Unit VI Lesson 2The Law Making Process Part II

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?

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

“Revenue Bills”

1,000 Pages!!!

Step 3: The bill goes to a

“standing committee” for discussion, debate, and revision

“Senate Armed Services

Committee”

“Committee” =Group within

a group 26

“House Budget Committee”

39

To which committee would a Senate bill regarding year-round school be sent for review before

going to the full chamber?

- Armed Services Committee- Budget Committee- Education Committee - Energy Committee- Transportation Committee - Veteran Affairs Committee

Hopper

Read It

Hear Testimony

Discussion and Debate

“Rider”

Rider

PorkPork

Pork

PorkPork

Pork

PorkPork

Rider (“Earmark”) (“Pork Barrel Spending”) - Non-relevant projects added to bills to help lawmakers win reelection

$7.7 Billion

“Healthcare Bill Includes 75 Earmarks; 2 Million for Healing

Power of Peanut-Butter

Research”

10 Million Dollars

2013

“Markups”Revisions

Committees

“Riders”

Most of the work on a bill is done in COMMITTEE but it is also where most

bills dieOver 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

These are the permanent committees in Congress that automatically role over from

one session to the next:

A. Standing committees

B. Select committees

C. Conference committees

D. Joint committees

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

 

Homework!!!

Textbook Pages: 304-308

Graphic Novel Pages: (None)