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Senate Committees Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science & Transportation Energy & Natural Resources Environment & Public Works Special, Select, and Other Indian Affairs Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging Indian Affairs Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging Finance Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Judiciary Rules & Administration Small Business & Entrepreneurship Veterans’ Affairs Joint Committees Joint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on the Library Joint Economic Committee

Legislative Process

Creating bills Anyone can write a bill Most are not written by members of Congress Most originate in the executive branch Business, labor, agriculture and other interest groups often draft bills Only members of Congress can introduce bills o Drop them in the “hopper”, a box hanging on the edge of the clerk’s desk.

Process Committees o Subcommittee – study, hearing, revisions, approval o Most bills die in committee (pigeonholed or buried) o House: discharge petition can blast a bill out of committee – needs majority of the House Floor Action o House: Rules Committee decides time for debate, if amendments are allowed Floor debate & vote o Senate : allows unlimited debate Filibuster, cloture Senators can threaten filibuster

Bill is forwarded to the appropriate Sub- Committee o Sub-Committee Chairperson sets the agenda o Sub-Committee researches, holds hearings, debates, makes changes to bill and then finally votes o Bill must pass a 50% + 1 vote o Bill is sent back to the Standing Committee Process may be repeated in the Standing Committee

If in the House of Representatives… 50% +1 in the House Standing Committee  Sent to the Rules Committee o sets rules for House Floor debate, then vote Released to the full floor for debate & vote o When passed by a 50% + 1 vote, then sent to the Senate where the process is essentially repeated

If bill started in the Senate… When passed by a 50% +1 vote in the Senate Standing Committee  o sent to the full floor for debate and vote o potential filibuster When passed by a 50% + 1 vote, then sent to the House of Representatives where the process is essentially repeated

All bills must pass BOTH Houses of Congress All bills must pass in identical wording if the House and the Senate versions of the bill are different, the bill is sent to a Conference Committee

Conference Committee contains members of both Chambers senior members of standing or subcommittees that initiated the bills If a compromise bill is accepted by the Conference Committee, then this single version of the bill must be sent back to each House for a final full floor vote (50% + 1)

House of Representatives Introduced Given a Title & # Subcommittee Chairperson sets agenda Research, hearings, debate Vote 50% + 1 Rules Committee Limits on debate time Vote 50% + 1 Full Floor Committee of the Whole Debate & Vote 50% + 1 Sent to the Senate Standing Committee Process repeated Vote 50% + 1

Senate Bill is Introduced Given a Title & # Committee Process is repeated Except there is no Rules Committee Full Floor Debate is unlimited Possible filibuster Vote – 50% + 1 Members from both Houses Reconcile HR & S versions of the bill Vote 50% + 1 Sent to the President Conference Committee Full Floor vote in each House (50% + 1)

Bills passed in each House of Congress are sent to the President where he/she is given 10 days to take action The President has 4 Options:

Bill becomes Law Option 1: The President signs the bill into law

Passes with No Signature Option 2: Bill becomes a law without the president’s signature o Does not sign o 10 days pass o Congress is still in session o bill becomes law

VETO Option 3: Veto (rejects) o The President formally rejects the bill o The bill is sent back to Congress o Congress can vote to override veto by 2/3 vote o Most vetoes are not overridden

POCKET VETO Option 4: Pocket Veto o The President does not sign o 10 days pass o Congress has adjourned o bill does not become law