The document discusses the leadership structures and processes of the United States Congress. It outlines the roles of key leaders like the Speaker of the House, party leaders, and committee chairs. It also describes the stages a bill progresses through, from introduction to committee consideration, floor debates and votes, actions in the second chamber, and final approval or veto by the President.
3. WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE?
Speaker of the House
Elected leader of the House
De facto leader of his or her party
Interprets rules & sets the agenda
3 rd in line of Presidential Succession
Speaker John
Boehner (R-OH)
4. WHO’S THE LEADER OF THE SENATE?
President of the Senate – Vice President
Presiding of ficer
Cannot debate
Votes only in case of tie
President pro tempore
Presides in VP’s absence
Elected by majority party
4 th in presidential succession
Vice
President
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Joe Biden
7. PARTY WHIPS
Assistant floor leaders
Keep tabs on the rank and file members
Majority & Minority Whips in both Houses
9. COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Leaders of standing committees
Majority party
Set committee agendas and hearings
Most powerful people you’ve never heard of
Seniority rule
11. COMMITTEES: CONGRESS AT WORK
The fate of most bills decided here.
Some more influential than others.
Which Committees are coveted?
Does the state you represent influence the committee you want?
Standing
Select
Joint & Conference
13. WORK OF COMMITTEES
Investigate & oversee federal agencies
Consider bills related to their area of policy
First place a new bill goes
Majority party holds more seats
Divided into several subcommittees
14. HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE
How powerful is the Rules
Committee?
“Traffic cop” of the House
Most bills must go through
this before reaching the
floor
15. SELECT COMMITTEES
Specific purpose & limited time
Appointed by the Speaker or Pres of Senate
Designed to investigate a current matter. Example?
Watergate Committee Iran -Contra Committee
17. WHAT’S A BILL?
Proposed law
All tax bills must star t in the House
Types of Bills & Resolutions
Bill: proposed law (most appropriations)
Joint Resolution: force of law; special circumstances
Concurrent Resolution: position on an issue; no force of law
Resolution: of ten trivial matter s of one house; no force of law
The House “hopper” into
which all bills are placed.
22. THE BILL IN COMMITTEE
Most die here (pigeonholed)
“Mark up”: bills are changed and modified (riders)
Hearings may be held
Committee Options
Report favorably
Report an amended bill
Report unfavorably (rare – why?)
Report a substituted bill
23. THE BILL ON THE FLOOR
If favorable out of committee, bill goes on appropriate
calendar.
To get to the floor, must pass Rules Committee (House)
Most bills considered by Committee of the Whole (House)
Limited “debate” now occurs
“Move the Previous Question”
Vote taken (Voice, Electronic)
If passed, sent to other House
Conference Committee
Electronic Voting Machines appear on the backs of
chairs inside the House chamber. Members insert
a card and then cast their vote.
24. THE BILL IN THE SENATE
Similar procedure as House
Rules less formal & less strict. Why?
Few restrictions on debate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl3sgKj6oTQ
25. THE FILIBUSTER
“talk a bill to death”
Monopolize the floor until Senate drops the Bill
No restrictions on content; Can’t stop talking
Requires 60 votes to stop (cloture)
Silent Filibuster
Threat of a filibuster
Is the filibuster unconstitutional?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the -fix/wp/2013/02/14/the-silent-filibuster-explained/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1_9nSzG_hk (Rand Paul)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD -lFCsYOPs (Mr. Smith) (4:15)
27. PRESIDENT ACTS
Four Presidential Options
Sign (becomes law)
Allow to become law without signing (no action for 10 days)
Pocket Veto (Congress adorns within these 10 days, bill dies)
Veto
Refuse to sign
Returns to house of origin with Veto Message
2/3 vote of each house can override
h t t p : / / h i s t o r y. h o u s e . g o v / I n s t i t u t i o n / P r e s i d e n t i a l - Ve t o e s / P r e s i d e n t i a l - Ve t o e s /