1. American Government
Chapter 12
Section 3

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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