How a Bill Becomes a Law A

How a Bill Becomes a Law.

A Bill is a proposed law The Sponsor is the person who proposes the bill Types of Bills • Public Bills-applies to general public • Private Bills –concern individuals

Sub Committee How a Bill Becomes a Law Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee President Law Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor House Floor Senate Floor Sub Committee

A Bill Can Start in Either the House or Senate House of Representatives Senate

A Bill Can Start in Either the House or Senate Introducing a Bill • Senate - a motion from the floor • House - placed in a box called the Hopper

Assign Bills to Committees Each bill is sent to a standing (permanent) committee by either the: • Speaker of the House • Majority Leader of the Senate (with help of the Steering Committee)

Types of Committees • Standing Committees (Permanent) – Specialized committee: bills fall under their jurisdiction • Select Committees – Temporary committees set up for investigative purposes • Joint Committees – Made up of members of both houses of Congress

Standing Committee House of Representatives

Sub Committee Standing Committee House of Representatives

Standing Committee • research the bill to see if it will work • hear testimony from the public, interest group lobbyists and experts in the field • look for loopholes (ways people can get around the new law)

Committee Choices • Pigeon hole - Set aside to discuss later (usually kills the bill because it never gets discussed later) • Clean bill – Get rid of bill and write a new one to replace it • “Mark Up” - Make changes to the bill in committee or subcommittee • Report bill favorably to floor (Pass the bill as it is) • Report bill unfavorably to floor (so the committee isn’t responsible for killing it by pigeonhole…This is done if the law is controversial and known by general public)

Saving a Bill from Committee When any bill has been in a “House Committee” for more than 30 days, a representative can ask the Bypass Committee to use a Discharge Petition (which requires a majority vote) to send the bill to the House floor.

Calendars Once passed by committee the bill is put on a calendar. Each bill must be voted on in the order it is placed on the calendar. – House – Union – Private – Consent Revenue ($$) bills All other public bills Private Bills No discussion needed, just a vote

Sub Committee Standing Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate

• • The HOUSE Rules Committee (VERY POWERFUL) Places all House bills on the calendar Set rules for debate (length of total debate and individual speaker time) Set rules for amendments • Open Rule – no limit on # of changes • Closed Rule – no changes allowed • Modified Rule – limited # of changes Committee of the Whole can be used to continue debate (requires 100 reps to be in chamber) but all actions must be approved by the entire House.

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate

House Debate Rules • Only one bill at a time can be debated • Debate must be germane (related to topic) • Debate time is limited Senate Debate Rules • 2 or 3 bills can be debated at a time • Debate does not have to be germane • Debate time is NOT limited • Filibusters - unlimited speaking on any issue • Cloture • Motion by 16 senators PRIOR TO a filibuster • 3/5 vote of Senate will limit debate to 1 hour

Floor Action on Bills Pass the bill as written Table the bill on floor while voting for it. Send bill back to the committee for further study Amending the Bill Senate Only: Riders (non-germane amendments) are allowed

Voting in Congress Voice vote: “All in favor”, “All opposed”. Standing vote: Stand up when vote is called. Roll call vote: names called & you tell your vote. Mandatory method for overriding President’s veto. Electronic Vote

Senate Standing Committee

Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee

Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee Senate Floor Debate

Bill Passes Both Houses • If bill passes in exact same version from both • Bill goes directly to President • If it is passed in two versions • conference committee is formed • conference must reach agreement • the revised bill is voted on in both chambers • majority vote in each House will pass bill to the President

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate President Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee Law Senate Floor Debate Majority vote in each house for passage.

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee Senate Floor Debate Members from both Senate and House make up the Conference Committee.

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate The bill must be passed on each floor with no changes. Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee President Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee President Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor If the President signs the bill then it becomes law. Law

Bill Becomes a Law • When the President signs it, the bill becomes law • If the president does not sign in 10 days and --Congress is still in session, bill becomes law --Congress has adjourned, pocket veto occurs • If the President vetoes the bill it can still be passed with a 2/3 vote in both the House and Senate. • If the 2/3 of House & 2/3 of Senate override the veto, the bill becomes law

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee President Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor If the President vetoes the bill then it goes back to both houses. House Floor Senate Floor

Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee President Law Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor This time the bill must be passed by 2/3 of majority to override. House Floor Senate Floor

Subcommittee How a Bill Becomes a Law Standing Committee Rules Committee House of Representatives House Floor Debate Conference Committee Senate Standing Committee President Law Senate Floor Debate Senate Floor House Floor Senate Floor Subcommittee

Interest Groups in Politics

What is an Interest Group? A group of people who hold common views and who work together to influence what the government does about those things they have in common.

Goal: Lobbying for the Cause • Lobbyists work for the interest group to get elected officials to pass policies that will be good for their group – Provide public opinion information – Provide data and statistics to support the cause – Find experts to testify in favor of laws

Goal: Help get people elected that will support the cause • Form Political Action Committees (PACs) – A part of the interest group that uses money from interest groups membership fees and donations to educate lawmakers and to support political candidates that support their groups' policy choices • Most money goes to incumbents (those in office and running for re-election)

Types of Interest Groups • Economic – establish standards, better working conditions • Determined by the way people earn a living • Business & professional, labor, agricultural • NAM (National Association of Manufacturers) • American Bankers Association • AFL-CIO • General Motors • AMA (American Medical Association) • ABA (American Bar Association) • NEA (National Education Association)

Types of Interest Groups • Social Action – Membership is determined by birth – Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Age • NOW – National Organization of Women • NAACP – National Association for Advancement of Colored Persons • National Council of Senior Citizens • Single Issue – Focus on one policy area • MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) • NRA (National Rifle Association)

Types of Interest Groups • Religious – support or oppose laws morally • U. S. Catholic Conference • Christian Coalition • Public Interest – Environment, Voter Registration, Consumer Protection, Historic preservation • Sierra Club • Common Cause