1. Organization of Congress

2. Opening Day in the House
Speaker is chosen – how chosen?
Swear in body
Dems on right
Reps on left
Adopt rules
Committee chairs appointed

3. Opening Day in Senate Not the same as house. Why?
Swear in members. All?

4. State of the Union Address

5. Leaders
Speaker of the House – presides over House and keeps order; refers bills; calls on members; signs bills
John Boehner

7. President of the Senate
Vice President – votes on ties only
Joe Biden

8. President Pro Tempore
Leading member of majority party
Mitch McConnell

9. Floor leaders
Whips – strategist with floor leader
Counts votes

10. Standing Committee
Committee - always there – money, armed forces, rules top
Subcommittees – specific issues within committees
House Rules Committee – establish rules for all bills
Most bills die in committee

11. Select Committee
Specific purpose – investigate a matter
Asian Carp?

13. Joint Committee Members from both houses
Work on select or standing committee topics

14. Conference Committee
Created to work out differences between a House bill and Senate bill

15. How a bill becomes a law.

16. Executive Actions

17. Steps for a bill to become a law
Private v. Public
Short Title
Assigned to committee
Assigned to subcommittee
Rules for reading bill – no rule, no reading, no bill
Debate
Vote in House
Similar procedure in Senate
Conference Committee
President

18. Senate Filibuster – talk a bill to death
Talk until Senate agrees to drop bill
Cloture – limits debate – vote two days after call for vote
3/5 in favor – filibuster dies

19. President’s actions Yes Veto – bill returns to house it came from
Don’t sign it, after 10 days it becomes law
Pocket veto – if congress adjourns 10 days after receiving it and no signature, bill dies

20. That’s all!