GovernmentChapter 12

Making laws sounds easy…… rarely is it simple

Elections are every two years for the House and 1/3 of the Senate

Elections are always held the 1st Tuesday in November

With each election, there is the possibility of control being transferred to a new majority

Choose Congressional Leaders

Four meetings in the first two weeks of a new congress are held to select new leaders.

Organizing a new Congress Elect congressional leadership:1. Speaker2. Majority and minority leaders3. Majority and minority whipsFormation of Party Committees1. Research broad policy questions2.Consider strategies3. Determine party position4. Nominate members to serve on the standing committee

Committee AssignmentsUsually made to represent the percentage of

each party in Congress

NOT ALWAYS, since the majority leader has the final say

The number of committees a Congressperson sits on can vary from 1-5

Committees Some are more powerful and sought after such as:

Appropriations +Budget+Commerce+Rules*Ways & Means*Finance #+ Both chambers have these committees# Only in Senate*Only in the House

Who gets what committee seat?

Seniority

Party Loyalist- You will be expected to vote a certain way in exchange for the appointment.

Want to be a Congressional Page?

Must be: a High School junior Nominated by a Congressional nominee Appointed by the House or Senate leadership

What happens the first day of a new Congress?

A bunch of simple ceremonies-1) The simple majority is established2) House votes for majority leader3) Oath of office is administered4) Swearing in of all members by the Speaker of

the HouseSame thing happens in the Senate except the Vice President does not get

sworn in

Who gets to be the committee chair of ranking member?

Usually the person with the most consecutive years of service

Since 1970’s:Party LoyaltyPolitical skillstrustworthy

Where do bills come from? Independent citizens Interest groups Departments and agencies in the Executive branch

A bill must be introduced by a member of the Congress; that person becomes the primary sponsor for the bill

Distribution of proposed legislature

1st Bill is referred to a committee2nd Committee chair decides what to do with the bill

a) most referred to committeeb) committee chair decides what to do with the bill1. ignore it2. hold hearings

All of this gives the chairperson of the committee a lot of power

Phase IHold hearings- usually holds legislative

hearingsPurpose- listen to testimony and

gather information

Subcommittees can kill the bill or drag it out until the bill dies

Phase II

Mark up- determines final language of the bill * 1/3 of committee must be there for the vote

Chair begins:title and openingchanges are made after the debate

Phase III

Report1. Do they send the bill to the full committee. (usually it does if it

has made it through the mark up phase)

2. Standing committeea) Amendb) Acceptc) Hold hearings3. Does the bill go to the full House or Senate for a vote (if yes: a

report is written explaining and recommending the bill)

4. House or Senate agrees or disagrees with recommendation

Powers of House Rules Committee

This committee acts as a traffic cop Which bill goes in what orderSet debate rules

Open Rules- often allows amendmentsClosed Rules- limits floor debate and

amendments to the bill (sponsors want this)

Now what?

Rules committee works with the Speaker

Speaker sets the guideline for how and when the bill is debated

Debate & VoteThe Majority Party Controls the Debate

Which bills, and who gets to speakPower to Recognize- only members

who have been called on may speak

This puts lots of power in the Leaders hands; helps to keep members cooperative so they will get called on

Legislative Process1. General Debate

2. Debate and voting on the bill3. Final passage votes

Debate is limited to about 1-2 minutes per person in any one hour period

How About The Senate?

Hold unlimited debatesSenate leader has very little control over

the agendaDecisions on the schedule is worked out

between the two party leaders

Filibusters

Delay tactic; designed to block passage of the bill

Record filibuster- 24 hours and 18 minutes held by S. Thurmond of S.C.

How to stop a filibuster: Cloture Rule (3/5 of Senate or 60 votes can stop it)Hold- lets others know there will be a filibuster

Riders and Christmas BillsAdded on to a bill

House

All amendments must be related to the original bill

Senate

Amendments do not have to be related to the original bill.

Result- Senate can make the bill impossible to vote for or against

Voting on the Bill

1) Voice vote- chamber as a whole say “aye” or “nay”

2) Standing vote- chamber stand and a count is taken

3) Roll-call- Each vote is recorded one at a time as names are read aloud

A person can vote “present” which means they were there for the vote, but abstained from voting

Who pressures members to vote one way or another?

1) Constitutes2) Member’s personal convictions3) Interest groups (tobacco lobby)4) Party Leaders (members are expected to vote

with party, often accomplished through horse trading)

5) Colleagues ( pressure applied usually by trading votes-known as “logrolling)

Final Step….finally! Both houses must vote on the exact same bill. Compromise, often reached in a joint committee

meeting. The Bill that comes out of the joint committee

must be backed by both parties majority leadersNow bill can only be voted on strictly as writtenNo further changes can be made. If the bill is passed, it goes to the President

President’s role

10 days to:1. sign 2. Veto3. No action

Signed- the bill is now a lawVeto- bill goes back to the 1st chamber where

bill is allowed to die or is overridden by a 2/3 of the members