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Understanding the Legislative Process: How a Bill Becomes a Law in the 112th Congress

This guide explores the process of how a bill becomes law in the U.S. Congress, highlighting the statistics from the 112th Congress (2011-2012), where 196 laws were enacted and 31 bills failed. It details the types of legislation: bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions. The journey of a bill involves citizen ideas, committee hearings, markup sessions, and various voting methods. Key terms such as filibuster and quorum are clarified to better understand legislative procedures. This informative overview is perfect for students and citizens eager to learn about lawmaking.

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Understanding the Legislative Process: How a Bill Becomes a Law in the 112th Congress

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  1. How a Bill Becomes a Law

  2. 112th Congress Stats • January 5, 2011-December 31, 2012 • Enacted Laws: 196 • Passed Resolutions: 669 • At the President: 9 • Active Legislation: 377 • Inactive Legislation: 10736 • Failed Legislation: 31 • Vetoed Bills: 0 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/

  3. Schoolhouse Rock • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otbml6WIQPo

  4. Bills and Resolutions • 4 types of forms new legislation may take: • Bills • Joint Resolution • Concurrent Resolution • Simple Resolution

  5. I’m Just a Bill • Private bills: deal with individual people or places • Public bills: deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation

  6. Joint Resolution • Requires the approval of both houses and the signature of the president • Essentially the same as a law • Passed by both houses reacting to an important issue that needs immediate action

  7. Concurrent Resolution • Comes from both houses • Often settles housekeeping and procedural matters that affect both houses • Not signed by the president • Do not have force of law

  8. Simple Resolution • Passed by either House or Senate and usually establishes rules, regulations, or practices • Do not have force of law • Not signed by the president

  9. Law making vocab

  10. Bell ringer 11/28 • Decide whether each action exemplifies a private bill, public bill, a simple resolution, a joint resolution, or a concurrent resolution • Speeding overdue Social Security payments to a needy recipient • Changing the vacation schedule of the House • Raising taxes on luxury items • Reintroducing the Equal Rights Amendment

  11. Introducing a bill • Ideas can come from private citizens, interest groups, the president, or officers in the executive branch • Only a member of Congress can introduce the bill • H.R. = House of Representatives bill • S. = Senate bill • Sent to a committee that deals with that subject matter

  12. Committee hearings • Sessions where committee members listen to testimony from people interested in the bill • Government officials • Representatives from interest groups • Committee can let the bill die—pigeonholing • Results of committee hearings: • Congress gathers information about the bill • Able to educate the public on an important issue • Influence public opinion for a bill

  13. Markup Session • After committee bill goes into markup session, where it is revised if there are any changes that need to go into the bill • Majority vote on committee approves all changes made into bill • With all changes made, committee then either reports it or kills it • Report: sent to House or Senate floor • Revised bill, description of bill • Explains all committee’s actions, lists the major changes, opinions on the bill

  14. Floor action • Little debate held on the floor, most debate of a bill made in committee • Amendments added to bill • Unless there is a closed rule made by the Rules Committee in the House

  15. Voting in the house • Voice vote: simply shout “aye” or “nay” • Teller vote: file past a clerk and inform of their vote • Division vote (standing vote): members stand to be counted • Recorded vote (electronic vote): permits each member to insert a plastic card into a slot to record his or her vote • Most commonly used • Votes flash on a large screen

  16. Voting in the senate • Same as the house, but also: • Roll call vote: respond “aye” or “nay” as their names are called

  17. House rules committee • One of the oldest standing committees in the House • Most powerful • Decides how and when legislation will be considered by the House • May move bills up or down in the calendar • May also include a time limit for debates on the bill and specify how much the bill many be amended while on the floor

  18. Quorum • Minimum number of members that must be present to permit legislative body take action • Regular session in the House: 218 members • Committee of a Whole: • Only 100 members needed • Cannot pass a bill, but can debate it and amend a bill

  19. Filibuster • Technique used in the Senate to slow down or kill a bill • Definition: talking until a majority of the Senate abandons the bill or modify its most controversial points • After 3 hours, may talk about whatever they want • Record: Storm Thurmond, South Carolina • Opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 • Talked for 24 hours and 18 minutes • May be stopped by a cloture: procedure that allows each senator to speak only for an hour on a bill under debate • Need 3/5 (60) votes to cloture a filibuster

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