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Chapter 12 Notes

This chapter explores the function and purpose of legislative committees in Congress, including considering bills, maintaining oversight of executive agencies, and conducting investigations. It also discusses the different types of committees and the legislative obstacle course a bill must go through to become law.

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Chapter 12 Notes

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  1. Chapter 12 Notes

  2. House 435 members; 2 yr terms Low turnover Speaker bill referral hard to challenge Scheduling/rules controlled by majority party with powerful Rules Committee (controls time of debate, amends., etc) Senate 100 members; 6 yr terms Moderate turnover Referral decisions easily challenged Scheduling/rules agreed to by majority & minority leaders House-Senate Differences

  3. House Debate limited to 1 hour Members policy specialists Emphasizes tax & revenue policy More formal & impersonal Senate Unlimited debate unless cloture invoked Members policy generalists Emphasizes foreign policy More informal & personal House-Senate Differences

  4. "Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.” - Woodrow Wilson

  5. Legislative Committees: Function and Purpose

  6. 1. Consider bills(a.k.a. “mark-up” bills) Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose A bill with a member’s mark-up notes

  7. 2. Maintain oversight of executive agencies Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing re: the Department of Defense Budget (May, 2006)

  8. 3. Conduct investigations Legislative Committees:Function & Purpose New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Hurricane Katrina (Feb., 2006)

  9. Types of Committees • Standing Committees- permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities • Subcommittees – formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committees • Select or Special Committees- groups appointed for a limited purpose and limited duration • Joint Committees - includes members of both chambers to conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks • Conference Committee - includes members of House & Senate to work out differences between similar bills

  10. House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming Senate Select Committee on Ethics House & Senate Select Committees on Intelligence Special, Select Committees Gen. Michael Hayden is sworn in during a full committee hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on his nomination to bedirector of the Central Intelligence Agency.

  11. Joint Committees • Joint Economic Committee • Joint Committee on Printing • Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on Taxation hearing

  12. The Legislative Obstacle Course

  13. I’m Just a Bill

  14. How A Bill Becomes Law

  15. 6 Steps for a Bill • Step 1: Introduction – Bill is read and sent to committee • Step 2: Committee Action – hearings and amendments… most bills die in committee • Step 3: Floor Action – bill is debated and then voted on

  16. 6 Steps for a Bill • Step 4: Goes to the other House • Step 5: Conference Committee – differences between Senate and House versions are resolved. • Step 6: Presidential Action • Veto – refuse to sign a bill • Pocket Veto – President lets a bill sit on his desk for more than 10 days when Congress is adjourned

  17. Senate Action • A filibuster is an attempt to “talk a bill to death.” • If at least 60 senators vote for cloture, no more than another 30 hours may be spent on debate, forcing a vote on a bill.

  18. Bills vs. Resolutions • Bill – a proposed law, requires Presidential signature • Resolution – a suggestion by Congress that does not carry the weight of a law, does not require a Presidential signature

  19. Mock Congress Directions • Pick a Committee Chairperson – organizes debate, decides the order in which bills will be heard. • Pick a Committee Secretary – Secretary will tally the vote on all bills. • Bill #1 – Read or Summarize the bill (but with detail). • Make Amendments – Everyone must write at least one amendment in committee, it may be a small change or it can change the entire bill. • Debate/Vote on Amendments – Amendments must be voted on before the bill itself can be voted on. • Debate/Vote on Bill – the vote for the bill must be recorded by the secretary. • Repeat steps 2-5 on all bills within the committee. • Bill that pass in Committee will go before the class on the Floor of Congress.

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