American Government Chapter 12 Section 3

Types of Bills Joint Resolutions Bills Binding and Non-binding Symbolic, not really important Can become actionable later Bills Proposed law Revenue Bills must originate from HoR

Types of Bills (cont) Concurrent Resolutions Resolution Position statements of the Congress Do not require the signature of the President Resolution Specific measure dealing with a specific issue in one house. Does not have power of law.

Bill to Law First Reading Assignment to Rules Committee Clerk of the HoR or Sen assigns number H334 S142 Assignment to Rules Committee Directed to appropriate committee for discussion Committee Chairs flex muscle, positive and negative

In Committee Assignment to sub-committee Pigeonholed Further review and refinement Pigeonholed Effectively killing bill Discharge petition Bills that have been in comm. 30 days or more must come before assembly for floor vote Petition must be signed by majority of ALL HoR members (218)

Four Official Committee Actions Report favorably with a “Do Pass” Refuse to report – pigeonhole Report an amended bill Report unfavorably Report a Committee Bill – blending of many bills into one Bill proceeds to Second Reading

Rules and Calendars Calendar of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union – Union Calendar House Calendar Calendar of the Committee of the Whole House – Private Calendar Consent Calendar Discharge Calendar

Committee of the Whole Entire membership of the HoR Only 100 needed for quorum Allows for faster amendment and debate on bills When work is done, CoW rises (dissolves) and HoR resumes with Speaker at helm

HoR Debate Parliamentary Procedure governs process No speaker may hold the floor for more than one hour without unanimous consent Much of the debate has already been resolved in committee Once debate ends, voting begins

Voting Voice votes Standing votes 1/5 of quorum may demand a teller vote, replaced through electronic voting Record votes, also known as a roll-call vote Bill then proceeds to Third Reading

Third Reading Final bill, with all amendments, is prepared for distribution to entire HoR If bill passes, Speaker signs, and a HoR page delivers it to Senate president’s desk