Chapter 12: Congress in Action Section 3

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 2 Chapter 12, Section 3 Objectives 1.Students will be able to complete and self evaluate their posters using the class grading rubric. 2.Students will have a clear understanding of how vocabulary fits into the legislative process and the context of vocabulary.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 3 Chapter 12, Section 3 Introduction What steps does a successful bill follow as it moves through the House? INTRODUCTION –1. Bill is place the Hopper (a basket) –2. The Clerk Give it a number. Ex. HB117 –3. The speaker reads it and assigns it to the proper Standing Committee

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 4 Chapter 12, Section 3 The First Steps Most bills are drafted in the executive branch or by special interest groups before being presented to members of Congress. Members often try to get support or cosponsors from members before introducing a proposed bill. All tax bills must begin in the House. House members introduce bills by dropping them into a hopper on the clerk’s desk.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 5 Chapter 12, Section 3 Bills and Resolutions Public bills are measures that apply to the nation as a whole. Private bills are measures that apply to certain persons or places. Joint resolutions are special measures that have the force of law. They are used to deal with unusual or temporary matters, such as funding inaugurations or proposing constitutional amendments.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 6 Chapter 12, Section 3 Bills and Resolutions, cont. Concurrent resolutions do not have the force of law. They are used when both the House and Senate want to state a position on an issue. Simple resolutions are used by each house to adopt or amend its rules. A rider is a provision tacked on to an unrelated bill, such as appropriations bill, that is more likely to be passed than the rider would be on its own.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 7 Chapter 12, Section 3 Each bill is numbered by the clerk, given a short title summarizing its contents, and entered into the official record. The Speaker briefly reads the bill and assigns it to a standing committee. INTRODUCTION McFarland –

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 8 Chapter 12, Section 3 Standing Committees are large permanent subject committees. Most bills are pigeonholed. That is, they die in committee. Today the House has 20 standing committees. Example: Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, Judiciary, Agriculture, and Appropriations. STANDING COMMITTEE McFarland

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 9 Chapter 12, Section 3 A discharge petition lets House members force a bill that has been pigeonholed onto the floor for debate. Critical Thinking: –Why is a discharge petition important to the minority voice? Committee, cont. Mcfarland

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 10 Chapter 12, Section 3 Standing committees are divided into more specific subcommittees, which do much of the work of researching and reviewing bills. Public hearings to gather data and hear testimony Subpoena power Sometimes sub- committees will take trips to research a bill. SUB Committee at Work McFarland

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 11 Chapter 12, Section 3 Sub Committee Actions McFarland A sub committee can: –Report a bill with a “do pass” recommendation. –Pigeonhole the bill and kill it. –Report an amended version of the bill. –Report the bill with a “do not pass” recommendation. –Report a committee bill as a substitute for a bill referred to it.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 12 Chapter 12, Section 3 More than 2500 people serve congressional committees, offering expert advice on the content and politics associated with various bills. Their hard work includes research and presenting information on issues. Congressional Staffers

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 13 Chapter 12, Section 3 RULES COMMITTEE Mcfarland The House Rules Committee controls which bills make it to the floor of the House. Bills must then be scheduled for floor consideration by the Rules Committee. 1. Rule - moves to floor debate 2. Special Rule - limited debate 3. Priviledge Rule - move bill ahead of all other business 4. Pigeonhole - kill it

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 14 Chapter 12, Section 3 The Bill on the Floor Mcfarland Debate Bill –Sub committee reports results of investigation –Opposition presents evidence –Speaker leads the debate –Speaker calls for a vote Floor Leaders and whips count possible votes Minor bills get a brief second reading

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 15 Chapter 12, Section 3 House members must have unanimous consent to speak for more than an hour. The Speaker can force a member to give up the floor. Any member can move for an up-or-down vote on an issue at any time. Debate

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 16 Chapter 12, Section 3 Voting in the House Critical thinking: Why do members prefer a voice or standing vote? –Voice votes in which the Speaker counts the “yes” and “no” votes. –A standing vote, where those in favor and against are counted by the clerk. –A roll-call vote that goes member by member can be demanded by one fifth of the members present. –The rare teller vote has a teller count the votes for each party.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 17 Chapter 12, Section 3 Voting in the House, cont. The House now uses a computerized voting system that shows instantly how each member has voted. –Members have 15 minutes to cast their votes Once a bill is approved, it is printed and given a third and final reading before being signed by the speaker and sent to the other house.

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 18 Chapter 12, Section 3 Review Now that you have learned about what steps a successful bill follow as it moves through the House, go back and answer the Chapter Essential Question. –Can and should the lawmaking process be improved?

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 19 Chapter 12, Section 3 Key Terms bill: a proposed law presented to the House or Senate for consideration joint resolution: measure similar to bills that have the force of law concurrent resolution: measure addressed by the House and Senate that lack the force of law resolution: measure having to do with a matter dealt with by only one house

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 20 Chapter 12, Section 3 Key Terms, cont. rider: a provision attached to an important measure likely to pass pigeonhole: to bury a bill in committee discharge petition: a petition that lets members force a bill onto the floor quorum: a majority of the full membership engrossed: printed in its final form