The document outlines the process by which a bill becomes law, beginning with an idea being introduced in either the House of Representatives or Senate, then going through committee hearings and amendments, before requiring approval from both the House and Senate and signature from the President to be enacted. Key differences between the House and Senate processes are noted, such as unlimited debate allowed in the Senate. The continuous cycle of policy implementation, oversight, and potential agenda setting for new laws is also briefly described.
3. HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Take one of these out!!
Plan on writing a great deal today…………..write legibly!
4. The Process through the House
of Representatives
1. Somebody thinks of a good, well thought
out idea for a piece of legislation…Anyone
can help to write legislation. Only a
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
member of Congress can actually propose
legislation in Congress.
Do #1: Write this on your piece of paper
5. The Process through the House of Representatives
2. Get co-sponsors…Bills can have many
cosponsors or just a few but they can be
an important way to signal support
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
On your paper, list who/groups would help
you sponsor your idea.
6. The Process through the House of Representatives
3. Drop the bill in the Hopper.
The hopper is a box on the clerk’s desk
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
into which all proposed legislation must
go.
8. The Process through the House of Representatives
4. Bill assigned a number and sent to the
government printing office.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Examples: HR 1 or S 42
9. The Process through the House of Representatives
5. Speaker refers the bill to the
appropriate committee(s).
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Sometimes a bill can be referred to several
committees because it does not fit in just
one area.
10. House Committee Room
• To which committee
would your issue be
assigned?
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• Put your response on
your paper.
11. Home Work….
• You are to find out to which
committee/committees your
representative belongs.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• Word process this on a piece of paper with
your name and class ID# and bring to class
on Tuesday…
12. The Process through the House of Representatives
6. Bill assigned to a subcommittee.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
13. The Process through the House of Representatives
7. Hearings may be held.
Frequently hearings are held to gain
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
expert opinions on a topic.
On your paper: Who might you want to ask
to speak to the committee as an expert on
your issue?
14. The Process through the House of Representatives
8. Subcommittee reports its findings to
the full committee.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
15. The Process through the House of Representatives
9. The full committee holds a mark-up
session and makes amendments and
changes to the bill.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
16. The Process through the House of Representatives
10. Committee staff writes report on why
the committee favors the bill.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
The Office of the Clerk writes the report.
http://clerk.house.gov/about/duties.html
17. The Process through the House of Representatives
11. Those dissenting may write a dissenting
opinion on why the bill should not have
been passed out of committee.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
18. The Process through the House of Representatives
12.The bill goes to the Rules Committee to
decide on time limits for the debate.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
http://www.rules.house.gov/
19. The Process through the House of Representatives
13. Bill gets placed on the House calendar
by the Speaker of the House and the
Majority Leader.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
On your paper….who is the current Speaker
of the House?
20. The Process through the House of Representatives
14. Bill debated on the House floor.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Many times few Congressmen are present
unless it is a controversial bill.
On your paper: Will your issue/bill be
controversial? Yes, or no? Why?
21. •HRES 1247 EH
• (1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘American Eagle
Day’’; and
• (2) encourages—
• (A) educational entities, organizations, businesses,
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
conservation groups, and government agencies with a
shared interest in conserving endangered species to
collaborate on education information for use in schools;
and
• (B) the people of the United States to observe American
Eagle Day with appropriate ceremonies and other
activities.
• Attest:
• Clerk.
22. The Process through the House of Representatives
15. Only “germane” amendments may be
added to the bill.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Germane: Not the same as relevant… a
germane amendment cannot change the
nature of the bill.
23. Which of these changes to this girl’s hair style
was germane and which was not?
Pink hair color Pink headband
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
24. The Process through the House of Representatives
16. Quorum call to make sure there are
enough members present to vote.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Can be a way to stall for time if you don’t
have enough members present to vote.
25. A quorum
• is the minimum number of members of a
deliberating body necessary to conduct
the business of that group. Ordinarily, this
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
is a majority of the people expected to be
there.
• On paper….how many people would be
necessary to have a quorum in the Senate?
26. Quorum Busting
• A prominent example of quorum-busting occurred in
2003, when the Texas House of Representatives voting
on a redistricting bill that would have favored the
Republicans in the state. The Democrats, certain of
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
defeat chose not to be present in the House that day, but
instead took a plane to Oklahoma preventing the bill
from passing due to a lack of a quorum. If there is no
quorum present a call of the house could be ordered,
which would cause absent members to be arrested and
brought to the floor of the body. This was the reason that
the Killer D’s fled to Oklahoma, which is outside of the
jurisdiction of Texas law. The Killer D's effectively killed
the legislation by staying in Oklahoma long enough to let
the legislation expire.
27. The Process through the House of Representatives
17. Vote on the bill!
How do members know when it is time to vote?
• Blackberries
• Clocks
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
How do they vote?
• Use clicker cards the size of a credit card.
• Slide it though the yes or no slot.
