Chapter 12 Congress in Action

Congress Organizes Congress Convenes(begins a new term) Every two years January 3 (odd numbered years)

Congress Organizes The Presiding Officers The Speaker of the House Elected by the House and the leader of the majority party Presides and keeps order Follows the Vice President in order of succession to the presidency The President of the Senate The Vice President

Congress Organizes Party Officers The Party Caucus-closed meeting of the members of each party, meets before Congress convenes to discuss a “game plan” The Floor Leaders-elected by their party to carry out decisions of their parties’ caucuses and steer floor actions to benefit their parties’ benefits

Congress Organizes Committee Chairmen Head the standing committees Seniority rule Unwritten custom Most important posts will be held by members with the longest service records

Committees in Congress Standing Committees All bills are sent to this permanent panel Each standing committee has a certain topic (ex. Budget, science, small business) Most bills never make it past committees Standing committees are divided into subcommittees

Subcommittees House Rule Committee Select Committees First stop for many bills Cannot reach the floor unless it is granted a rule (scheduled for floor consideration) Select Committees Sometimes called special committees Formed to investigate a current matter

Subcommittees Joint Committees Members of both houses Economic Printing Taxation Conference Committees Last minute details before the bill is sent to Congress

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House First Steps Bill-proposed law presented to Congress Types of Bills and Resolutions Joint resolution-special circumstances or temporary matters (correct mistakes or discuss unanticipated funds) Concurrent resolution-House and Senate must act jointly, does not have the force of law and does not require presidential signature Resolutions-matter of one house, does not have the force of law and does not require presidential signature *

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House The First Reading Bill is assigned a number and title by the House clerk Recorded into the House Journal and in the Congressional Record

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House The Bill in Committee Committees sift through bills Reject most (pigeonholed) Sometimes measures are buried that a majority of the House wants to consider Discharge petition- members can force a bill that has remained in committee 30 days onto the floor

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House Gathering Information Public hearings are held Junket-trips to locations affected by a measure (ex. National parks) Made at public expense

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House Committee Actions Report the bill favorably (do pass recommendation) Pigeonhole bill Amend the bill Report the bill with unfavorable recommendation Report a committee bill-entirely new bill in substitution

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House Scheduling Floor Debate Calendar-schedule of the order in which bills are addressed on the floor Rules-Rules Committee

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House The Bill on the Floor Debate no one can have the floor longer than an hour without unanimous consent Speaker keeps everyone on task Voting Voice votes are the most common Standing vote:stand up Teller vote:person from each party is told the vote by its own party members Roll-call vote Electronic voting is now used

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House Final Steps Once approved, the bill is engrossed (printed in its final form) One last vote Signed by the Speaker Carried to the Senate

The Bill in the Senate Introducing Rules of Debate Appointed Senators Not as strict as the House Can speak as long as they want Filibuster-attempt to talk a bill to death (stalling) Cloture Rule-went into effect after debate over WWI (took three weeks) Limited debate in special circumstances

The Bill in the Senate Conference Committees Sometimes the House and Senate will not accept the same version of a bill Must iron out the differences before the bill is presented to the president

The Bill in the Senate The President Acts Can sign it into law Veto-refuse to sign Congress can override with a 2/3 vote from both houses Not sign it-becomes a law after 10 days Pocket veto-if Congress adjourns within 10 days of passing a bill to be signed and the president does not sign it, it dies