bellringer o how does the majority party have an advantage in the house above the sheer number...
TRANSCRIPT
BellringerO How does the majority party have an
advantage in the House above the sheer number advantage?
O Think of at least 3 ways!
Congress 2The Legislative Process
Today we will…
Objectives Agenda
O Explore the legislative process, including the role of committees
O Discuss difference between the chambers that affect lawmaking
O Slide/notesO QuizO Homework: Set 3
How a Bill Becomes a Law
The Legislative Process | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
Introduction of a BillO Schoolhouse Rock- How a Bill Becomes a Law
- YouTubeO Public Law vs. Private LawO The bill can come from a variety of sources
O LawmakersO Individual citizensO Interest groups (represented by lobbyists)
O Only a member of Congress can introduce the billO Can start in the either the House or the Senate
O Pending legislation does not carry over from one session of Congress to another.
The Bill is Assigned to Committee
O Each chamber has standing committees to consider their billsO Edit the bill so it will pass on the floor =
“Mark-up”O Specialization of comm. membersO HearingsO Can “pigeonhole” or kill the bill in
committeeO Chamber rules define each committee’s
jurisdiction, but the Speaker can sometimes make a choiceO Multiple Referral vs. Sequential Referral
Check for understanding
O When is a Discharge Petition used?O How does it work? (# of votes)O How frequent is it?
O http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/06/29/the-discharge-petitions-role-in-immigration-reform-explained/
House Rules Committee
O In the House, the bill must also pass through the House Rules Committee.O Put it on the scheduleO Decide Rules of Debate
O Closed Rule: sets time limit on debate and restricts amendments
O Open Rule: permits amendments from the floor
O Restrictive Rule: permits only some amendments
Floor Debate - HouseO Bills can be considered by the whole
House at once = “Committee of the Whole”O What is a quorum?O What is a quorum call?
O Floor consideration in the House may be governed by rules tailored to facilitate or slow a bill's progress
O Votes are done electronically in the House = Roll-Call Vote
Floor Debate- SenateO Senate Majority Leader determines which bills are
scheduled for debate and for how long.O Debate in the Senate is unlimited.O Bills are regularly subject to non-germane
amendments or are filibustered (or threatened) in the Senate.O Filibusters can be used by minority to block bills.
O 3/5 (60) of Senate must agree to end debate.O Rule 22/ClotureO What is double-tracking?
O Mr. Smith Goes to Washington-Filibuster - YouTube
House or Senate?O Amendments almost unlimitedO Amendments must be germaneO Debate is limited by rules O Rules CommitteeO Filibuster & Cloture
Both Houses Must Pass the Bill
O A simple majority of both houses is needed to pass the bill – 51%
Check for understanding
O How many House members needed to pass a bill?
O How may Senators needed?
Differences Between Houses Must be Reconciled
O Each house passes its own bill but differences must be ironed out and made into one bill.
O Conference Committee – House & Senate members negotiate & compromise
O Send combined bill back to both housesO Vote on the “conference report”
O Accepted or Rejected – no amendmentsO Omnibus = bill that contains unrelated
measures
Check for understanding
O What type of committee is a conference committee?
Law-Making Process
Deal Making: getting people to vote for your bill
O Riders = amendment on matter unrelated to bill so it will “ride” to passageO Christmas Tree Bill
O Pork Barrel Legislation: bills that give tangible benefits (highways, dams, post offices) to constituents in the hope of winning their votes in return), “bring home the bacon”
O Logrolling/Reciprocity: vote trading/exchanges, bargainingO Speeds process of legislation
ResolutionsO Simple resolution: passed by one house for
one house, not signed by the President, no force of law
O Business of the HouseO Opinion
O Concurrent Resolution: passed by both houses, not signed by the President, no force of LawO S.Con.Res.43 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): A c
oncurrent resolution expressing support for designation of a "National Lao-Hmong Recognition Day". | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
O Joint Resolution: A law passed by both, signed by the President
O Authorizing small appropriationsO Temporary CommissionsO Declaration of War
Differences Between House & Senate
Senate HistoryO Escaped many of the tensions encountered
by the HouseO Smaller chamber
O In 1800s, balanced between slave and free states therefore, ideological balance
O Size precluded need of a Rules CommitteeO No rules regarding debate, filibuster
O Cloture, Rule 22 invokes cloture
O 17th Amendment: Previous to 1913, Senators elected by state legislatures which caused them to focus on jobs & contributions for their states
Check for understanding
O What are some differences between House and Senate that make it likely that legislation will pass in one chamber and not the other? (12)
Reforms & Ethics
Regulating Our LawmakersO Bipartisan Congressional Accountability
Act 1995O Question of Separation of Powers and
executive oversight.O Obey laws, Civil Rights, equal pay , age
discrimination, etc. O Ethics
O Congressional misconductO Current investigations
O Gingrich
Congressional PayO 1989, Automatic 2.2% COLAO Since 1990, congressional pay has
increased from $98,400 to $154,700 in 2003.
O http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/08/15/congress-pay-salaries/2660545/
CLOSUREO Would you rather be a member of
the House or the Senate?O What are two differences between
the two houses that influence your choice?
O What reforms you think should be made to Congress? (Question 13)
RQ Quiz – set 1 & 2HW: Set 3