1. Warm-ups (04/15 – Unit VI)
List and explain the 3 reasons why the United States has a Bicameral Congress.

2. Ch.12
Congress in Action

3. 12.1 – Congress Organizes The Presiding Officers
Speaker of the House: is both elected presiding officer of the House and the acknowledged leader of its majority party
Presides over every session of the House, or occasionally appoints a member as the temporary presiding officer
Follows the Vice President in the line of succession to the presidency

4. The Presiding Officers of Congress
The President of the Senate = Vice President
Constitution assigned the job – not chosen by a party
Powers: recognize members, put questions to a vote, etc.
Can NOT take the floor to speak or debate and may vote only to break a tie

5. The Presiding Officers of Congress
President Pro Tempore serves in the Vice President’s absence
Is elected by the Senate itself and is always a leading member of the majority party
Follows the Speaker of the House in the line of presidential succession

6. Party Officers The Floor Leaders Majority/Minority Floor Leaders
The Majority Floor leader’s post is the more powerful in each house because they hold more seats (votes) than the other party
Majority/Minority Whips: assistant floor leaders

7. Party Officers
Committee Chairmen: those members that head the standing committees in each chamber
Seniority Rule
Unwritten custom
Head of each committee is almost always the longest-serving majority party member of that committee

8. 12.2 – Committees in Congress
The Role of Committees
Committee Assignments
House: 19, 9 – 75 members in each
Senate: 17, 12 – 28 members in each
Representatives are usually assigned to one or two; Senators three or four
Bills receive their most thorough consideration while in committee

9. Role of Committees The House Rules Committee: “Traffic Cop”
Every bill must be cleared by the Rules Committee
Select Committees: most are formed to investigate a current matter (Ex. Study of the Elderly, Covert operations in Iran, Spruce Budworm problem, etc.)
Joint & Conference Committees: One composed of members of both houses

10. TEST THIS WEEK- NEXT TIME I C U
Warm-Up (04/26)
List the 4 options of the president when he receives a bill – Look in Ch.12 Notes
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TEST THIS WEEK- NEXT TIME I C U

11. 12.3 – How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House
1st Step: Introduced, given a name and number (Ex. H.R or S. 210)
Types of Bills & Resolutions
Joint Resolutions: a proposal for action; has the same force as a law; usually temporary
Concurrent Resolutions: Statement on a position; does not have the force of law; no Presidential approval

12. How a Bill Becomes a Law: The House
Resolution: Opinion on a matter; does not have the force of law; no Presidential approval
Bill: proposed law; applies to the entire nation
Bill in Committee
Most bills introduced Congress are pigeonholed – die in committee

13. 12.4 – The Bill in the Senate Introducing the Bill Rules for Debate
Bill are introduced by Senators; Private citizens can create a bill (not introduce)
Rules for Debate
The Filibuster
An attempt to “talk a bill to death;” stalling tactic to delay or prevent action on a measure
Cloture Rule: used to stop a filibuster (needs 3/5 vote to end it)

14. Strom Thurmond Oldest member of the Senate @ age 100
Holds the record for longest filibuster
24 hours, 18 minutes (Civil Rights Act of 1957)
Longest time spent on a filibuster – 57 days (Civil Rights Act of 1964)

15. The President’s Powers
The President may sign the bill, and it then becomes law (LAW)
The President may veto the bill. He will not sign and will attach a veto message to the bill. (NOT LAW, YET – Congress may get a combined 2/3 agreement – BECOMES LAW)
The President may allow the bill to become law without signing it – by not acting on it within 10 days, not counting Sundays, of receiving it. (LAW)
Pocket Veto: If Congress adjourns its session within 10 days of submitting a bill to the President, and the President does not act, the measure dies (NOT LAW)