Transcript Unit3govnotes2 - Cobb Learning

Congress at Work
How a Bill Becomes a Law
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nKyihoV9z8
Types of Bills
• Private Bills: deal with individual people or
places
• Public Bills: deal with general matters and
apply to the entire nation
Turn to Chapter 7 Guided
Reading Activity, Turn to page
181 for Popcorn reading of
section 1
Resolutions
Used to fix internal (unusual/temporary) matters
• Simple Resolutions: Covers matters
affecting only one house of Congress and is
passed by one house alone
• Concurrent Resolutions: covers matters
requiring the action of both the Senate and
the House, but which a law is not needed
Resolutions
• Joint Resolutions: resolution passed by
both houses - Includes President’s
signature which gives it the force of law
This drawing shows Uncle Sam
angrily raising the flag towards
the star that says "Free Cuba."
Underneath his outstretched
hand is the sinking USS Maine
and on the desk, under a
sword, is a Joint Resolution of
Congress. Guess what it would
be a resolution for... WAR!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK8gYGg0dkE
JOINT RESOLUTION Declaring that a state of war exists between the
Imperial Government of Japan and the Government and the people of the
United States and making provisions to prosecute the same.
Whereas the Imperial Government of Japan has committed unprovoked
acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of
America:
Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the state of war
between the United States and the Imperial Government of Japan which
has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared;
and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire
naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the
Government to carry on war against the Imperial Government of Japan;
and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all the resources of
the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States
How a Bill
Becomes a Law
Introducing a Bill
• Introduction:
– Proposition from citizens, interest groups, the
president, or other officials in the exec.
– Must be introduced by a member in congress
– House of Reps: Hopper
– Senate: Majority leader recognizes the
sponsor, who then formally introduces the bill
– Each bill is assigned a title and number
The “Hopper” in the House of Reps is
attached to the clerk’s desk.
Introducing a Bill
• Committee Action:
– Chairs send the bill to sub-committees
– Pigeonhole: ignore and simply let it die
– Kill bill by majority vote
– Rewrite, change, recommend for adoption
Introducing a Bill
• Committee Hearings:
– Hear from witnesses: experts on the matter,
government officials, or interest groups
– Gather info
• Mark-up Session:
– Decide what changes, if any, to make in the
bill
– Goes back to committee; either killed or
approved
• Reporting a Bill:
– Sent to the House or Senate floor for vote
Floor Action
• Debating and Amending Bills:
– Clerk reads the bill section by section
– Any lawmaker can propose amendments
– Could be used to stop the bill from passing
– Amendments are only added if the majority of
the House/Senate present approves them
• Voting on Bills:
– Quorum must be present: _______________
– Passage requires a majority of all the
members present
http://www.c-span.org/video/?c3342158/establishing-quorum-house
Extras
• Riders: a provision on a subject other than
the one covered in the original bill
There were supposed to be 5
sculptures at this National
Monument, the fifth…Susan
B. Anthony. A rider to the
Congressional bill for Ms.
Anthony was killed and so we
have but four men on the
mountain.
Why do so few bills become laws?!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ_4LQ96Pds
Final Steps in Passing Bills
• Conference Committee Action:
– House and Senate members – usually worked
with the bill while in committee
– Conferees or managers
– They work out the bills and draft one final bill
– conference report
– Present it back to their chamber
– Once approved, it’s sent to the President
Presidential Action
• Passing a Bill:
– Sign it
– Have it sit for 10 days, while still in session
• Vetoing Bills:
– Veto: president’s refusal to sign a bill
– Pocket Veto: refusal to sign a bill passed in
the last 10 days of session
• Congressional Override:
– 2/3 vote in both houses