How Congress Is Organized
CH 8.3
• The constitution doesn’t tell them how to make laws
• They developed their own way of doing it– Bills are prepared in committees– Leaders oversee committee work
• Sessions normally last from Jan. 3 till October
Leadership in Congress
• House leader – Speaker of the House
• Senate leader – VP or President pro tem
• Majority party chooses
Speaker of the House
• Most powerful member of the House
• Decides the order of business & who may speak
• Appoints committee members & refers bills to the committees
• Influences which bills pass & fail
• 2nd in line to the President
President of the Senate
• VP in charge of the session
• Can’t debate
• Tie breaker
• VP normally busy to president pro tem presides
Floor Leaders
• Majority & minority leaders• Next to the Speaker they are most
important• Guide bills through congress• Work w/ committee leaders and party
members to accept compromises & trade- offs
• Whips aid leaders to get party in line & on the floor to vote
Working in Committees
• Were the work gets done
• Introducing a bill– Only a member of Congress can introduce a
bill– Drops bill in the hopper– Senators introduce the by reading it aloud– HR or S and numbered in order introduced
Standing Committees
• 16 in Senate & 20 in the House
• Each deals w/ a certain area (education, banking, etc…)
• Study a bill, hold public hearings,
• May propose changes
• Finally decide if they recommend it vote a floor vote
• Every committee has D & R members
• Chairperson from majority party– Decide which bills to study– Decide when & if committees will meet– Decide if hearings will be held
Select & Joint Committees
• Select – committee formed to deal w/ problem not covered by a standing committee.
• Joint – House & Senate work together– Usually a select committee– Conduct investigations
Conference Committees
• A temporary joint committee that tries to settle differences in a bill for a final vote in both houses.
The President’s Role
• Sign a bill into law• Ignores it for 10 day while congress in
session it becomes law• Veto it
– Send it back unsigned• 2/3 vote in both houses can override it
• Pocket veto – Hold it for 10 days until session ends so bill
dies