Report Says Congress Is More Diverse and More Divided

The 113th Congress is the most diverse in its history, and if recent voting patterns are a guide, it also could be among the most polarized, according to a biannual assessment of the legislative branch.

The report, called Vital Statistics on Congress, which was released on Tuesday, notes that the current Congress comprises a record number of women (96), African-Americans (42) and Hispanics (31), but remains a predominantly white, male institution.

It also argues that the divide between the parties has created an environment that does not allow Congress to operate in a routine manner, or by its own rules, according to Thomas E. Mann of the Brookings Institution, who for more than 30 years has collaborated with Norman J. Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute to analyze Congressional data and issue the report.

“The most striking feature of the contemporary Congress is extreme partisan polarization, which has reached the level not seen in well over a century,” Mr. Mann said in a video published with the report.

In 2012, party unity votes in the House stood at 72.8 percent, up from about 54.5 percent in 2006. Roll-call votes in support of the president’s agenda by members of the opposition were below 50 percent.

In addition to voting records, the report also examined the makeup of Congress by region, party, occupation, religion, committee assignments, staff size and political stances.

Among its other findings:

- There has been a dramatic decline in the number of veterans serving in Congress over the past half-century. From the end of World War II to the close of the gulf war, the majority of members of the House and Senate had served in the military. But today, barely a fifth of the members of Congress identify as veterans.

- Before 2003, more members of the House said they worked in law than any other sector, besides the military, before winning their seats. Now more members identify as having worked in the business or banking sector, or public service or politics. In the 113th Congress, 187 members said they worked in business and banking, whereas 156 said they worked in law. Only 89 member identify as having served in the military, while 184 said they worked in public service or politics before winning their seats. In the Senate, more members identify as having worked in law than any other profession.

- Democrats have steadily increased their influence in the Northeast for the last 20 years, particularly in New England, where they hold all 21 House seats, up from approximately two-thirds of the seats in 1992. In the Senate, Democrats in the region grew, from holding 12.5 percent of the seats in 1992 to 15 percent of the seats in 2012.

- Despite a reduction in the number of competitive districts because of redistricting, $330 million more was spent on House races in 2012 than Senate races, according to data provided by the Campaign Finance Institute. In total, $923.5 million was spent on House races in 2012, up almost $400 million in 10 years and $587.5 million was spent on Senate races, a $300 million increase since 2002.

- The spending data also revealed that in the House, the average spending for a Democratic member was about $1 million and $1.3 for a Republican. In comparison, the average spending for a Democrat in the Senate was $10.8 million in 2012 and $8.4 for a Republican.

Nessie Surfaces to Make You Sound Better

Nessie stands about 10 inches high and plugs into a USB slot.

Blue Microphones has made a number of quality USB microphones for broadcasters, podcasters or anyone who wants their audio recordings to sound better than the typical laptop or desktop mic allows.

But to get that professional sound takes some accessories and post-production expertise. Enter Blue Microphones’ Nessie, a $100 mic that adjusts itself to give you professional-style sound at a moderate price.

Nessie, presumably named for its profile, which (if you squint) vaguely resembles the Loch Ness Monster, stands about 10 inches high and has a weighted base that makes it tip the scales at about a pound and a half.

It plugs into a USB slot and requires no special software drivers, although you will need a recording program, of course.

The mic has three settings, one for voice, one for music and one raw, enhancement audio. There is a 3.5mm plug so you can listen to the sound directly from the mic through your headphones (the fancy term is a “zero latency” connection), and there is a mute button. When it’s on, a light in the base pulses.

In a test, the voice mode certainly gave my speech a professional sound, deepening it and making it richer. The music setting was subtly sharper sounding, a tad more clear. The raw setting, which would be best if you wanted to add your own enhancements later, produced a less engaging sound.

There is some room for improvement. The built-in pop filter is good, but isn’t foolproof, so you do have to keep a proper distance from the mic.

In my test model, Nessie’s adjustable head would occasionally droop on its own - perhaps saying, “test, test” repeatedly lulled it to sleep. There was also a problem with an intermittent connection, causing Nessie to just stop recording.

The company said that mine was a very early model, and that they are working to insure the head’s hinge is as tight as a computer screen hinge. No one else had experienced intermittent sound, a spokesman said. In either case, I was told, the company would replace a faulty mic.

I can’t quibble about the sound quality though, droopy head or no.

Nessie Surfaces to Make You Sound Better

Nessie stands about 10 inches high and plugs into a USB slot.

Blue Microphones has made a number of quality USB microphones for broadcasters, podcasters or anyone who wants their audio recordings to sound better than the typical laptop or desktop mic allows.

But to get that professional sound takes some accessories and post-production expertise. Enter Blue Microphones’ Nessie, a $100 mic that adjusts itself to give you professional-style sound at a moderate price.

Nessie, presumably named for its profile, which (if you squint) vaguely resembles the Loch Ness Monster, stands about 10 inches high and has a weighted base that makes it tip the scales at about a pound and a half.

It plugs into a USB slot and requires no special software drivers, although you will need a recording program, of course.

