1. The Legislative Process
The Steps for
How a Bill Becomes a Law

2. Types of Bills Where do bills originate?

3. Types of Bills and Resolutions
Private Bills – deal with individual people or places.
Often involve people’s claims against the government.
Public Bills – deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation.
Receive media coverage

4. Types of Resolutions
Simple Resolution – covers matters effecting only one house of Congress.
Used to establish internal rules and procedures.
Joint Resolutions – deal with temporary or unusual matters, used to propose Constitutional amendments, authorize the use of force in a foreign country, etc.
May require Presidents signature, except in the case of a proposed amendment.
Concurrent Resolution – deal with concerns of both houses, does not require Pres. Signature.
Used for establishing rules, giving opinions, etc.

5. Other terms used to describe bills
Rider – an attachment (amendment) to a bill that is not related to the subject matter of the bill. (Senate only)
Christmas Tree Bill – a bill with many “riders” or “ornaments”
Statute or Act – a bill that has already become a law

6. Where ideas for bills originate?
Representatives or Senators
Campaign promises
What their political parties want
Executive Branch
State of the Union address
Independent agencies of the executive branch (bureaucracy)
President’s cabinet
Citizens
phone calls
letters
public opinion polls
Special Interest groups
Labor unions
Companies/Corporations
Lobbyists

7. Bills in the House and Senate
PHASE 1

8. Bills in the House & Senate
A bill must pass both houses to become law. Constitution requires bills to be identical!
Revenue bills must begin in the House.

9. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Only Members of the House or the Senate can only “introduce” bills. Individuals cannot introduce bills.
If a bill is introduced in the House it receives a house bill number.
Ex: HR 545
Ex: S 396
Introduced in the House of Representatives

10. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
After its introduction, it is assigned to the appropriate committee
And then to a subcommittee

11. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Review
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Hearings
Markup
Subcommittee
reviews the bill
holds public hearings
amends the bill (holds a “markup” session)

12. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Review
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Hearings
Markup
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
If the subcommittee disapproves of the bill it can “pigeonhole” the bill which means to put the bill away and never consider it again.

13. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Review
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Hearings
Markup
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
If the subcommittee approves of the bill it recommends the bill to the full standing committee.

14. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Review
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Hearings
Markup
Report Favorably
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
Rules Committee
The full Standing Committee then decides whether or not to “report the bill favorably.”
In the House, the bill must next go to the Rules Committee.
The Rules Committee sets the rules for debate on the House floor.
It is necessary because of the size of the House (435 members)

15. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Review
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Hearings
Markup
Report Favorably
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
Rules Committee
House Floor
The Rules Committee will then either pigeonhole the bill or;
Send the Bill to the House floor

16. Follow A Bill Introduced in the House
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Review
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Hearings
Markup
Report Favorably
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
Rules Committee
If the Bill Passes with a majority vote, it is sent to the Senate
House Floor

17. Follow the bill to the Senate
Review
To Subcommittee
Referred to a Standing Committee
Hearings
Markup
Report Favorably
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
Senate Floor
The Senate has the same options as the House, except there is not a Rules committee in the Senate.

18. Special rules for the senate floor
The Senate practices “unlimited debate”
They can talk about a bill as long as they like
In order to delay a bill Senators sometimes will initiate a filibuster where they “talk a bill to death.”
Continue to talk until the bill is dropped, they get too tired to continue or the Senate votes to stop the filibuster.
Invoking cloture rule end a filibuster and requires a 3/5 vote or 60/100 Senators.
longest individual speech goes to South Carolina's J. Strom Thurmond who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957

19. Review: Bills in the House and Senate
Introduced in the House of Representatives
Referred to a Standing Committee
To Subcommittee
Review
Hearings
Markup
Pigeonhole
(Bill dies)
Rules Committee
Report Favorably
House Floor
Senate
Senate Floor
(Policy of Unlimited Debate)
If bill is identical from both houses it goes directly to the President.
If bills are different then they must go to a conference committee

20. The conference committee
Phase 2

21. The Conference Committee
Identical
President
Different
Conference Committee
If the same bill was passed by both houses, it goes directly to the President.
However, if the bills are different the bill is sent to a Conference Committee.

22. The Conference Committee
Identical
Different
President
Conference Committee
House
Senate
The conference committee is made up of members from the House and the Senate (usually from the appropriate committees)
It’s sole purpose is to fix the differences in the bill.
If the conference committee passes the bill, it must be sent back to the floor of the House and the Senate for another vote.
If both houses then pass the bill, it will be sent to the President.

23. The President’s options
Different
President
Conference Committee
House
Senate
Phase 3

24. The President’s options
Veto
To House or Senate
The President Has Four Options with a bill
1.) Veto the Bill – reject the bill and send it back to the house where it originated
(either House or Senate)

25. The President’s options
Veto
To House or Senate
Sign
Bill Becomes Law
The President Has Four Options with a bill
2.) Sign the Bill – approve the bill and it becomes law

26. The President’s options
Veto
To House or Senate
Sign
Bill Becomes Law
10 day rule
Bill Becomes Law
The President Has Four Options with a bill
3.) 10 day rule – leave the bill alone and it automatically becomes law.

27. The President’s options
Veto
To House or Senate
Pocket Veto
Bill Dies
Sign
Bill Becomes Law
10 day rule
Bill Becomes Law
The President Has Four Options with a bill
4.) Pocket Veto – Leave the bill alone and if Congress adjourns within 10 days, the bill automatically dies.

28. The President’s options
To House or Senate
Sign
Bill Becomes Law
10 day rule
Pocket Veto
Bill Dies
Veto

29. Congressional veto override
Phase 4

30. Congressional veto override
Senate
House
Bill Becomes Law
Bill Dies
2/3 vote in both houses
Not enough votes
If the President vetoes a bill, it goes first to the house where it started.
Both houses must then pass the bill with a 2/3rds vote in order for the bill to become law
If there are not enough votes the bill dies.

31. Legislative Behavior

32. Voting Voice vote – “aye” or “no”. The division – stand and be counted
Recorded vote – electronic, stations throughout the floor, allowed 15 minutes to cast vote

33. Political considerations
What influences the way members of Congress vote and the bills they introduce?
Interest groups
Personal interests
Political considerations
Party
President – “Bully Pulpit” (TR) appeal directly to the public
Constituents
Letters, phone calls, etc.
“Pork barrel Legislation” - Legislation loaded with special projects for Members to give to their constituents as a gift (Your tax $ at work!)
Colleagues
Caucuses
“Logrolling” – When members trade votes
Informal agreement to vote for each other's priorities

34. Reviewing Types of Committees

35. Committees Chairs: chosen by majority party based on seniority
Seniority: who has been in Congress the longest
Four types of committees:
Standing committee and sub-committees: handles bills, subject matter specific

37. Committees Chairs: chosen by majority party based on seniority
Seniority: who has been in Congress the longest
Four types of committees:
Standing committee and sub-committees: handles bills, subject matter specific
Conference committee – Both Houses, For the legislative process – reconcile differences in bills
Joint committees – Both Houses, studies/researches issues and specific problems
Ex: Taxation
Select committees – One House, studies/researches issues and specific problems
Ex: Watergate, Current Examples: Intelligence