How a Bill Becomes a Law:

Question 1

Bill

Answer 1

Is a proposed law

Question 2

Sponsor

Answer 2

is the person who proposes the bill

Question 3

Public Bills

Answer 3

Applies to the general public

Question 4

Private Bills

Answer 4

Concern Individuals

Question 5

Where does a bill start?

Answer 5

Either the House or Senate

Question 6

When introducing the bill the senate _______

Answer 6

a motion from the floor

Question 7

When introducing the bill the House ________

Answer 7

placed in a box called the hopper

Question 8

Each bill is sent to a standing Committee by either the:

Answer 8

• Speaker of the House

- Majority Leader of the Senate (w/ help of the Steering Committee)

Question 9

Standing Committees

Answer 9

PERMANENT

-Specialize Committee: Bills fall under their Jurisdicition

Question 10

Select Commitees

Answer 10

TEMPORARY Committees set up for investigative purposes

Question 11

Joint Commitees

Answer 11

Made up of members of BOTH houses of Congress

Question 12

Standing Committees will ____

Answer 12

• Research the bill to see if it will work
• Hear testimony
• Look for loopholes (how people can get around the new law)

Question 13

Pigeon Hole

Answer 13

Set a side to discuss later

Question 14

Clean Bill

Answer 14

Get rid of the bill and write a new one to replace it

Question 15

“Mark up”

Answer 15

Make changes to the bill in committee or subcommittee

Question 16

Report Bill Favorably to the floor:

Answer 16

Pass bill as it is

Question 17

Report Bill Unfavorable to the floor:

Answer 17

Done if law is controversial and general public is aware it exists

Question 18

When a bill has been in the “House Commitee” for more than 30 days a representaive can _________

Answer 18

Bypass Committee to use a DISCHARGE PETITION (Requires a Majority Vote) to send the bill to the house floor

Question 19

Calenders

Answer 19

Once passed by committe the bill will be put on a calender. All bills must be voted on in order to be placed in a calander

Question 20

House Calendar

Answer 20

Revenue ($$) Bills

Question 21

Union Calendar

Answer 21

All other Public Bills

Question 22

Private Calendar

Answer 22

Private Bills

Question 23

Consent Vote

Answer 23

No discussion needed, just a vote

Question 24

Who rules the Committee and is VERY POWERFUL?

Answer 24

The House

Question 25

The House Committee

Answer 25

Set up rules for debate
-(But today Im still just a bill)
Set rules for amendments
All actions must be approved by the Entire House

Question 26

How many REPS in Chamber must be apart of the Committee debate?

Answer 26

100 Reps are required to be in chamber

Question 27

Amendment Rule:

Answer 27

• Open Rule
• Closed Rule
• Modified Rule

Question 28

Open Rule

Answer 28

No limit on # of changes (Amendment)

Question 29

Closed Rule

Answer 29

No changes allowed (Amendment)

Question 30

Modified Rule

Answer 30

Limit # of changes (Amendment)

Question 31

House Debate Rules:

Answer 31

• Only one bill can be debated at a time
• Debate must be related to the topic (Germane)
• Debate time is limited

Question 32

Senate Debate Rules:

Answer 32

• 2 or 3 Bills can be debated at a time
• Debate does not have to be Germane (related)
• Debate time is not limited

(Filibuster: Unlimited speaking can be limited by Cloture Motion)

Question 33

Filibuster: (Senate)

Answer 33

Unlimited speaking on any issue

-can be limited with Cloture

Question 34

What is a Cloture in the Senate?

Answer 34

A motion by 16 senators PRIOR to a Filibuster

-3/5 vote of senate will limit debate to 1 hour

Question 35

How many votes are required to limit bill discussion to only one hour in the senate?

Answer 35

3/5 vote of Senate

Question 36

Floor Action on Bills

Answer 36

• Pass bills as written
• Table the Bill
• Sending back to committee for further study
• Amending the Bill (SENATE ONLY)

Question 37

When a bill is on the table in the floor action, what happens?

Answer 37

The bill is on the floor while voting for it.

Question 38

Voting in Congress:

Answer 38

• Voice Vote
• Standing Vote
• Roll Call Vote
• Electronic Vote

Question 39

Voice Vote (Congress)

Answer 39

“All in favor” or “All Opposed”

Question 40

Standing Vote (Congress)

Answer 40

Stand up when vote is called

Question 41

Roll Call Vote

Answer 41

Names called & you tell your vote. Mandatory method for overriding Presidents VETO.

Question 42

Electronic Vote

Answer 42

Done Electronicly

Question 43

If the Bill passes in Both Houses:

Answer 43

-Bill goes directly to the President
-if its passed in two versions
(Conference Committee is formed)
-Then vote on revised bill

Question 44

What is required for a bill to be sent to the president?

Answer 44

Majority Vote in Each House for Passage

Question 45

Who makes up the Conference Committee?

Answer 45

Members of both the Senate and House

Question 46

If the president signs the bill, what happens?

Answer 46

The bill becomes a LAW(:

Question 47

If congress is still in session and the president does not sign within 10 days, what happens to the bill?

Answer 47

The bill becomes a LAW, only if congress is in session

Question 48

If Congress has adjourned after 10 days before the president signs the bill, what happens?

Answer 48

A Pocket Veto Occurs

Question 49

What vote is required by the house and senate to pass the bill?

Answer 49

2/3 Vote

Question 50

If 2/3 of house & 2/3 of Senate override the veto, then the bill _______

Answer 50

Becomes a Law

Question 51

If the president Vetoes the bill, where does it go?

Answer 51

Back to both houses