The mic has three settings, one for voice, one for music and one raw, enhancement audio. There is a 3.5mm plug so you can listen to the sound directly from the mic through your headphones (the fancy term is a “zero latency” connection), and there is a mute button. When it’s on, a light in the base pulses.

In a test, the voice mode certainly gave my speech a professional sound, deepening it and making it richer. The music setting was subtly sharper sounding, a tad more clear. The raw setting, which would be best if you wanted to add your own enhancements later, produced a less engaging sound.

There is some room for improvement. The built-in pop filter is good, but isn’t foolproof, so you do have to keep a proper distance from the mic.

In my test model, Nessie’s adjustable head would occasionally droop on its own - perhaps saying, “test, test” repeatedly lulled it to sleep. There was also a problem with an intermittent connection, causing Nessie to just stop recording.

The company said that mine was a very early model, and that they are working to insure the head’s hinge is as tight as a computer screen hinge. No one else had experienced intermittent sound, a spokesman said. In either case, I was told, the company would replace a faulty mic.

I can’t quibble about the sound quality though, droopy head or no.

Heinz Kerry’s Condition Continues to Improve

WASHINGTON â€" Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of Secretary of State John Kerry, is improving in a Boston hospital and doctors have ruled out a heart attack, stroke or brain tumor, the State Department said Tuesday. Mrs. Heinz Kerry experienced a seizure-like episode over the weekend.

Mr. Kerry, who has been at his wife’s side since she was flown from Nantucket to Boston on Sunday, decided to return to Washington briefly on Tuesday for the previously scheduled opening of a strategic and economic dialogue between the United States and China. Other family members remained with her at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The department confirmed that Mrs. Heinz Kerry experienced symptoms similar to a seizure on Sunday on Nantucket, where she and her husband have a vacation home. While the department said doctors had ruled out several common causes of seizures, it did not say whether doctors had identified the cause â€" and suggested it might not reveal the cause when it is known.

“The family does not anticipate making any further statements until Mrs. Heinz Kerry is discharged from the hospital,” said Glen Johnson, a spokesman for the secretary. “However, the secretary, his wife, their children, grandchildren and extended family want to say a profound thank you to everyone who has reached out and offered their best wishes.”

Video: What’s Next for Perry?

Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor of Texas, announced on Monday that he would not seek another term but would instead “pray and reflect and work to determine my own future path.” Could that path lead to Pennsylvania Avenue? Our partners at The Texas Tribune report.

After Recess, House Democrats Seek Path Forward on Immigration

The message from Congressional Democrats on Tuesday was sharp and clear: Any immigration bill that passes the House of Representatives must include a pathway to citizenship.

Returning from recess this week after the Senate passed a broad bill that would overhaul the nation’s immigration laws, House Democrats huddled with the four Democratic senators who helped draft the original bill, completing plans to help push immigration legislation through the Republican-controlled House.

The bottom line? “Without a path to citizenship, there is not going to be a bill,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York and a member of the bipartisan group of senators that wrote the Senate legislation. “There can’t be a bill.”

Mr. Schumer added that heading to a conference committee between the House and Senate without a path to citizenship would be “a path to a cul-de-sac, to no immigration bill.”

In Tuesday morning’s meeting, according to an aide familiar with Mr. Schumer’s remarks, the senator outlined what he described as Speaker John A. Boehner’s five possible options for handling the issue â€" doing nothing; opting for a piecemeal approach of several separate but related immigration bills; passing a comprehensive bill that does not include a path to citizenship; passing a comprehensive bill that does include a path to citizenship that is different, and likely stricter, than the one offered in the Senate bill; or taking up the legislation that has passed the Senate.

The thinking, Democratic aides said, is that if Democrats hold back their support for any legislation that does not include a citizenship component, House Republicans, faced with a core group of conservative members who oppose almost any immigration bill, will be unable to pass something on their own.

In a sign of mounting conservative opposition, William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard, and Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, penned a joint blog post Tuesday called “Kill the Bill,” in which they urged House Republicans to “kill it without reservation,” adding, “There’s no rush to act on immigration.”

On Wednesday, House Republicans are scheduled to hold a special full conference meeting to discuss the best way forward on immigration. The issue has especially vexed them since the 2012 presidential elections, when Mitt Romney lost Hispanic voters to President Obama by 71 percent to 27 percent.

Representative Zoe Lofgren, Democrat of California and a member of a bipartisan group in the House hoping to unveil a broad immigration plan shortly, also spoke during Tuesday’s meeting. According to an aide present in the room, Ms. Lofgren warned against a piecemeal approach, pointing to the five immigration bills that have already passed through House committees, largely on party-line votes. Those bills, she said, according to the aide, are not compromise pieces of legislation.

Speaking after the meeting, Representative Xavier Becerra, Democrat of California and a member of the bipartisan House group, again stressed that a path to citizenship was critical to any House plan.

“We hope our Republican colleagues in the House will be ready to reach across the aisle to work with us, because I don’t believe that the House of Representatives can pass any major immigration reform without Democratic support,” he said. “I don’t see how Speaker Boehner and the House Republicans can pass real immigration reform that fixes the broken immigration system without Democratic votes.”