• Projected on the screen.
29. The Process through the Senate
1. Member must be recognized by the
presiding officer and introduce a bill
during the “morning hour”.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Morning hour is the first two hours of the
day’s session
30. The Process through the Senate
2. If another member objects then the
introduction of the bill is postponed until
the next day.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
31. A day by any other name…
• Calendar “day” is an actual 24 hour day.
• Legislative “day” is from one legislative
adjournment to another adjournment.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• This could be weeks long.
• Recesses are NOT adjournments.
32. The Process through the Senate
3. The bill is assigned a number.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
33. The Process through the Senate
4. Bill can be jointly sponsored by other
Senators.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
On your paper….what advantages are there
to jointly sponsoring bills?
34. The Process through the Senate
5. The presiding officer refers the bill to
the appropriate committee(s).
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
35. Senate Committee Room
• On your paper…..Which
committee would your
issue be submitted to?
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
36. The Process through the Senate
6. Bill may be assigned to a
subcommittee.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
37. The Process through the Senate
7. Hearings may be held.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
38. The Process through the Senate
8. Subcommittee reports its findings to
the full committee.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
39. The Process through the Senate
9. Committee holds a “mark-up” session
and makes amendments and changes to
the bill.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
40. The Process through the Senate
10. Committee staff writes report on why
committee favors bill.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
41. The Process through the Senate
11. Bill is places on the Legislative Calendar
by the Majority Leader.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
42. The Process through the Senate
12.Debate is unlimited
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
On your paper…..How is this particular
component of the Senate process
different from the House process?
43. filibuster -
• Informal term for any attempt to block or
delay Senate action on a bill or other
matter by debating it at length, by offering
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
numerous procedural motions, or by any
other delaying or obstructive actions.
44. The Process through the Senate
13.Amendments do not have to be germane.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Remind me again….what is germane?
45. The Process through the Senate
14.Bill is voted on.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Record of voting:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/rol
l_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congr
ess=107&session=1&vote=00237
46. Conference Committee
1. Members from each house form a
conference committee. To work out the
differences between the House and
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Senate bills.
Only about 10% of bills go through
conference committee
47. Conference Committee
2. If they reach a compromise they prepare
a written report to be submitted to both
the House and Senate.
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
No new amendments can be added at this
point.
48. The President
• Can Veto or Sign the Bill
If he signs…. It becomes law!
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
If he vetoes…. It goes back to Congress and
it takes a 2/3 majority of both houses to
override.
Historical Vetoes
50. Differences Between the House and the Senate
• Introduction of the Bill
• Debate allowed
• Amendments allowed
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
House Majority Rule
Senate Individual Rights
52. Types of Policies
• Regulatory: Rules and standards that
control economic, social and political
activities
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• FAA, EPA, HUD, FCC
• Reasons for Regulation: Natural
Monopoly, Externalities, Protecting
the Uninformed
53. Types of Policies
• Social: Programs designed to help those
thought to be in need of government
assistance
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• HUD, Social Security, etc.
• Fiscal Policy: Taxing and Spending
54. Regulatory Agencies
• Must have legislative authority to operate
• Varying Scope of Authority
• Organizational Structure
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• Department Regulatory Agency
• FDA is within Health and Human
Services Department
• Independent Regulatory Commission
• CPSC, Federal Reserve, FCC, SEC
55. Time to Execute the Law:
The Policy Process
Deliberation Enactment
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
Agenda
Implementation
Setting
Outcome Output
56. Implementation
• How do we enforce a law?
• What does the law say?
• What is feasible?
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• What is fair?
• What can we afford to do?
57. Your issue…..on your paper
• What would your law say?
• Would it be feasible?
• Meaning would it have a chance at
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
being successful.
• Would it be fair?
• What can we afford to do?
58. Implementation
• The translation of legislation into a set of
government programs or regulations
• Legislation goes to the appropriate agency
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
for its implementation
• Vague language allows agency discretion
59. Policy Outputs
• The provision of services to citizens or
regulation of their conduct.
• Examples
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• TANF checks
• Car Emissions Standards
• HUD Code Homes
60. Policy Outcomes
• Effect of policy outputs on individuals and
businesses.
• Examples:
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• Minimum Wage Laws
• Fair Tax Plan
Agenda-Setting Deliberation New
Policies Enacted
61. Your issue again….on paper
• What would be the effect of policy outputs
on individuals and businesses?
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
62. Congressional Oversight
• Review and Monitoring of Federal
Agencies
• Hold hearings
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
• Typically done through the Committee
system
• For Example: Committee on Agriculture
would have oversight of the USDA
63. What happens when oversight
is lax?
• Securities and Exchange
Commission…..agency
admitted that it had
HACE 4900 DR. MOORMAN
credible allegations of
wrongdoing at Bernie
Madoff’s investment firm
starting in the 1990s and
continuing for years and
years that were never
investigated properly.