THE FEDERAL THE FEDERAL LAWMAKING LAWMAKING

PROCESSPROCESS(or, the exciting (or, the exciting process of how a process of how a bill becomes a bill becomes a

law)law)

ARTICLE I, ARTICLE I, SECTION 5SECTION 5

• describe the general process of how a bill becomes a law

• identify the many different groups involved in the lawmaking process

• evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the lawmaking process

Once this presentation is complete, you should be able to:

What is a BILL?

A BILL is a draft or idea

for a law

Who comes up with the ideas for bills?

ANYONEANYONEYou, me, your parents,

the President, interest groups, Congress,

people

How does a bill become a law?How does a bill become a law?

It is a long process

but once you get the hang of of it, it’s not too confusing!

We will be looking at 10 basic steps in the lawmaking process

For each step, pay close attention, and take careful and concise notes

… and then we will sing

PROPOSALMake July 10 Federal Soccer

Day

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

NOTE - The lawmaking process may begin in either the Senate or the House of Representatives!!

NOTE - The lawmaking process may begin in either the Senate or the House of Representatives!!

Except for REVENUE, or tax bills - they must begin in the House of RepresentativesExcept for REVENUE, or tax bills - they must begin in the House of Representatives(it’s in the Constitution)(it’s in the Constitution)

1) A bill is 1) A bill is introduced into introduced into the the House of House of

RepresentativesRepresentatives by a by a

RepresentativeRepresentative

1) A bill is 1) A bill is introduced into introduced into the the House of House of

RepresentativesRepresentatives by a by a

RepresentativeRepresentative

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

2) Committee Action2) Committee Actioncommittees act as filtersfilters for bills of

common subjects

committees investigateinvestigate the bill

Committees can:report the bill to the entire House favorably

or unfavorablychange or amend the bill

kill the bill - “pigeonhole” it

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

D

A

V3) The Bill goes to the The Bill goes to the House FloorHouse Floor for for

actionactionOn the House Floor, the Representatives can debate, amend, and vote on the bill

A majority (50%+1) of the House must approve the bill for it to move on

Some interesting tidbits about debate and voting in the House

Debate is limited in the House of Representatives

Votes are public - not secret Votes are usually taken electronically

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

4) A similar 4) A similar bill is bill is

introduced introduced into the into the

SENATE SENATE by a by a SenatorSenator

4) A similar 4) A similar bill is bill is

introduced introduced into the into the

SENATE SENATE by a by a SenatorSenator

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

5) Committee Action5) Committee Actioncommittees act as filtersfilters for bills of

common subjectscommittees investigateinvestigate the bill

Committees can:report the bill to the entire Senate favorably

or unfavorablychange or amend the bill

kill the bill - “pigeonhole” it

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

6) The bill goes to the Senate Floor for action

Senators can debate, amend, and vote on the bill

If the bill receives a majority (50%+1) vote, the bill will move on

D

A

V

Some interesting tidbits of info about debating and voting in

the Senate • Voting is done usually by roll call,

public

• Debate in the Senate is UNLIMITED!

• Senators can talk for as long as they possibly can - this is called a filibusterfilibuster

What is the record?

24 hours and 18 minutes

 

  

 

  

 

  

                                                 

Some interesting tidbits of info about debating and voting in

the Senate • Senators can add different

laws to the bills being discussed.

• These additions are often called riders

• Such bills are referred to as CHRISTMAS TREE BILLS

 

  

 

  

 

  

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

7) If the bill passed by the Senate is DIFFERENT than the bill passed by the House (it usually is), the bill goes to a

Conference Committee

• The Conference Committee is made up of leaders of the House and Senate Standing Committees that investigated the bill

• They will meet and try to iron out the differences and pass the bill through both houses again

LOBBYISTS• Representatives of special

interests groups who meet with members of both houses to try to persuade them to vote for specific programs

• Some are full time, some are hired out

• Registered Federal Lobbyist Database

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

8) After the Conference Committee, the bill is quickly passed through both

houses of Congress…..

8) and the ENROLLED bill is signed by both presiding officers and sent to

the White House

Follow the Soccer BillFollow the Soccer Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

9) Presidential Action – 9) Presidential Action – four optionsfour options

The President can sign the bill -

the bill becomes law

The President can choose to not sign the bill within 10 days

the bill becomes a law (without the support of the President)

The President

can vetoveto the bill

the bill goes back the bill goes back to Congressto Congress

the bill goes back the bill goes back to Congressto Congress

The President can make a

pocket vetoif the President does not

sign the bill, and Congress adjourns

within 10 days, the bill DIES!!

Follow the Schwieters BillFollow the Schwieters Bill

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

10) If the President VETOES the bill, THE BILL IS NOT DEAD

it can still become a law IF both houses override the veto with a 2/3 majority vote

2/32/3 2/32/3

Where can the Soccer bill die?Where can the Soccer bill die?

1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee

Action

3) House Floor Action

4) Intro in the Senate

5) Senate Committee

Action6) Senate Floor

Action

7) Conference Committee

8) Both houses, sent to President

9)Presidential

Action

10) Congressional

override

Some lawmaking statisticsSome lawmaking statistics

• In the 106th Congress (1999-2000), In the 106th Congress (1999-2000), 5,8155,815 bills were introduced in the House, bills were introduced in the House, 3,3433,343 in the Senatein the Senate

• 580580 bills were enacted or passed both bills were enacted or passed both houses during the 106th Congresshouses during the 106th Congress

• President Clinton vetoed President Clinton vetoed 12 12 pieces of pieces of legislation (11 regular, 1 pocket)legislation (11 regular, 1 pocket)

• Congress was able to override Congress was able to override 00 of of President Clinton’s vetoesPresident Clinton’s vetoes