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Congress continued:

Congress continued:. Committees, Congress at work, and ….. How a bill becomes a law. Opening day for congress is when? According to what amendment? Which opening day do you think is more confusing – House or Senate and why?. Opening day in the House Call to order and take roll

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Congress continued:

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  1. Congress continued: Committees, Congress at work, and ….. How a bill becomes a law.

  2. Opening day for congress is when? According to what amendment? Which opening day do you think is more confusing – House or Senate and why? Opening day in the House Call to order and take roll Choose a Speaker Takes oath and swears in rest Elect: Clerk, Sergeant at arms, doorkeeper, postmaster, and chaplain Adopt rules Organize committees Congress Convenes

  3. Congress Convenes (cont.) • Opening day in the Senate • How many of its’ members are newly elected? • So…. What do they do? • Newly elected and reelected members are sworn in and vacancies are filled.

  4. The Presiding Officers:The Speaker of the House • John Boehner, OH • Most influential member • Two duties: • Preside over all sessions & keep order. • Allowed to debate and vote on any matter.

  5. The Presiding Officers:The President of the Senate • VP is Pres of Senate • According to what??? • Recognize members, put questions to a vote. • Only votes to break a tie. • Why? • How is this different from the S.O.H? • If absent, a president Pro Tempore, presides. • Daniel K. InouyeDemocrat, Hawaii • Elected by Senate • Member of majority party

  6. Floor Leaders & other Party Officers • The Floor Leaders • Majority and minority floor leaders • Chosen by party • Assistants are called whips (what do you think they do?) • The Party Caucuses • Closed meetings of each party in each house and deal with party organization, selection of floor leaders, and committee membership.

  7. Majority leader: Harry Reid (NV) Minority leader: Mitch McConnell (KY) Your majority and minority party floor leaders in the Senate:

  8. Majority leader: Eric Cantor (VA) Minority leader: Nancy Pelosi (CA) Your majority and minority party floor leaders in the House:

  9. Committee Chairpersons • They decide…. • When their committees will meet • Which bills they will consider • Whether they will hold public hearings • What witnesses to call • Seniority Rule • Unwritten custom, most important posts are awarded according to length of service. • Criticisms of Seniority Rule – what do you think? • Defenders of Seniority Rule – ditto?

  10. Standing Committees • Permanent groups to which all similar bills are sent. • 19 in the House, 17 in the Senate • House members can only serve on one, and Senate members can serve on two. • The Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate is responsible for assigning bills to the appropriate standing committees.

  11. The House Rules Committee • The “Traffic Cop” in the House. • This committee manages the flow of bills for action by the full House by scheduling their consideration. • Why is there not one in the Senate? • Who does it then?

  12. Select Committees • Special groups set up for specific purposes and for a limited period • Members are appointed by the Speaker or the president of the Senate. • Usually formed to conduct especially important investigations, • Ex: The Senate Watergate Committee of 1973.

  13. Joint Committees • Composed of members from both houses. • Appropriations, Budget, Judiciary, Small Business, Veteran’s Affairs. • Usually permanent groups that serve on a regular basis. • So, joint committees are usually standing.

  14. Conference Committees • Before a bill is sent to the President, it must be passed in identical form by each house. • Do you think they’ll pass the exact same bill each time verbatim??? • Conference Committees are created to iron out the differences on the bills. • Must produce a compromise bill both houses will accept.

  15. How a Bill becomes a Law!

  16. Introduce Activity Passing a Bill – Simulation!

  17. Bill Simulation Steps • Assign Roles: • 4 total committees • Two for the House • Two for the Senate • Two readers (1 for Bill One, 1 for Bill Two) • Speakers for Bill One – 3 • Speakers for Bill Two – 3

  18. Bill Simulation Steps • Bill is read to class • Split into your four groups • Talk about the bills for 2-5 minutes • Conduct Hearings • Speakers testify about the bills • Committee members ask one question of each speaker • Vote on whether or not to proceed with the bills • Mark up time! • Meet for five minutes to revise the bills to your liking

  19. Bill Simulation Steps • Reconvene • All House members come together • All Senate members come together • Each side introduce your revisions • Floor consideration (vote – yay/nay) • If the bill doesn’t pass…it dies • If it does pass, it goes to conference committee • Conference Committee • Nominate/vote on members (two from each group) • Work out the kinks on the passed bills

  20. Bill Simulation Steps • Vote again • The Conference Committee has one bill • If it passes, it goes to the President who has four options • Pass • Veto • Pocket Veto • Ignore for ten days, and automatically it passes

  21. How it a bill becomes a law: The House • 1st reading • Goes to committee and then subcommittee • Reviewed and back to full committee • Can report favorably, amend it, unfavorably, totally redo it, or pigeonhole it (refuse to report). • Placed on a calendar (H.R. Co.) for floor debate.

  22. Continued – bill in the House • Bill read a 2nd time • Floor debate – strict time limits • Voting! • Voice vote, standing vote, 1/5 quorum asks for a teller vote, or a roll-call vote. • Bill read a 3rd time and signed by Speaker • Sent to Senate President (aka: Vice Pres)

  23. The Bill in Senate • Bill is read, given a title, referred to committee. • Bills are called to floor by majority floor leader; different from House Rules Co. • Read twice and comes back to full Senate • Floor debate – unlimited! • Filibuster – only in Senate. • Strom Thurmond, 24 hrs and 18 min • Cloture rule – shuts down with a 4/5 vote • Conference Committee – smooth out differences b/t House bill and Senate bill • Goes to President

  24. What are the President’s options? • 1.) Sign the bill – law! • 2.) Veto – no law! • Congress can override with a 2/3 vote. • 3.) Not sign within ten days of receiving it… law! • 4.) If Congress is about to end (within 10 days) he can give the bill a POCKET VETO. • Basically sticks it in his pocket and it goes away

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