How Congress Works

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How Congress Works
The Legislative Process
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A Bill v. A Law

• Bill - a proposed new law introduced within a
  legislature that has not yet been passed, enacted
  or adopted

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A Bill v. A Law

• Law - a bill or act passed by a legislative body

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Types of Bills

• public bill proposed legislative bill that
  deals with matters of general concern and
  application
• private bill a proposed legislative bill that
  deals with specific private, personal, or local
  matters rather than general affairs
• appropriation bill legislative motion
  authorizing the government to spend money

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Types of Resolutions
resolution - a measure expressing
opinions on policies or issues

• simple resolution measure dealing with
  house-keeping or procedural matters that only
  affect one house
• joint resolution measure when approved by both
  houses and the president carries the force of law
• concurrent resolution legislative motion that
  must be approved by both houses, but does not
  have the force of law

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Congressmen Wear Many Hats
Legislator
Representative
Partisan
Committee Member
Politician
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A Congressmans Balancing Act
How should I vote? My constituents first or my
country???
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Lobbying

• Advocate To defend or maintain a cause or
  proposal to petition for change using the art of
  persuading others
• Lobby To promote (as for a project) or secure
  the passage of (as for legislation) by
  influencing public officials through education
  to attempt to influence or sway (as for a public
  official) toward a desired action by substantive
  debate

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Lobbying Groups

• Individual companies
• Trade Associations
• Labor unions and consumer groups
• Law firms and lobbying groups
• Public Relations Firms
• Grassroots Firms
• Interest Groups
• AARP (formerly the American Association for
  Retired Persons)
• American Association for People with
  Disabilities
• American Cancer Society
• American Civil Liberties Union
• Childrens Defense Fund
• American Humane Society
• Americans for Tax Reform
• Friends of the Earth
• Friends of Tobacco
• Gray Panthers
• League of Conservation Voters
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving

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• First Amendment
• Congress shall make no law respecting an
  establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
  free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
  of speech, or of the press or the right of the
  people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
  Government for a redress of grievances.
• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of press
• Right to petition
• To petition the government for a redress of
  grievances means that citizens can ask for
  changes in the government. They can do this by
  collecting signatures and sending them to their
  elected representatives they can write, call, or
  e-mail their elected representatives and they
  can support groups that lobby the government.
• The right to petition is really a part of a
  larger American rightthe right to advocate for
  ones own beliefs or opinions.
• Advocacy, and petitioning for change,
  involves the art of persuading others.
• Advocacy skills provide effective ways for
  citizens to participate in making laws.
• The ability to petition for change is one of
  our most valuable rightsand responsibilities as
  American citizens.

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Who can contribute?

• Any American citizen can contribute up to
  2,300 per election to a candidate running for
  federal office and up to 28,500 to a national
  political party.
• Foreigners with no permanent U.S. residency are
  prohibited from contributing to any political
  candidates at any level.
• Cash contributions over 100 are prohibited, no
  matter what their origin.
• No candidate can accept an anonymous
  contribution that is more than 50.
• Corporations and labor unions are prohibited
  from contributing to federal campaigns or
  parties.
• Minors are prohibited from making contributions
  to federal candidates and contributions or
  donations to committees of political parties.

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What are PACs?

• A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a common
  term for a political committee set up for the
  purpose of raising and spending money to elect
  and defeat candidates.
• PACs have been around since 1944 and they
  represent ideological, business or labor
  interests.
• PAC funds are generated from voluntary
  contributions from the individuals they
  represent. For example, General Motors
  Corporation, the American Federation of Teachers,
  and the American Farm Bureau all have PACs and
  all participate in the process to elect or
  perhaps defeat a political candidate.
• A PAC can give 5,000 to any candidate committee
  per election. PAC contributions by both the donor
  and the recipient can be reviewed through their
  mandatory reports on the Federal Election
  Commissions Web site (www.fec.gov).

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• Questions
• Are any students involved with a lobbying group?
  Why or why not?
• In what ways can students educate their elected
  officials about the specifics of a particular
  issue or students views on it?
• Is lobbying a negative or positive part of the
  legislative process? Explain.
• Does lobbying provide a valuable contribution to
  the legislative process? Explain.
• How can students become involved in lobbying the
  legislative process?

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Videos

• Who are Lobbyists? http//www.youtube.com/watch?v
  R2DUM6jVaswsafety_modetruepersist_safety_mode1
  safeactive
• 60 Minutes Jack Abramoff
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vCHiicN0Kg10safety
  _modetruepersist_safety_mode1safeactive
• School House Rock Im Just a Bill
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v0dVo3nbLYC0safety
  _modetruepersist_safety_mode1safeactive

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Navigating the Legislative Obstacle Course
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Step 1 An Idea for a Bill
Sources
Member(s) of Congress
Private Citizen
Interest Group
Federal Agency
White House
Governor(s)
Mayor(s)
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Step 2 Writing Introduction of Bill

• Senate
• Bill formerly read aloud on floor
• Bill then given to clerk
• Referred to committee by Steering Committee

• House
• Bill dropped in hopper
• Referred to committee by the Speaker

Sen. Smith introduces bill on the Senate floor
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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Step 3 Committee Action

• House Senate committees conduct public hearings
• Experts testify
• Markup of bills
• Committee vote
  report favorably,
  unfavorably,
  or table bill

House Armed Services Committee
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Step 4 Floor Action - Senate

• Party leaders schedule bills for floor debate on
  the calendar
• Unlimited debate
• Filibuster - member(s) keep talking to block
  debate on a bill
• Cloture vote by 3/5 of Senators (60) can end
  filibuster
• Floor vote Roll Call, Standing, Voice

Senator Strum Thurman still holds the record for
the longest filibuster - 24 hrs 18 min. on the
1957 Civil Rights Act
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Step 4 Floor Action - House

• Rules Committee schedules bills on calendar
  decides whether amendments may be added
• Limited debate
• Floor vote
  Recorded,
  Standing,
  
  Voice

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Step 5 Approved Bill Crosses Over to Other
House

• Approved bill must pass each chamber by a simple
  majority

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Step 6 Conference Committee

• Members from each chamber meet to reconcile
  differences in the two bills

Senate-House Conference Committee works out
details of the 2003 Healthy Forest Restoration Act
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Step 7 Both Chambers Vote on Final Version of
the Bill
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Step 8 President Considers Bill

• President can
• sign the bill
  into law
• veto bill
• pocket veto

• Note Congress can override veto with 2/3 vote
  in each house only 4 of vetos have
  been overriden

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Critical Thinking

• Fact About 5,000 bills are introduced in
  Congress every year, but only about 150 are
  signed into law.
• Explain why so few bills become law.
• Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
• Should the legislative process in Congress be
  reformed? If yes, what changes would you
  recommend? If not, why not?

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Title Imagine theres no Congress Artist Joe
Heller, Green Bay Press-Gazette Date
6/06/07 Source http//www.politicalcartoons.co
m/
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Title Breaking the Filibuster is not
Enough Source http//www.republicanvoices.org/
may_2005_newsletter.html
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Artist RJ Matson Date 6/14/07 Source
http//themoderatevoice.com/category/politics/poli
tical-cartoons/
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Source http//bigpicture.typepad.com/ Date
5/6/06