Better Sound From Your Smartphone

The Vamp Verza headphone amplifier from V-Moda.

When V-Moda introduced its Vamp headphone amplifier last year, it won over critics and fans by offering richer, more lustrous sound.

But the Vamp worked only with the iPhone 4 and 4S, which limited its usefulness. Aiming for greater versatility, V-Moda created the Vamp Verza, for iOS as well as Android devices.

In a nutshell, the Vamp bypasses a device’s digital-to-audio converter and runs music through its own high-fidelity processor. The result is noticeably better sound with clear vocals and firmer bass. The amp also has a lithium-ion battery that can provide power to your smartphone.

The original Vamp cradled an iPhone in a case with a dock, making it a single unit. The updated Vamp Verza has no case, just a strong rubber band and some micro-USB cables to connect the amplifier to any device, even a Mac or PC.

For those who don’t care for the hard-core look of a phone strapped to an amplifier, V-Moda offers the Metallo case for the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3. Each case has a removable back plate that allows the case to slide onto the Vamp Verza and lock into place. Made of lightweight, anodized aluminum, the case looks gorgeous.

But all that aural and visual beauty comes at a cost. For starters, there’s the price tag: $598 for the Vamp Verza and $101 for the Metallo case. Ouch!

But there are other trade-offs. The Vamp Verza does not have a touch screen or an app, which would make the controls easier to maneuver. The amp has several external switches and buttons that serve to intensify the sound, but don’t include play or pause functions. The Metallo case provides little protection from shocks and bumps, and once the phone is finally locked into place (a process that involves four tiny screws and an Allen wrench), it’s awfully hard to remove.

Over all, the Vamp Verza stands out for creating a pure listening experience; however, this device was made not for the masses, but for producers, musicians and other audio connoisseurs.

Q&A: Setting Up Gmail Securely

Q.

I’m trying to download my Gmail into the Apple Mail program on a new Mac and I’m getting an error when I try to set up the account. I have Gmail’s extra verification turned on, but there’s no place in the Mac’s Mail program to enter the security code they send to my phone. What can I do?

A.

Google’s two-step verification feature can trip up mail-setup scripts that are not equipped to handle anything more than just a standard password. In this situation â€" or if you have recently turned on two-step verification and found your mail program or devices can no longer get Gmail â€" you need to log into your Gmail account in the Web and set up an “application-specific password.”

You can find Google’s step-by-step instructions for using application-specific passwords here and a YouTube video demonstration online as well. Once you log into your account and go to your security settings, you can get to the application-specific passwords area. Here, you can type in a name for the application (like “Apple Mail”) and click a button to generate a lengthy one-time password to type into the Mail program’s password box.

Google’s site has a troubleshooting page that guides you through setting up other types of mail software to send and receive messages from your Gmail account. The page also includes links to guides for programs besides Apple Mail, like Microsoft Outlook, Windows Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird and mail programs for Android, BlackBerry and iOS devices.

How Much Does a House Seat Cost?

Winning a House seat in 2012 cost the victor on average twice as much as it did a quarter-century ago: about $1.6 million, compared with about $753,000 in 1986.

That increase is striking, given that most House races are not as competitive as they once were. The rise in spending is concentrated in a relatively small, and shrinking, number of battlegrounds. The phenomenon is illustrated by comprehensive data released on Tuesday by two Washington research groups.

Republicans and Democrats hold a similar number of safe seats, so it is conceivable that the House could change hands each election, said Thomas E. Mann of the Brookings Institution, who compiled the data with his longtime collaborator, Norman J. Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute.

“Ironically, as competition for individual seats has declined, competition for the majority has increased,” Mr. Mann said. “And we’ve had more turnover than we had before.”

In 2012, the 256 incumbents who were re-elected by more than 60 percent of the vote - meaning they came from a safe district â€" spent an average of $1.3 million, while their long-shot challengers (171 of them) spent $154,000.

Compare that with the 100 incumbents in swing states who held on to their seats with less than 60 percent: They spent an average of $2.3 million, and their challengers spent $93,000.

It is more expensive for a House incumbent to lose: the 32 ousted representatives spent an average of $3.1 million trying to keep their seats, while their challengers spent $2.5 million.

All those figures represent money spent by the candidates themselves, without factoring in the ever-rising flood of funds spent by the political parties and independent groups like “super PACs.” And the swing-state incumbents are getting plenty of fund-raising help, Mr. Mann said.

“There’s a tremendous redistribution of money from, if you will, safe incumbents to unsafe ones, and that can be done by the parties,” Mr. Mann said. Entrenched members of Congress are also urged to donate their unneeded campaign funds to other candidates or to the political parties to spend where they see fit.

Senate seats were also more expensive than ever in 2012: the average cost was $10.4 million for victorious candidates. But since only one-third of the seats are decided in elections every two years, the numbers vary based on the sizes of the states.

So the 2012 number was slightly higher than the earlier record, in 2006, when victorious candidates from a virtually identical batch of states spent an average of $10.1 million, adjusted for inflation.