| The United States Congress is a bicameral | | | | The house has limited debate. Pelosi can issue |
| legislature. It is the Legislative Branch, which is the | | | | three types of rules for debate. One is open |
| law-making branch of the three branches of the | | | | rule-once the bill is on the floor, any member can |
| federal government. Our representatives act in | | | | offer amendment. Another is closed rule-only |
| certain ways and the houses act in certain ways- | | | | those that sponsored the bill can amend it. Lastly |
| creating legislation that, in turn, may or may not | | | | is the Restrictive Rule, which is anything the Rules |
| become the law of tomorrow. | | | | Committee wants it to be. In the house, all |
| The term "congress" just seems to comfortably | | | | amendments must be germane to the bill. |
| sum up the two units that make it up. Many just | | | | The Senate has unlimited debate and is not as |
| think of the congress being a "whole" unit. | | | | partisan. The majority leader looks at legislation, it |
| Historically, the House of Representatives has | | | | is asked, "All in favor say 'aye,' all opposed say, |
| been more of the "people's" house of congress. It | | | | 'no,'" and the Senate either works on the bill or |
| was the only part of the three branches of | | | | not based on a simple majority. |
| government to be elected by a direct election of | | | | In the senate, the attach riders to bills. These do |
| the people. The Senate, which had constitutionally | | | | not have to be germane. An Agriculture bill can |
| been elected by state legislature, is elected by | | | | have an amendment about deep space |
| direct vote today as a result of the 17th | | | | exploration. Senators begin to debate in a |
| Amendment in 1913. | | | | "filibuster," so that a bill they do not like eventually |
| The House of Representatives is tied a little more | | | | dies on the floor when it hits a "hold period." A |
| closely to the people than the Senate. Mike | | | | cloture vote of sixty senators can end this |
| Thompson is a Democrat, however, in California's | | | | filibuster. For six years, democrats have been |
| 53rd district, he was not just elected by | | | | filibustering Bush's nominees. |
| California's traditional Democratic Value's. In a | | | | When we look the process, we can see why only |
| Valley District, there is a lot of conservative | | | | about ten percent of bills become law. Out of |
| thinking that runs with agribusiness. He has a full | | | | 11,000 proposals, there are about 150 laws each |
| load to balance when voting. At one time he can't | | | | year. A bill originates in a senator or |
| cut school benefits, however, it would be the end | | | | representative's respective chamber of congress. |
| of his career if he cut money for farm subsidies. | | | | A bill raising taxes must originate in the house. |
| Every two years he is up for re-election. | | | | If the house committee approves, it goes to the |
| Senators, in general focus on their state and the | | | | Speaker of the House. Right there she can table |
| nation in their six-year term. They help write and | | | | the bill, where it must wait two years for |
| push bills that get them seen well in the eyes of | | | | reintroduction. If introduced, it gets a number. |
| their constituents, and, in the eyes of the nation. | | | | Once the bill is introduced, the appropriate |
| Senators stand on the breast of national office | | | | committee looks at it. Say it is a trade bill. A |
| and are often jockeying to launch further careers | | | | committee on foreign affairs might look at it. |
| into politics with the policies they write and vote | | | | Right there the bill might end if this committee |
| for. | | | | disapproves. |
| Congressmen log-roll with colleagues. If a | | | | It may get approved and/or amended where it is |
| republican voted on a farm-reform bill that | | | | marked up and testimony is heard. Most lobbying |
| Thompson wrote, Thompson may vote republican | | | | is done to kill bills. The bill is likely more trouble |
| against his party line to protect his ally. One does | | | | than it is worth. Here the bill may die to a "no" |
| not burn bridges. If a congressman has not | | | | vote. |
| researched a bill, he will simply vote with his or | | | | Again, it goes to a full standing committee, where |
| her because allegiance to the party tops all else. | | | | again it can die, be amended, or voted on. Except |
| Often President of the United States, lobbyists, | | | | in times of war, such as the patriot act, a bill can |
| and Political Action Committees who have funded | | | | take fifteen years to become law. |
| the campaigns put pressure on which way the | | | | If the bill has made it thus far, it then goes to the |
| voting goes, as well. | | | | rules committee, where Pelosi decides what kind |
| The two houses of congress act quite differently, | | | | of debate, if any, the bill will get. If it gets none or |
| however, they are quite similar, as well. The | | | | is placed at the bottom of the list, again, it could |
| House is composed of 435 members as | | | | die. Even if it goes fully through the debate, |
| compared to the Senate's 100. We are currently | | | | without a simple majority, which is the yes or no |
| in the 110th Congress. | | | | we see on CNN, the bill dies. |
| On the surface, they look very similar, as both | | | | If it passes the house, it gets a number, HR---. |
| the House and Senate are broken down into a | | | | The house author finds a senator to sponsor the |
| bunch of committees and sub-committees. | | | | bill. It becomes SR----. In the senate, the bill gets |
| Standing Committees are always in existence, | | | | all kinds of riders attached to it, and, again, it must |
| such as the House Rules Committee. Special | | | | pass by a simple majority. From here, if it does |
| Committees handle investigations such as | | | | pass, it goes to a conference committee to |
| impeachments. Joint Committees co join the | | | | reconcile the two bills. Again it can die for another |
| house and the senate on big projects such as | | | | two years. |
| global warming. Lastly, there are Conference | | | | From here the bill goes to the President. He can |
| Committees, which stand temporarily but are | | | | sign the bill; here it becomes law. He can veto the |
| always in existence. These make dissimilar bills | | | | bill, where it takes a 2/3 supermajority of both |
| similar to be given to the President for signing. | | | | houses of congress for the bill to become law. He |
| Due to its size, alone, the House of | | | | can do nothing, where, after ten days, the bill |
| Representatives must be much more structured. | | | | becomes law. He can also do a pocket veto if he |
| The most important committee in the house is | | | | is given the bill within ten days of the end of |
| The House Rules Committee. It works under the | | | | congress's session. Here, if he does nothing, the bill |
| direction of the Speaker of the House, Nancy | | | | dies. Congress and Presidential approval were |
| Pelosi (D) CA. She decides in which order, if at all, | | | | intended to be an elaborate filter of indirect |
| bills will be heard. She can schedule a bill early or | | | | democracy. |
| "table" it so that it is never heard. | | | | |