How a Bill Becomes a Law

Chapter 6 Section 4

Key Terms

• Joint Resolution: A resolution that is passed by both houses of Congress

• Special-Interest Group: An organization of people with some common interest who try to influence government decisions

• Rider: A completely unrelated amendment tacked on to a bill

• Filibuster: A tactic for defeating a bill in the Senate by talking until the bill’s sponsor withdraws it

Key Terms cont.

• Cloture: A procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill

• Voice Vote: A voting method in which those in favor say “yea” and those against say “no”

• Roll-Call Vote: A voting method in the Senate in which members voice their votes in turn

• Veto: Refusal to sign a bill or resolution• Pocket-Veto: President’s power to kill a bill, if

Congress is not in session, by not signing it for 10 days

Types of Bills

• Congress’ job is to pass laws

• More than 10,000 bills are introduced each term of Congress, only several hundred will become law

Types of Bills cont.

• Bills fall into 2 categories:– Private bills: concern

individual people and places. Deal with people’s claims against the govt.

– Public bills: Apply to the entire nation and involve general matters:

• Taxes• Civil rights• Terrorism• Etc…

From Bill to Law

• Every bill starts with an idea:– Come from members of

Congress– Private citizens– White House– Special Interest Groups

• Bills can only be introduced by senators or reps.

• Bills that involve money must start in the House

• Bills are given a title and #– S.1– H.R. 1

Committee Action

• Committees receive far more bills than they can process

• Chairperson decides what bills get selected/ignored

Committee Action cont.

• Standing committees can kill bills or give them life:

• Committees can:

1. Pass bill without changes

2. Mark up a bill with changes and suggest that it be passed

3. Replace original bill with a new alternative

4. Ignore the bill and let it die

5. Kills the bill by majority vote

• Full House or Senate can overrule decisions

Floor Debate

• Bill approved in committee go to the full House or Senate

• Bill are dealt with in the order they arrive

• Members argue pros and cons:– Amendments discussed

Floor Debate cont.

• House:– Accepts only amendments

related to bill

• Senate:– Allows riders

• At times the Senate will filibuster a bill

• Senate can end filibuster when there is a vote of cloture

Voting on a Bill

• Ways Congress votes:– Voice vote– Standing vote– Computerized vote (House)– Roll-call vote (Senate)

• Majority rule• Passes in one house it is sent to

the other• If either house rejects it, it dies• Must be the identical in both

house to become law

Presidential Action

• After bill approved by both house it goes to president

• 4 things may happen:– President signs it (law)– President veto– Do nothing for 10 days; if

Congress is in session it becomes law

– Congress not in session; bill dies (pocket veto)

Homework

• Worksheets #76-78