Warm Up:

1. Warm Up: What law would you like to see passed? (must be Constitutional) How could you get that law passed?

2. Key Terms • A bill is a proposed law • Appropriation bill- a bill approving the spending of money • Act- another term for a law • Veto-refusal to sign a bill

3. Where do you think that ideas for laws come from?

4. Sources of Legislation • U.S. Citizens • Interest Groups • Members of Congress • Congressional Committees • The President

5. Bill is Considered • Any member of Congress can introduce a bill. • Each bill is assigned a letter and a number (HR) House Resolution- bills introduced in House (SR) Senate Resolution- bills introduced in Senate • After bill is introduced, it is printed in the Congressional Record - publication that covers daily proceedings of Congress

6. Bill Sent to Committee • After a bill is introduced it is sent to a committee • Committee can: • Refer to a subcommittee • Set bill aside • Hold hearings on the bill • Pass bill without changes • Make changes to bill

7. House Acts on the Bill • If committee recommends bill, it is sent back to the H.O.R. • Bill is placed on calendar, scheduled for debate and vote Who do you think schedules when a bill will be debated ?

8. House Acts on the Bill • Speaker of the House determines when or if a bill will be debated • House Rules Committee decides how much time will be given to debate the bill • During debate, amendments to the bill can be offered • Amendments are debated • Votes are taken on amendments

9. House Acts on the Bill • When debate is finished, a vote is taken • A quorum, or majority of members must be present • Majority vote needed to pass bill • If bill passes House, it goes to Senate for consideration

10. Voting on a Bill Once a bill has been approved at second reading, it is engrossed, or printed in its final form. It is then read for a third time and a final vote is taken.

11. Senate Acts on the Bill • Bill goes through same steps whether it is introduced in H.O.R. or in Senate • Time for debate on bills is not usually limited in the Senate • Filibuster- a method of delaying bills. - “talking a bill to death” • Debate can only be limited by 3/5 majority - “super majority” • Cloture- vote to end debate • After debate is finished, vote is taken

12. Final Bill • If the identical bill passes the House and the Senate, it is ready to be sent to the President • If changes have been made: • Conference Committee- equal number of Senators and Representatives work together on a compromise of the bill - Compromise bill is sent back to both houses for approval

13. President Acts on the Bill • After both houses have agreed on a final version of a bill • Bill is sent to president for approval

14. President Acts on the Bill • President has three options • Sign the bill, making it a law • Veto the bill, send back to Congress with reason why it was rejected • Keep bill for 10 days without signing or vetoing it. • If Congress is in session, bill becomes law without presidents signature. • If Congress is not in session, bill is killed by a pocket veto

15. Why might a president want to wait 10 days rather than sign or veto a law?

16. After Veto • Congress can override a presidents veto with a 2/3 vote in both houses

17. In a nutshell… • Each year, Congress considers thousands of bills. • A bill can be introduced in either house - Exception: appropriation bills must begin in the H.O.R. • Both the H.O.R. and the Senate must pass the bill. • Once passed, the bill can be signed by the president to become law.

18. Why do you think the process to pass a bill is so difficult?

19. Reminder Test on Friday 3/30