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Unit 6 – Legislative Branch

Unit 6 – Legislative Branch. Leadership, Committee, Legislation Issues, Policy . I. Leadership. House of Representatives . Speaker of the House Senior member of the majority party Second in line to the President Presides over House when in session Plays role in committee assignment

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Unit 6 – Legislative Branch

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  1. Unit 6 – Legislative Branch Leadership, Committee, Legislation Issues, Policy

  2. I. Leadership

  3. House of Representatives • Speaker of the House • Senior member of the majority party • Second in line to the President • Presides over House when in session • Plays role in committee assignment • Appoints party’s legislative leaders • Exercises control over which bills get assigned to committee

  4. Majority Leader • Senior member of the Majority Party • Stepping stone to Speaker’s position • Schedules bills • Gathers votes for bills among the party • Influences committee assignments

  5. Majority Whip • Assists the Majority Leader with duties • Conveys opinions between membership and leadership • Helps rally votes for a bill • The usage comes from the hunting term whipping in, i.e. preventing hounds from wandering away from the pack.

  6. Minority Party • Minority Party leadership is the same as the Majority Party • Minority Leader • Minority Whip

  7. Senate Leadership • President – Vice President of US (may only vote if there is a tie) • President Pro Tempore- presides over Senate day to day (comparable to Speaker of the House • Majority Leader • Majority Whip • Minority Leader • Minority Whip

  8. II. Committees

  9. Committees • Where the real and the majority of the work is done • Senators and Representatives belong to multiple committees • Membership is based on seniority • Committee chair is always of the majority party • Committee membership is set up so that the majority party has the majority on the committee

  10. Committees • Standing Committee – permanent, 1 house, committee to deal with specific issues • Joint Committee – permanent, members of both houses, deal with specific issues • Select Committee – temporary committee created to deal with a specific issue • Conference Committee – temporary committee of both houses to create a compromise version of a bill

  11. Congressional Oversight • Oversight – the power of Congress to review / question actions of the Executive Branch • Being used regarding Iraq / Afghanistan • A committee is usually created

  12. III. Legislation Issues

  13. Legislation Issues • Most bills are written with for a specific topic • Riders are added to help the bill pass. They are negotiated between Representatives and between Senators. • Examples of riders: Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for $1.8 million in swine odor and manure management research in Ames, Iowa or Representative Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) for $2.2 million for the MountainMade Foundation, a nonprofit organization that he helped set up

  14. Rider Terminology • Riders are also called earmarks. It refers to the fact that riders are items added to a popular piece of legislation allocated to a specific state/area for a specific project. • This practice is called pork-barrel spending.

  15. http://councilfor.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_pigbook2008http://councilfor.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_pigbook2008 • The Pig Book Published by The Citizens Against Government Waste

  16. IV. Types of Policies

  17. Domestic Policy • Domestic policy refers to legislation that effects here at home • ie. Healthcare, Education, Taxes, and Immigration

  18. Foreign Policy • Senate • Approve foreign treaties with other nations • Approve Presidential appointments for ambassador and cabinet (ie Secretary of State) • Write resolutions dealing with foreign nations • Visit foreign nations and leaders

  19. Foreign Policy • House of Representatives • Pass Appropriations Bills • Visit foreign country • Passes resolutions regarding US stance on issues pertaining to foreign nations • Rep Micheal McCaul 10th TX

  20. Foreign Trade Policy • The Constitution gives Congress express power over the imposition of tariffs and the regulation of international trade. • enact laws including those that: establish tariff rates; • implement trade agreements; • provide remedies against unfairly traded imports; • control exports of sensitive technology; • extend tariff preferences to imports from developing countries. • Over time, Congress has delegated some of its trade authority to the Executive Branch. • Congress requires that certain trade laws and programs be renewed; • Requires the Executive Branch to issue reports to Congress to monitor the implementation of the trade laws and programs

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