U.S. Congress.” American Journal of Political Science 49 (2): 313–26.Google Scholar
Landis, J. Richard, and Koch, Gary G.. 1977. “The Measurement of Observer Agreement for Categorical Data.” Biometrics 33 (1): 159–74.Google Scholar
MacDonald, Jason A., and O'Brien, Erin E.. 2011. “Quasi-Experimental Design, Constituency, and Advancing Women's Interests: Reexamining the Influence of Gender on Substantive Representation.” Political Research Quarterly 64 (2): 472–86.Google Scholar
Manning, Jennifer E. 2010. Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile. Congressional Research Service Report for Congress.Google Scholar
Manning, Jennifer E. 2011. Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile. Congressional Research Service Report for Congress.Google Scholar
Moeller, Megan. 2010. “Something for the Ladies: The Impact of Women on the House Judiciary Committee.” Presented at the APSA Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1657235 (accessed August 31, 2016).Google Scholar
Murphy, Patricia. 1997. “Gender Differences: Message for Science Learning.” In Growing Up With Science: Developing Early Understanding of Science, ed. Härnqvist, Kjell and Sir Burgen, Arnold. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Google Scholar
Norton, Edward C., Wang, Hua, and Ai, Chunrong. 2004. “Computing Interaction Effects and Standard Errors in Logit and Probit models.” STATA Journal 4 (2): 154–67.Google Scholar
Page, Benjamin I., and Shapiro, Robert Y.. 1992. The Rational Public: Fifty Years of Trends in Americans’ Policy Preferences. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Poggione, Sarah. 2004. “Exploring Gender Differences in State Legislators’ Policy Preferences.” Political Research Quarterly 57 (2): 305–14.Google Scholar
Preuhs, Robert. 2006. “The Conditional Effects of Minority Descriptive Representation: Black Legislators and Policy Influence in the American States.” Journal of Politics 68 (3): 585–99.Google Scholar
Reingold, Beth. 1992. “Concepts of Representation among Female and Male State Legislators.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 17 (4): 509–37.Google Scholar
Reingold, Beth. 1996. “Conflict and Cooperation: Legislative Strategies and Concepts of Power Among Female and Male State Legislators.” Journal of Politics 58 (2): 464–85.Google Scholar
Reingold, Beth. 2000. Representing Women: Sex, Gender, and Legislative Behavior in Arizona and California. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. 1998. When Women Lead. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. 2000. “Gender Styles in State Legislative Committees: Raising Their Voices in Resolving Conflict.” Women & Politics 21(2): 2145.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. 2002. “Introduction.” In Congress in Women Transforming Congress, ed. Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.Google Scholar
Saint-Germain, Michelle. 1989. “Does Their Difference Make a Difference? The Impact of Women on Public Policy in the Arizona State Legislature.” Social Science Quarterly 70 (4): 959–69.Google Scholar
Sanbonmatsu, Kira. 2003. “Gender-Related Political Knowledge and the Descriptive Representation of Women.” Political Behavior 25 (4): 367–88.Google Scholar
Shapiro, Robert Y., and Mahajan, Harpreet. 1986. “Gender Differences in Policy Preferences: A Summary of Trends from the 1960s to the 1980s.” Public Opinion Quarterly 50 (1): 4261.Google Scholar
Swers, Michele L. 1998. “Are Women More Likely to Vote for Women's Issue Bills than Their Male Colleagues?Legislative Studies Quarterly 23 (3): 435–48.Google Scholar
Swers, Michele L. 2001. “Understanding the Policy Impact of Electing Women: Evidence from Research on Congress and State Legislatures.” PS: Political Science and Politics 34 (2): 217–20.Google Scholar
Swers, Michele L. 2002. The Difference Women Make: The Policy Impact of Women in Congress. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Swers, Michele L. 2005. “Connecting Descriptive and Substantive Representation: An Analysis of Sex Differences in Cosponsorship Activity.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 30 (3): 407–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tamerius, Karin L. 1995. “Sex, Gender, and Leadership in the Representation of Women.” In Gender Power, Leadership, and Governance, ed. Duerst-Lahti, Georgia and Kelly, Rita Mae. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, Sue. 1991. “The Impact of Women on State Legislative Politics.” Journal of Politics 53: 958–76.Google Scholar
Thomas, Sue. 1994. How Women Legislate. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, Sue and Welch, Susan. 1991. “The Impact of Gender on Activities and Priorities of State Legislators.” The Western Political Quarterly 44 (2): 445–56Google Scholar
Thomas, Sue and Welch, Susan. 2001. “The Impact of Women in States Legislatures: Numerical and Organizational Strength.” In The Impact of Women in Public Office, ed. Carroll, Susan. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, Sue, and Wilcox, Clyde. 2005. Women and Elective Office: Past, Present, and Future, ed. Thomas, Sue and Wilcox, Clyde. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Tobin, Maurice B., and Shaffer, Joan, eds. 1986. Hidden Power: The Seniority System and Other Customs of Congress. New York: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Tolleson-Rinehart, Sue. 1991. “Do Women Leaders Make a Difference? Substance, Style and Perceptions.” In Gender and Policymaking: Studies of Women in Office, ed. Debra, L. Dodson. New Brunswick, NJ: Center for the American Woman and Politics, Rutgers University.Google Scholar
Volden, Craig, and Wiseman, Alan E.. 2009. “Legislative Effectiveness in Congress.” Working Paper, The Ohio State University.Google Scholar
Volden, Craig, Wiseman, Alan E., and Wittmer, Dana E.. 2013a. “When are Women More Effective Lawmakers Than Men?American Journal of Political Science 57 (2): 326–41.Google Scholar
Volden, Craig, Wiseman, Alan E., and Wittmer, Dana E.. 2013b. “Women's Issues and Their Fates in Congress.” CSDI Working Paper: 07-2013, Vanderbilt University.Google Scholar
Wilson, Rick K., and Young, Cheryl D.. 1997. “Cosponsorship in the U.S. Congress.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 22 (1): 2544.Google Scholar
Wilson, Woodrow W. 1963 [1885]. Congressional Government: A Study in American Politics. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.Google Scholar
Wolbrecht, Christina. 2000. The Politics of Women's Rights: Parties, Positions, and Change. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Wolbrecht, Christina. 2002. “Female Legislators and the Women's Rights Agenda: From Feminine Mystique to Feminist Era.” In Women Transforming Congress, ed. Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Rickard supplementary material

Online Appendix

Download Rickard supplementary material(File)
File 114.4 KB