FrontPage : Have bill topic wksht out.

1. FrontPage: Have bill topic wksht out. "I'm guessing our soldiers are happy to be leaving Iraq. It is no fun being in a country where there's crumbling infrastructure and an ignorant population, but they said they're happy to come home anyway." –Bill Maher "Earlier this week, a protester at Occupy Wall Street proposed to his girlfriend. His exact words were, 'Will you occupy my parents' basement with me until I get a job?'" –Conan O'Brien "The Republicans had yet another debate the other night. This is their seventh one. They're apparently going to keep having these debates until Rick Perry can get one right." –Jay Leno "Almost all of Rick Perry's support appears to have gone to Herman Cain because, again, and I cannot stress this enough, nobody likes Mitt Romney." –Jon Stewart "It was on this day in 1867 that the United States bought Alaska from the Russians. And about six months from now, we’ll probably be selling it to China." –Craig Ferguson "Rick Perry has dropped 20 points in the polls in one week. They say he is so depressed about this, he hardly has the energy to execute anybody." –Bill Maher The Last Word: Read/OL 7.1 Part 2 (184-186) for Monday

2. Types of Bills and Resolutions

3. Categories of Legislation • There are generally 2 categories of legislation that can be introduced into either the House or Senate: • Bills • Proposed laws, changes to laws • Resolutions • Opinions, recommendations, housekeeping or requirements for government

4. Bills • Purpose is to create or change a law/rule or require an action to be done by citizens • Meant to impact/affect society outside of Congress and the government • Bills are labeled HR # or S. #

5. Public vs. Private Bills • Publicbills – deal with the nation as a whole • Regardless of whom is targeted or actually affected by the bill, it applies to everyone in the country equally Example: • Privatebills – deal with a specific group or individual problem • The person(s) affected by the bill are specifically named in the bill Example

6. Resolutions • “A statement that expresses an opinion, makes a recommendation, or requires action inside Congress or withinthe government/ executive branch.”

7. Simple Resolution • Only one house is involved; deals with procedures of that house, but also used to express the opinion of only one house • for example, waiving certain procedures for consideration of a specific bill, fixing the spending levels for certain legislative committees, or changing the standing rules of a single house of Congress. • Resolutions may also be used to express a nonbinding opinion of one house or the other on a matter of domestic or foreign policy or to convey condolences to the family of a deceased Member. • Labeled as S. Res # or H. Res # • Example

8. Concurrent Resolution • Expresses an opinion or deals with procedures of both houses but does NOT need the President’s signature • Concurrent resolutions generally are used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. • They are also used to express the sentiments of both of the houses. • For example, a concurrent resolution is used to set the time of Congress' adjournment. • It may also be used by Congress to convey congratulations to another country on the anniversary of its independence. • Labeled as H. Con Res # or S. Con Res. #

9. Joint Resolution • Requires/Authorizes action by/within government but outsideof Congress • Passed by both houses and DOES need the President’s signature to have the force of law • There is no real difference between a bill and a joint resolution. • Joint resolutions generally are used for limited matters, such as a single appropriation for a specific purpose. • Labeled as H. J. Res. # or S. J. Res #