This course seeks to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Congress as both a representative and policymaking institution. The course is an ``introduction" in that the material does not require any prior knowledge of the U.S. Congress. Initially, the readings focus on questions of representation, namely how electoral incentives shape legislative behavior. With that foundation, the second half of the course examines how the institutional structure translates these representational aspects into policymaking. By the end of the semester students should be able to: 1. understand how questions of institutional design impact both the pace and nature of policy change over time; 2. demonstrate a broad knowledge of legislative processes; and 3. develop an integrative, rather than insular, view of Congress and American politics more broadly.