2 the lawmaking process part ii
TRANSCRIPT
Essential Question:• What are the institutions and
policy-making processes of the national government?
• What are the links between
the branches of the national government, political parties, interest groups, public opinion, the media, and state and local governments?
The Legislative Process: *Step 2: A clerk assigns the bill a title beginning with either “H.R.” (for House of Representatives) or “S”
(for Senate) depending on where it originated
Question for you…
The Legislative Process: *Step 3: The bill goes to a
“committee” for discussion, debate, and revision
“Senate Armed Services
Committee”
“Committee” =Group within
a group 26
Rider
PorkPork
Pork
PorkPork
Pork
PorkPork
“Rider” (“Earmark”) (“Pork Barrel Spending”) - Non-relevant projects (not related to the main topic of the bill) added to
legislation to help lawmakers win favor with their constituents
$7.7 Billion
“Healthcare Bill Includes 75 Earmarks; 2 Million for Healing
Power of Peanut-Butter
Research”
10 Million Dollars
2014
Immigration
MOST of the work on a bill is done in COMMITTEE
BUT it is also where most bills DIE
Over 5,000 bills are dropped in the hopper
every year…
…Only about 500 actually make it out of
committee (less than 10%)
Where is most of the real work of Congress done?
A. On the House floor
B. On the Senate floor
C. In committees in both houses
D. In meetings with the president
The term “pork barrel legislation” refers to riders added to bills with the purpose of:
A. Encouraging a balanced federal budget
B. Ensuring the careful inspection of farm goods
C. Distributing funds to the poor and disabled
D. Providing funding for local projects meant to benefit constituents
Which of the following is the BEST example of an “earmark” in a defense spending bill?
A.Funding for a new missile defense system
B.An increase in benefits for military dependents
C.Subsidies and other price supports for dairy farmers in the mid-west
D.Research and development funding for anti-terrorism tactics