Civics Unit 2.2 ( ch. 6.4)

1. Civics Unit 2.2 (ch. 6.4) Congress and Lawmaking

2. Pair Share • Please answer • What is the difference b/w a standing committee & a conference committee? What determines a House or Senate member’s committee assignment? • What is the difference b/w a public and a private bill? • How is a joint resolution like a bill? • What is a filibuster?

3. I. Working Together in Lawmaking • Debate Clause- Art I Sec 6- Gives members of Congress immunity from lawsuits for statements made in legislative chambers • Compromise- blending and adjusting competing views and interests to accomplish something • Consensus- agreement between groups • Negotiation- meet and talk with others to create compromise or agreement

4. II. Congressional Organization • Congressional committees- groups that focus on specific issues for oversight and management • standing committees- permanent committees

5. select committees- temporary committees with specific issue (usually just to investigate) -9/11 Commission • joint committees- have members of both houses • subcommittees- smaller groups within committees -Veterans' Affairs, -Armed Services -Energy and Natural Resources -Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions -Select Committee on Intelligence -Armed Services -Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions -Small Business and Entrepreneurship

6. Committee Assignments • Seniority system- senators and reps who have been in longest get preferred committee spots • Party in power controls chairmanship

7. III. How a Bill Becomes a Law • Types of Bills Passed • Private Bills- individual people or places • Public Bills- apply to entire nation and involve general matters (ex: taxation, Medicare) • Most bills are public bills HR 3200- America's Affordable Health Choices Act $116 Billion for Katrina relief

8. Resolutions- formal approved statements on lawmakers opinions or decisions • Joint Resolution- passed by both houses and law if signed by President (same as a bill) • Non-binding Resolutions - are not law but just say lawmakers opinions

9. What do you think the artist is saying about lawmaking?

10. Step 1- Introducing • Can start in either Senate or House • ONLY a Senator or a Representative introduce a bill for Congress to consider http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0 School House Rock -I’m just a bill –video

11. Step 2- Committee Action • Proposed bill is sent to appropriate committee • Committee can: • Pass bill as is • Pass bill w/changes • Replace w/new bill • Ignore bill to die (“pigeonholing”) • Kill bill w/majority vote

12. Step 3- Debating • Bills passed in committee are debated by the whole House or Senate • Rules of Debate- House of Representatives sets rules, usually time limits

13. Filibuster- talking a bill to death • Only in the Senate, no time limit for speaking • Senator can delay vote by speaking for hours until the bill’s sponsor withdraws it • Vote for cloture- end filibuster with 3/5 vote (most bills must pass with 60 votes) Rand Paul Filabuster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MwjvOxSgic

14. Step 4- Voting • All members vote (in whichever house the bill began in) • Yea (yes) • Nay (no) • Present (very few do this)

15. Step 5- Sent to Other House • If bill passed in one house, it is sent to the other for approval • Senate and House must pass identical bills • If disagreement, a conference committee from both houses meets to work out differences

16. Step 6- Signing • President can sign the bill into law • President can veto –reject the bill • (Congress can override a veto with 2/3 but this is rare) • President can do nothing • If Congress is in session, bill passes • If not, it is pocket vetoed