1. How Do Bills Become Laws?
“It is very easy to defeat a bill in Congress. It is much more difficult to pass one.”
—John F. Kennedy (1962)

3. We will be looking at the U.S. Congress
The process is pretty much identical in the Ohio General Assembly, few procedural differences.

5. 113th Congress
(as of )

6. **Ideas for Bills come from 4 sources:

7. Bills vs Resolutions
Bills becomes Laws
Resolutions do not

8. Types of Resolutions
Simple Resolution: One house, NOT law, NOT signed by president
Concurrent Resolution: BOTH houses, NOT law, NOT signed by president

9. Types of Resolutions (cont)
Joint Resolution: similar to a bill, it IS law, usually for unusual events.
(Constitutional Amendments must notable)

10. Most common to begin in the House of Reps.
A Bill can start in either house of Congress… (only one type of bill must start in the House…)
$$$
“Revenue
Raising”
Bills
Most common to begin in the House of Reps.

11. Getting Started Assigned a number, (H.R. 4325 or S. 618)
New Session: old bills die
Titled and Labeled with Sponsor’s name
Senate bills can be jointly sponsored, all bills can have co-sponsors, but do not need them

12. S.1 Economic Stimulus Bill
Harry Reid (D-NV)
CoSponsors 16 Democrats 1 Indep. (Lieberman)
Calls for the enactment of legislation to create jobs, restore economic growth, and strengthen America's middle class…

13. H.R.157 - DC Congressional Seat/Vote
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC At-Large) 
Cosponsor Total: 1 Democrats
This bill would grant DC a voting seat in Congress and add an additional seat bringing the total number of Members of Congress to 437.

14. Life begins with fertilization H.R. 227
Paul Broun (R-GA 10th) 
Cosponsor Total: 54 Republicans
Sanctity of Human Life Act - Declares that: (1) the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human… (2) each human life begins with fertilization, (3) Congress, each state, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories have the authority to protect all human lives.

15. S.1766 Louisiana Katrina Reconstruction Act
David Vitter (R-LA) 
Cosponsor Total: 1 Republican
Makes emergency supplemental appropriations for FY2005 related to Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.

16. Google: “Thomas” (Library of Congress)

17. Bill assigned to the appropriate committee

18. Committees research and discuss the bills, hold hearings, etc…
May also assign to a sub-committee, which reports back to whole committee

19. The Committees do one of five things….

20. Pass the Bill (yes vote)
Kill the Bill (no vote)
Pigeonhole the Bill*
Pass the Bill (yes vote)
Amend the Bill
Re-write a new bill

21. Discharge Petition
The only way to remove a bill from Committee without Committee action (HOUSE ONLY)
218 (majority) approval

22. Once the Bill reaches the Full House of Representatives:
House Calendar – All public bills
Private Calendar – All private bills

23. Union Calendar – Money Bills
Corrections Calendar -- focus on changing existing laws; 3/5 majority is required to pass these bills

24. Senate Calendars are simpler:
Legislative Calendar – All Bills
Executive Calendar – Treaties and nominations

25. (pigeonholing in full house)
Motion to Table
Passage means placing the current issue on the “back burner.” Same as defeating.
(pigeonholing in full house)

26. Full House Debate usually a Speaker Pro Temp
Timed debate (Rules Committee)
Bills must be germane “Riders” & “Earmarks” -- “Pork”
“Motion to Recommit”
(back to committee)

27. The House “Morning Hour”
Monday and Tuesday mornings, 90 minutes, members can speak for 5 minutes about anything!

28. When a Bill passes one house, it goes to the other house.
When a bill fails at any point in one house, it is all over.

29. Debate in the Senate… Debate is unlimited Riders allowed
The Dreaded Filibuster!
Cloture Rule - 3/5 vote
The “Nuclear Option”

30. If the bill is identical in both houses, it goes to the PRESIDENT!
If not….

31. Conference Committee!
Both houses agree on an identical bill, then it goes back to each house for a vote

32. Almost all major bills go through a Conference Committee and back to their respective houses for another vote.

33. The President has the power to do one of THREE things with the bill!

34. #1 Sign: It’s Law!
#2 Ignore for days:
(a) It’s Law! - if Congress is in session
(b) It’s NOT Law! if Congress is NOT in session (Pocket Veto)

35. #3 Veto: It’s NOT Law! Back to Congress???
President and Bills….
#3 Veto: It’s NOT Law! Back to Congress???
Usually the THREAT of a veto is enough to kill a bill…

36. The “LINE ITEM” VETO
Veto specific parts of a bill only
UNCONSTITUTIONAL; Congress doesn’t have the power to give the president THAT power. Must be a Constitutional amendment

37. 12 4 2

38. If 2/3 of BOTH HOUSES agree, they can override a presidential veto!
(not easy to do)