Congress #16

1. Congress #16 How a Bill becomes a Law

2. Idea! A member of Congress sponsors (supports) a bill (piece of legislation) • President can only initiate an idea

3. In the HR: allrevenue/tax bills must start here! • Hopper: bills put in this box • It’s given a number, such as HR1 • First Reading: read title, sponsor’s name, and #

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

5. 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

6. In the Committees • If the chair of cmte likes a bill, it’s sent to a subcommittee • Hearings –gather info from interested parties, such as interest groups, private citizens, etc • If it passes through subcmte - sent to the full cmte

7. 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

8. Rules Committee • 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

9. Debate on the Floor • If it passes, it then moves to the S

10. Cong #17: bill to law in S • A bill to increase taxes on cigarettes goes into the . • Next, it receives its first . • Then, it is sent to the appropriate standing . • Here, no one is interested in this bill. It is therefore . • To get the bill out of the committee, the sponsor of the bill begins a . • It works! It is then sent to Committee to be put onto the calendar. • From there it is sent to the of the HR for a debate and a vote. It passes and goes on to the Senate.

11. Congress #18: Bill to Law in S*TEST – next Wed. • A bill will generally die on the floor. • The leader of a committee is known as the Speaker. • The most powerful person in Congress is the President of the Senate. • When a bill is ignored in a committee it is known as gerrymandering. • The Ways & Means Committee puts time limits on the debate for each bill.

12. Senate(Bill follows same steps in S) • Senator introduces the bill in the S • It then goes to committee and subcommittee • If reported out from the committee, it goes to the floor of the S

13. Debate on the S Floor • Can add riders: amendments to a bill that are NOT related to bill’s topic

14. 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

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

16. Conference Committee • If the S & HR pass similar, but different, bills it must go to a • Conference cmte: members of the S & HR find compromises between what was passed in the both houses • Both houses must re-vote on the bill

17. President(*checks & balances) • Sign – becomes a law • Veto – reject the bill

18. Congress fights back! • Congress can override a veto w/ 2/3 majority vote (*checks & balances) • Pocket Veto – if Congress is out of session for 10 days, automatically vetoed & can’t be overridden

19. Back in the day… **Line Item Veto: Declared unconstitutional, briefly gave pres. The power to delete sections of an appropriations bill

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

21. Give 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage for it being so difficult to pass a law.

22. Describe one check and balance Congress has on the power of the President? (i.e. how can Congress stop the President?)