Congress Part II The Legislative Workings

Congressional Leadership Based on Party Leadership Power is dispersed widely to Committee Chairs

Speaker of the House Formal Powers Presides over the House Makes committee assignments Control over where bills are sent

The Speaker’s Men Majority Leader Eric Cantor Rounding up votes Scheduling bills Appoints party leadership staff Whips Work with the leader to round up votes and report views (The minority party is organized the same way)

Senate Leadership Vice President Chairs the Senate Their only significance is to break a tie Senate Majority Leader Aided by whips Floor action Appointments Scheduling Senator Harry Reid D-NV

Creating and Introducing Bills Most Bills originate from the Executive Branch after coordination by the OMB Interest groups suggest bills Private citizens

Mr. President (Chief Legislator) Based on Party Platform White House will lobby congressional leadership to pass their Agenda

$$$$Money Bills$$$$ Any revenue-raising bill must start in the House Why? Close to the People Taxation without Rep

Types of Bills and Resolutions Bills Proposed laws presented to Congress Public Bills apply to the entire nation Private Bill pertain to certain persons or places

Bills and Resolutions Cont. Joint Resolutions Temporary or unusual matters Can have force of law Must be passed by both Houses Must be signed by President

Bills and Resolutions Cont. Concurrent Resolutions Common concerns of both Houses Have the force of Law DO NOT Require President’s signature

Bills and Resolutions Cont. Resolutions Voted on by either House No force of law Deal with House rules and do not require President’s Signature

Bills and Resolutions Cont Rider Not likely to pass on its own merit Attached to an important measure. Source of Pork Barreling X-Mass Tree Bills

Bill to law 1 st Reading Assigned a Number Short title Entered into the House Journal After the 1 st Reading the Speaker refers the bill to a standing committee for consideration

Committees and Subcommittees Committees dominate policy- making They hold hearing to investigate problems and possible wrong doings They control the Congressional Agenda

4 Types of Committees Standing – permanent subject matter Joint – study committees that exist in few policy areas with membership drawn from both Houses Conference – sole function to reconcile different versions of the same bill Select – specific purpose (I.E. Watergate)

Committees at Work 11,000 bills every term Report bills out/send to subcommittee Hold hearings/mark up bills Members serve as “floor managers” for the bill

Committees at work Legislative oversight Hearings Investigations capture public attention Keeps tabs on routine activities of the Executive Branch

Getting on a Committee New members write to congressional leaders about committee preferences Work in policy areas that the member can make a difference in. The majority party has a majority on the Committee as well as the CHAIR

Committee Chairs Dominate Committee Agenda Hearings, hiring staff, managing bills Up until the 70’s chairs were selected by the SENIORITY RULE

The Fall of the Seniority Rule Chairs could “bottle-up” legislation After the 70’s Seniority general rule BUT now members vote on chairs These reforms have reduced the clout of chairs.

Congressional Caucus Members who share some interest or characteristic Black, Hispanic, Sunbelt, Etc. Regional, ideological, and economic groupings. NOT A POLITICAL CAUCUS

The Bill in Committee Most work done by subcommittees that investigate and debate bills Sub to full committee, The full committee can: “do pass” Refuse to report/pigeonhole Report bill in amended form Report unfavorably. Report an entirely new bill.

Rules and Calendars Calendar – lists of business eligible for consideration House Rules Committee must approve or give a rule. (The Rules Committee can kill a bill)

The Bill on the Floor Most important bills are considered by the Committee of the Whole (The Whole House) Debate – Strict Rules limit the length of debate Voting – amendment may be added. A QUORUM must be present

Ways of Voting Voice Vote – “aye” or “no” (Chair decides result) Standing (division) vote 1/5 of quorum may demand a teller vote 1/5 may demand a Roll-call vote (Vote becomes public record)

Final Steps in the HOUSE Approved bill is engrossed, read a 3 rd time, voted on again, and signed by the Speaker A signed bill is sent from the Speaker of the House to the president of the Senate.

Bill in the Senate Debate in Senate is almost unlimited FILIBUSTER (60 members can invoke cloture) Cloture would close debate on a bill and end a filibuster

The Cloture Rule Limits debate in the Senate Petition signed by 16 senators Approved by 3/5 of the Senate Many senators will not use this out of fear that it will limit free speech

Conference Committees If the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill a conference committee is formed to iron out differences. Appointees are usually the senior, most powerful members of each committee

The President Acts After a bill passes both Houses of Congress it must be sent to the President The President Can: Sign into law Veto Not sign for 10 days while Congress is in session Pocket-veto by not acting before Congress adjourns.

Veto Override After a veto the bill is returned to the chamber of origin Congress can either: Alter the bill to the President’s liking or Cast a 2/3 vote to override the Veto (In 200 years only 100 vetos have been overridden.)

How Things Work: How a Bill Becomes Law

Congressional Committees h=3