An Introduction to Laws and Regulations Flashcards
6 Essential Principles: American Democracy
+ Majority Rules
+Protection of political rights of minorities
+ Citizens agree to be ruled by a system of laws
+Free exchange of ideas & opinions
+Equality of all Citizens
+Government exists to serve the people
What are the branches of government
+ Legislative - Makes Laws (Congress - (House of Representatives and Senate)
+ Executive - Enforces the Laws (Presidents, VP, Cabinet and most federal agencies)
+ Judicial - Evaluates/Interpret Laws (Supreme Court and other courts)
Legislative Branch contain
Two Houses
+ US Senate - 100 members (2 for each state)
+ House of Representatives - 435 members (appointed to their total population)
Two houses form Congress and are responsible for passing statutory or legislative law
Specific Powers given to Congress (per the constitution)
- Levy and collect taxes
- Make rules and regulations governing commerce among the states and with foreign countries
- Make uniform rules for the naturalization of foreign citizens
- Make all laws necessary to enforce the Constitution
Judicial Branch consists of
The federal court system with the Supreme Court being the top entity
Supreme Court consist of
Nine Justices
Judicial Branch: In food law
often includes disputes between an enforcement agency and a food company
Executive Branch consist of
The president and their cabinet along with cabinet departments and independent agencies
Executive Branch: President’s Powers
- Veto legislation
- Appoint federal judges
- Introduce legislation to congress
- Appoint ambassadors, ministers, and consuls to aid in foreign relations
- Appoint heads of executive departments and independent agencies
(Decides leadership positions over CDC and leads the USDA)
Three things a bill should contain
+ Statutory provisions (which describe what legislation will prohibit, what is required, etc.)
+ Administrative provisions (which describe who will be responsible for and enforce the statue, usually a department or agency)
+ Judicial provisions (which describe which courts will handle disputes and aid enforcement)
6 main steps for a bill to become a law
1) Introduction
2) Consideration in Committee
3) Reintroduction
4) Debate in Congress
5) Presidential Action
6) Enrollment
Bill to Law: 1) Introduction
+ Introduced from the floor by a senator
+ Bill is signed to a standing committee for consideration
+ Bill is printed by the government printing office
Bill to Law: 2) Consideration in committee
+ after reports from standing/sub committee several actions can be taken
+ the rules committee decides when and and how the bill will be discussed
Actions taken in Consideration in Committee
+ Pigeonhole the bill
+ Report the bill out of committee favorably (recommended to the house of origination that is was passed) no changes
+ Mark up the bill (amend the bill-light changes made)
+ Throw out the bill
+ Report the bill out unfavorably
Bill to Law: 3) Reintroduction
+ it’s reintroduced by the standing committee to the full senate or house
+ The bill is then considered reported out of the committee
Bill to Law: 4) Debate in Congress
+ once bill is reintroduced it has its second reading
+ a report of the committee’s result is sent to each house and the act is voted on again
Actions taken in debate in congress
+ Pass it as written
+ Table the bill
+ Send the bill back to the committee
+ Amend the bill
Bill to Law: 5) Presidential Action
+ Three options when presented with an act
+ Once the act becomes a law it is printed as a slip law and is distributed to the public
Actions taken in Presidential Action
+ Approved and sign the act (becomes a law)
+ Not acted in within 10 days (no sundays) will automatically become a law
+ Veto the act by not signing it or sending it back
- The veto can be overridden if each house approves it by 213 majority
Bill to Law: 6) Enrollment
+ the act is enrolled and submitted to the president after being signed by the speaker of the house and the president of the senate
+ Once act is a law it is up to regulatory agencies to enforce it through rules, policies and guidelines
