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Congress #6

Congress #6. How a Bill becomes a Law. Idea: Let the Chickens Go!. A member of Congress must sponsor (support) a piece of legislation President can only initiate an idea. Types of legislation:. Bill : proposed law Resolutions : Concurrent Res : not a law, issues w/in HR & S

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Congress #6

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  1. Congress #6 How a Bill becomes a Law

  2. Idea: Let the Chickens Go! • A member of Congress must sponsor (support) a piece of legislation • President can only initiate an idea

  3. Types of legislation: • Bill: proposed law • Resolutions: • Concurrent Res: not a law, issues w/in HR & S • Joint Res: process used for a constitutional amendment

  4. In the HR: all revenue/tax bills must start here! • Hopper: bills are placed in this box • It’s given a #, such as HR 135 • First Reading: read title, sponsor’s name, and #

  5. Then it’s sent to a Standing Cmte • Speaker refers bill to appropriate cmte • Most often the cmte will not consider the bill – the bill “dies” in committee • Pigeonholed / Tabled: the bill is forgotten about

  6. Discharge Petition • Used to get “pigeonholed” bills out of a committee • Need a majority of HR members to sign the petition – 218 • If successful – sends bill directly to the floor of the HR

  7. In the Committees • If the chair of cmte likes a bill, it will be sent to subcommittee • Hearings –gather info from interested parties, such as interest groups, private citizens, etc • If it passes through subcmte, it is then sent to the full cmte

  8. Full Committee • Bill will go through a “mark-up” session – members can make changes to bill • Vote • If it passes – this is known as reporting (or releasing) the bill

  9. RulesCommittee • Most bills in the HR must go here, it grants a rule to each bill: • Closed Rule: sets strict time limits for the amount of debate on the floor • Open Rule: allows germane amendments to bill on floor

  10. Date is set! • Calendar: each bill is given a date on the calendar according to what the Speaker & Majority Leader want

  11. Debate on the Floor • Committee of the Whole: 100/435 members can debate and amend the bill BUT cannot pass it

  12. Vote! • Quorum – must have the majority (218) members present to vote • If it passes, it then moves to the S

  13. Bill to Law Review • A bill to increase taxes on cigarettes goes into the . • Then, it is sent to the appropriate standing . • Here, no one is interested in this bill. It is therefore .

  14. To get the bill out of the committee, the sponsor of the bill begins a . • In order for this to work they need signatures. • It works! It is then sent to Cmte for the terms of the debate. • From there it is sent to the of the HR for a debate and a vote. It passes and goes on to the Senate.

  15. Senate • Same basic procedures happen in the S • Senator introduces the bill in the S

  16. Cmte • It then goes to cmte and subcmte • Can be tabled or pigeonholed • If reported out from the cmte, it goes to the floor of the S

  17. On the S Floor • Can add riders – amendments that are non-germane • Christmas Tree Bill – a bill w/ many riders added

  18. Debate • In the S, debate is nearly unlimited! • Filibuster: talk to a bill to death • A way to stall a vote • Used by the minority party • Threat of a filibuster often kills a bill

  19. Cloture Rule • Ends a filibuster with 60 votes • Currently in the Senate: • 53 Democrats (2 – Ind.) • 47 Republicans • What does this mean for democrats who may try to stop a republican filibuster?

  20. ConferenceCommittee • If the Senate passes the bill w/amendments that were not seen in the HR, it must go to a conference cmte • Conference cmte: consists of members of the S & HR who meet to find compromise between what was passed in the two houses • Both houses must re-vote on the bill

  21. President (checks & balances) • Sign – becomes a law • Veto – reject the bill • Returns to Cong w/veto msg

  22. Other Options • Law w/o signing - if Congress is in session for 10 days it automatically becomes law (if not vetoed) • Pocket Veto – if Congress is out of session for 10 days, automatically vetoed & can’t be overridden

  23. No longer an option….. • Line Item Veto: Declared unconstitutional, briefly gave pres. The power to delete sections of an appropriations bill – governors often have this power

  24. Congress fights back! • Congress can override a veto w/ 2/3 majority vote in both houses

  25. Final Thoughts: **Any bill not passed in one term of Congress is automatically dead

  26. Question: • Give 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage for it being so difficult to pass a law. • Describe 1 check & balance the Congress has over the president.

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