U3 P3

Question 1

How a Bill Becomes a Law: Committees & Subcommittees

Answer 1

A) Groups of legislators who study proposed acts of Congress.

B) New bills are referred to a committee, then (usually) to 1 of its subcommittees

Question 2

How a Bill Becomes a Law: Specialization

Answer 2

Each standing (permanent) committee focuses on a particular type of bill (pp. 338-339).

D) Subcommittees are even more specialized. They research & hold hearings on bills. They then approve, defeat or amend them, as the majority of their members vote. Approved bills are sent to the full committee for a vote.

E) The full committee then rejects the bill, or favorably recommends it, sending it to the floor for a vote by the entire house.

Question 3

Committee Structure

Answer 3

A) Committee chairmen can kill bills by not scheduling them for hearings. They also influence bills through their power to schedule & adjourn meetings. They also select subcommittee chairmen.

B) Maj. party selects chairmen. In the Senate, it is seniority based. In the House, seniority is considered, but not a rule, and chairs are term-limited (6 years).

C) Committee seats, staff, & funding are split based on a party’s % of the house.

Question 4

Floor Debate

Answer 4

A) Bills reported (approved) from a committee go before the full house for debate.

B) House: The Rules Committee controls debate. It places bills on the calendar, issues rules on numbers & types of floor amendments, and floor debate time.

C) Senate: Debate is unlimited, so bills are subject to holds & filibusters.

Question 5

Filibuster

Answer 5

an attempt by one or more Senators to talk a bill to death.

D) Filibusters can be ended if 60+ Senators vote for cloture (30 hr. debate limit).

E) One tax and one spending bill per year can be passed under reconciliation. They can’t be filibustered, but also can’t increase the nat. debt for longer than 10 yrs.

F) Bills must pass both houses in identical versions before being sent to the Pres.

Question 6

Hold

Answer 6

bills cannot be voted on until the requesting Senator is notified (It’s a warning the Senator doesn’t like the bill, and is ready to take action).

Question 7

Conference Committees

Answer 7

A) Harmonize different versions of the same bill.
B) Made up of members from each house, appointed by committee chairmen.
C) The conference’s version is then sent back to each house for a vote. If it passes, it then goes to the President for his consideration