THE FEDERAL LAWMAKING PROCESS

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THE FEDERAL LAWMAKING PROCESS

• (or, How a bill becomes a law)

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Objectives of this exciting presentation
Once this presentation is complete, you should be
able to

• describe the general process of how a bill
  becomes a law
• identify the many different groups involved in
  the lawmaking process
• evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the
  lawmaking process

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What is a BILL?

• A BILL is a draft or idea for a law

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Who comes up with the ideas for bills?

• ANYONE
• You, me, your parents, the President, interest
  groups, Congresspeople
• Even Mr. Schwieters

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How does a bill become a law?

• It is a long process
• but once you get the hang of of it, its not too
  confusing!
• We will be looking at 10 basic steps in the
  lawmaking process
• For each step, pay close attention, and take
  careful and concise notes
• and then we will sing

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THE SCHWIETERS BILL

• PROPOSAL
• April 23 is a federal holiday in honor of my
  buddy, Mike Schwieters

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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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NOTE - The lawmaking process may begin in either
the Senate or the House of Representatives!!

• Except for REVENUE, or tax bills - they must
  begin in the House
• (its in the constitution)

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1) A bill is introduced into the House of
Representatives by a Representative
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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2) Committee Action

• committees act as filters for bills of common
  subjects
• committees investigate the bill

Committees can report the bill to the entire
House favorably or unfavorably change or amend
the bill kill the bill - pigeonhole it
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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On the House Floor, the Representatives can
debate, amend, and vote on the bill
D A V
3) The Bill goes to the House Floor for action
A majority (501) of the House must approve the
bill for it to move on
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Some interesting tidbits about debate and voting
in the House

• Debate is limited in the House of Representatives
  
• Votes are public - not secret
• Votes are usually taken electronically

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(No Transcript)
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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4) A similar bill is introduced into the SENATE
by a Senator
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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5) Committee Action

• committees act as filters for bills of common
  subjects
• committees investigate the bill

Committees can report the bill to the entire
House favorably or unfavorably change or amend
the bill kill the bill - pigeonhole it
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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6) The bill goes to the Senate Floor for action
Senators can debate, amend, and vote on the bill
If the bill receives a majority (501) vote, the
bill will move on
D A V
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Some interesting tidbits of info about debating
and voting in the Senate
What is the record? 24 hours and 18 minutes

• Voting is done usually by roll call, public
• Debate in the Senate is UNLIMITED!
• Senators can talk for as long as they possibly
  can - this is called a filibuster

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Some interesting tidbits of info about debating
and voting in the Senate

• Senators can add different laws to the bills
  being discussed.
• These additions are often called riders
• Such bills are referred to as CHRISTMAS TREE BILLS

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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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7) If the bill passed by the Senate is DIFFERENT
than the bill passed by the House (it usually
is), the bill goes to a Conference Committee

• The Conference Committee is made up of leaders of
  the House and Senate Standing Committees that
  investigated the bill
• They will meet and try to iron out the
  differences and pass the bill through both houses
  again

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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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8) After the Conference Committee, the bill is
quickly passed through both houses of Congress..
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8) and the ENROLLED bill is signed by both
presiding officers and sent to the White House
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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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9) Presidential Action four options
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The President can sign the bill - the bill
becomes law
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The President can not sign the bill within 10 days

• the bill becomes a law (without the support of
  the President)

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The President can veto the bill

• the bill goes back to Congress

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The President can make a pocket veto

• if the President does not sign the bill, and
  Congress adjourns within 10 days, the bill DIES!!

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Follow the Schwieters Bill

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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10) If the President VETOES the bill, THE BILL IS
NOT DEAD

• it can still become a law IF both houses override
  the veto with a 2/3 majority vote

2/3
2/3
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Where can the Schwieters bill die?

• 1) Intro in the House

2) House Committee Action
3) House Floor Action
7) Conference Committee
4) Intro in the Senate
5) Senate Committee Action
6) Senate Floor Action
8) Both houses, sent to President
9) Presidential Action
10) Congressional override
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Some lawmaking statistics

• In the 105th Congress (1997-1998), 4874 bills
  were proposed by the House, 2655 by the Senate
• 354 became public laws during the 105th Congress
• President Clinton vetoed 8 pieces of legislation
• Congress was able to override 1 of President
  Clintons vetoes