legislative process in congress Flashcards
What is the Origination Clause?
All bills for raising revenue have to originate in the House of Representatives
Found in Article I, Section 7, Clause I of the Constitution.
What is the first stage of the legislative process?
Initiation Stage/First Reading
A bill is first introduced by a member of Congress without debate or vote.
What happens to bills after the first reading?
They are sent to a standing committee
The committee can either reject or accept the bill to continue the legislative process.
What is the role of the President in the legislative process?
Influencing which bills get introduced, especially at the start of their presidency
Example: CHIPS and Science Act 2022 was initially introduced as a different bill.
How many standing committees are there in the Senate?
16 standing committees
There are 20 standing committees in the House of Representatives.
What do standing committees do during the Committee Stage?
Hold hearings, mark up the bill, and make amendments
They may also estimate costs and provide recommendations.
What is the purpose of the Timetabling Stage?
Decide which bills get debated and voted on in the House/Senate
In the Senate, this is done through Unanimous Consent Agreements.
What is the role of the House Rules Committee?
Decides which bills are prioritized and how much they can be amended
It can impose a closed rule, blocking all amendments.
What is the Second Reading in the legislative process?
Further amendments can be tabled and voted on
Followed by a vote to proceed with the bill.
What is a filibuster?
A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislative action
It often makes it more difficult to pass bills.
What happens during the Conference Committee/Reconciliation stage?
Members from both the House and Senate create one version of the bill
This is less common now, with informal negotiations often taking place.
What can the President do after a bill passes through Congress?
Sign it into law or veto it
Congress can attempt to override a veto with a 2/3 majority in both houses.
What is a pocket veto?
The President leaves the bill on his desk without signing it
If there aren’t 10 Congressional working days left, the bill won’t become law.
What is a key difference in the legislative process between the House and Senate regarding revenue bills?
Revenue-raising bills cannot be significantly amended by the Senate
The House has control over the power of the purse.
How is timetabling done differently in the Senate compared to the House?
Senate uses Unanimous Consent Agreements, House uses House Rules Committee
This affects how bills are prioritized.
What is the time limit for debate on most bills in the House?
40 minutes
There are strict limits on the length of speeches in the House.
What happens if there is a tie vote in the House?
The bill does not pass
Unlike the Senate, where the Vice President can break a tie.
Fill in the blank: The _______ can break a tie vote in the Senate.
Vice President
What significant funding did the CHIPS and Science Act provide?
$280B in new funding
Aimed to boost domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors.
