The Lawmaking Process: 2.4 Flashcards
all laws start out
as bills introduced by members of Congress
step 1: legislation
bill 1st submitted; House: placed in wooden box (“hopper”), Senate: submitted to Senate clerk
rider
provision attached to a bill in hopes of getting gassed with bill
step 2: committee action
bill sent to appropriate committee by referral, where studied and adjusted as needed; most bills “die” never being presented to Congress; “markup”: main committee meets to review bill and make necessary changes; committees controlled by majority party in both houses
step 3: floor action (house of reps)
debate procedure: house holds 10 minute segments: 5 for bill, 5 against bill; voting: all house members vote in a public roll-call; speaker’s role is in charge of debate
step 3: floor action (senate)
debate procedure: smaller, more open in debate procedures; filibuster: prolonged senate debate); both house and senate must pass bill by majority vote
step 4: conference committee (if needed)
major bills with different language that pass both houses put before Conference Committee, combination of House and Senate members to “rewrite” language of bill; bill sent to president
step 5: president
3 options: 1) sign bill, making it law, 2) veto- return bill to house from originated ( if both houses pass by 2/3 vote, it passes), 3) pocket veto- refusal sign bill; 10 day period (no Sundays) if Congress adjoins, bill dies; Congress in session, bill becomes law)