The Lawmaking Process: 2.4

Question 1

all laws start out

Answer 1

as bills introduced by members of Congress

Question 2

step 1: legislation

Answer 2

bill 1st submitted; House: placed in wooden box (“hopper”), Senate: submitted to Senate clerk

Question 3

rider

Answer 3

provision attached to a bill in hopes of getting gassed with bill

Question 4

step 2: committee action

Answer 4

bill sent to appropriate committee by referral, where studied and adjusted as needed; most bills “die” never being presented to Congress; “markup”: main committee meets to review bill and make necessary changes; committees controlled by majority party in both houses

Question 5

step 3: floor action (house of reps)

Answer 5

debate procedure: house holds 10 minute segments: 5 for bill, 5 against bill; voting: all house members vote in a public roll-call; speaker’s role is in charge of debate

Question 6

step 3: floor action (senate)

Answer 6

debate procedure: smaller, more open in debate procedures; filibuster: prolonged senate debate); both house and senate must pass bill by majority vote

Question 7

step 4: conference committee (if needed)

Answer 7

major bills with different language that pass both houses put before Conference Committee, combination of House and Senate members to “rewrite” language of bill; bill sent to president

Question 8

step 5: president

Answer 8

3 options: 1) sign bill, making it law, 2) veto- return bill to house from originated ( if both houses pass by 2/3 vote, it passes), 3) pocket veto- refusal sign bill; 10 day period (no Sundays) if Congress adjoins, bill dies; Congress in session, bill becomes law)