The Bill Process – Key Points 1. Anyone can write a bill…Only a member of Congress can introduce bill A bill can be intro. in the house or the Senate, but all tax bills must originate in House of Rep. Bill must pass both houses in the same form to move onto the President

The Bill Process: House of Reps. Bill Introduced 2.Receives #/Reading… (H.B. 468) 3. Speaker of the House sends bill to appropriate Standing Committee (may set time limits on comm.)

Standing Committee Hands over to Subcommittees – 4. Committee chair decides how to send the bill to subcommittees …hold hearings & do research – Most bills die in committee… PIGEONHOLED – stuck in a committee to die Discharge Petition – 218 members sign to force a bill out of committee and to the floor - RARE

Subcommittee Returns to Standing Committee 5. Bills approved by subcommittee then returned to full comm. where members can mark up or add items to bill

The Bill Process: Standing Committee Options Standing Committee Options: – Report Favorably “Do Pass” – Pigeonhole/Table Requires discharge petition – Amend and report in new form – Report w/ unfavorable recommendation

The Bill Process: House of Reps. 6. Once bill out of Standing Committee in the House…sent to the Rules Committee – Speaker of the House appoints 9/13 members Comm. must grant a “rule” (set time for appearance/debate)…failure to do effectively kills a bill Restrict or loosen time limits for debate, even prohibit amendments (closed rule) Open rule – unlimited debate time and allows bill to be amended

Only way to get around Rules Comm…discharge petition/vote to suspend rules (2/3 of members)

The Bill Process: House of Reps. On the Floor/Debate on House Floor 7.2 nd Reading & Debate; Add’l. Amendments may be proposed 8. Bill printed; read 3 rd time; final vote taken…Signed by speaker

9. Bill is Sent to Senate Logrolling – I support yours if you support mine

The Bill Process: Senate (if a bill starts here) Mirrors house, but more informal (no rules comm.) Referred to committee by presiding officer After committee, bills called to floor by majority leader (no rules committee) Unlimited debate…ends with unanimous consent – Filibuster Delay or prevent action on a bill by using long speeches/unlimited debate to “talk a bill to death” – Cloture

Bill Process: Bill is sent from House to Senate… – 10. Senate deliberates over the Bill and addresses any changes they desire

Conference Committee & President 11. Bills must pass House & Senate in exact same form Conference Committee – Temporary joint committee…iron out diff. of two bills – 12. After Conf. Comm.—both houses must accept or reject bill w/o amendment – vote again 13. President signs bill or vetoes – Veto…return to house it originated 2/3 both houses of Congress to override a veto

Miscellaneous Killer Amendment – addition of an amendment to kill the bill Sweetener Amendment – addition of an amendment to sweeten the bill Riders – New laws added to a bill that may or may not be related to the subject matter of the bill…Why? – Examples?

Miscellaneous Earmarks/Pork Barrel Spending – Appropriations bill that benefits a specific constituency – How does this help w/ reelection? “An earmark is money your Congressman wisely brings home to your district. Pork is money that some other Congressman wastefully brings home to his district.”

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