Civics Unit 2.2 ( ch. 6.4)
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Transcript of Civics Unit 2.2 ( ch. 6.4)
Civics Unit 2.2 (ch. 6.4)
Congress and Lawmaking
Pair Share• Please answer1. What is the difference b/w a
standing committee & a conference committee? What determines a House or Senate member’s committee assignment?
2. What is the difference b/w a public and a private bill?
3. How is a joint resolution like a bill?4. What is a filibuster?
I. Working Together in LawmakingA. Debate Clause- Art I Sec 6-
Gives members of Congress immunity from lawsuits for statements made in legislative chambers
B. Compromise- blending and adjusting competing views and interests to accomplish something
C. Consensus- agreement between groups
D. Negotiation- meet and talk with others to create compromise or agreement
II. Congressional OrganizationA. Congressional
committees- groups that focus on specific issues for oversight and management1. standing
committees- permanent committees
2. select committees- temporary committees with specific issue (usually just to investigate) -9/11 Commission
3. joint committees- have members of both houses4. subcommittees- smaller groups within
committees
-Veterans' Affairs, -Armed Services-Energy and Natural Resources-Health, Education,Labor, and Pensions-Select Committee on Intelligence
-Armed Services -Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions-Small Business and Entrepreneurship
B. Committee Assignments1. Seniority system- senators and reps who
have been in longest get preferred committee spots
2. Party in power controls chairmanship
III. How a Bill Becomes a Law
A. Types of Bills Passed1. Private Bills- individual people or places2. Public Bills- apply to entire nation and
involve general matters (ex: taxation, Medicare)1. Most bills are public bills
$116 Billion for Katrina reliefHR 3200- America's Affordable Health Choices Act
3. Resolutions- formal approved statements on lawmakers opinions or decisionsa. Joint Resolution- passed by both houses and
law if signed by President (same as a bill)b. Non-binding Resolutions - are not law but
just say lawmakers opinions
What do you think the artist is saying about lawmaking?
B. Step 1- Introducing1. Can start in either Senate or House 2. ONLY a Senator or a Representative
introduce a bill for Congress to consider
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0School House Rock -I’m just a bill –video
C. Step 2- Committee Action1. Proposed bill is sent to appropriate
committee2. Committee can:
a. Pass bill as isb. Pass bill w/changesc. Replace w/new billd. Ignore bill to die (“pigeonholing”)e. Kill bill w/majority vote
D. Step 3- Debating 1. Bills passed in committee are debated by
the whole House or Senate2. Rules of Debate- House of
Representatives sets rules, usually time limits
3. Filibuster- talking a bill to deatha. Only in the Senate, no time limit for speakingb. Senator can delay vote by speaking for hours
until the bill’s sponsor withdraws itc. Vote for cloture- end filibuster with 3/5 vote
(most bills must pass with 60 votes) Rand Paul Filabuster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MwjvOxSgic
E. Step 4- Voting1. All members vote (in whichever house
the bill began in)1. Yea (yes)2. Nay (no)3. Present (very few do this)
F. Step 5- Sent to Other House1. If bill passed in one house, it is sent to the
other for approval2. Senate and House must pass identical bills3. If disagreement, a conference
committee from both houses meets to work out differences
G. Step 6- Signing 1. President can sign the bill into law2. President can veto –reject the bill
1. (Congress can override a veto with 2/3 but this is rare)
3. President can do nothinga. If Congress is in session, bill passesb. If not, it is pocket vetoed