The legislative branch

1. Continued Notes The legislative branch

2. Congress • Main purpose is to make laws • The process created through the Constitution is slow and complicated • It encourages compromise • There are eight steps a proposed law, or bill, must travel through before it becomes a law

3. Step One: Introduce the proposed legislation • Any member of Congress can introduce a bill—he or she is called the sponsor of the bill • Bills can come from the executive branch, members of Congress, or interest groups • Representatives drop their bills in the hopper (a box on the House clerk’s desk); in the Senate, the presiding officer must recognize a sponsor • Once recognized, a bill receives a number and the prefix HR or S

4. Step Two: Send the bill to the appropriate committee • Standing Committees study the sponsored legislation • Small groups of legislators who have specialized areas of knowledge • These committees decide whether the bill should be presented to the full chamber • Party members decide who will serve on which committees • The House has 20 standing committees and the Senate has 16

5. Step Two—continued • In the House, the Speaker assigns the new bill to the proper committee, including • Armed Services • Budget • Rules • Intelligence • In the Senate, the presiding officer schedules the bills; their committees include • Finance • Judiciary • Ways and Means • Veterans’ Affairs

6. Still Step Two! • If the committee decides not to consider the bill, it has no chance of becoming a law • If the committee does decide to consider the bill, it is assigned to a subcommittee • Hold hearings on the bill • Mark-up the bill—change, amend, and rewrite the bill • If the subcommittee approves the bill, it returns to the original committee to begin the process again

7. Step Three: Prepare the bill for debate in the sponsor’s chamber • When a bill is ready in the Senate, its sponsors schedule when the debate will begin through a unanimous consent agreement • In the House, the bill is placed on one of four calendars • The Union Calendar: for bills to raise taxes or for spending • The House Calendar: bills that won’t need money • The Consent Calendar: non-controversial bills • The Private Calendar: for bills requiring the US to make a payment to a person or group of people

8. Step Four: Debate the bill in the sponsoring member’s chamber • In the House, the Rules Committee decides • When the House will debate the bill • If the bill can be amended during the debate • How much time will be given to each Representative to speak on the bill

9. Step Four—continued • This committee is very powerful • They can delay a vote, making people lose interest • They can help opponents add killer amendments, which are additions others won’t approve • They can help supporters add sweetener amendments, to encourage members to vote for the bill

10. Step Four—continued • The Senate can add riders to bills; these are amendments that have nothing to do with the original bill • The Senate has no time limit on debates

11. Filibuster • A Senator can delay a vote through filibuster, by hogging the floor and not allowing others to debate • If 2/3 of the Senators agree, a filibuster can be stopped through cloture, a request for a limited debate

12. Step Five: Vote in the sponsor’s chamber • Bills are voted on in several ways • By voice vote (aye or no) • By standing vote (stand to show yes or no) • By roll call (recorded votes) • In the Senate, a bill passes with a majority vote (51 out of 100 votes) • In the House, a bill passes with a majority vote (218 out of 435 votes) • Bills are then referred to a conference committee who will create a compromise bill

13. Step Six: Review the bill after it has been passed by the other chamber • Because both the House and Senate may pass similar bills with different amendments, a conference committee will meet to create a compromise bill

14. Step Seven: Both chambers vote on the compromise bill • If the compromise bill is defeated, it dies there • If it passes in one chamber, it still must pass in the other chamber

15. Step Eight: Send the Congress-approved bill to the president • When both chambers approve a bill, it is signed by the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate • They then send it to the president

16. If he signs it, it becomes law • If he doesn’t act within 10 days, it becomes a law • If Congress adjourns before he acts and before the 10 days, it doesn’t become a law (pocket veto) • If he doesn’t sign it, it is vetoed and does not become a law • Congress can override a veto by having 2/3 of its membership voting to do so

17. Nonlegislative Tasks of Congress Temporary committees work to examine specific issues.

18. Nonlegislative Tasks • Oversight: it keeps an eye on the national government • Public Education: they study government and societal problems • Send out free mail through their franking privilege • Helping citizens deal with their government