Congress is the legislative branch of the US government, divided into the House of Representatives and Senate. A bill becomes law through a multi-step process involving committee votes, floor votes in both chambers, reconciliation if there are differences, and final approval by the President. Committees play a key role in researching bills through hearings and editing bills during markups. The most powerful committees deal with taxes, rules, spending, and other important issues. How bills progress and whether unified or divided government is better are ongoing debates in Congress.

1. DRAW A LINE SEPARATING TODAY &
YESTERDAY
1) Write: Date: 11/22/10, Topic: Congress
2) Next line, write “Opener #48” and then:
1) Write 1 high+1 low in last 24 hours
2) Rate your understanding of
yesterday: lost<1-5>too easy (3 is perfect)
3) Respond to the Opener by writing
at least 1 sentences about:
Your opinions/thoughts OR/AND
Questions sparked by the clip OR/AND
Summary of the clip OR/AND

7. Agenda
1) Congress Introduction
What you will be able to do:
1) Know how Congress Journ.s for
you
Reminder
1) No HW

8. Review
1) Legislative Branch: Research laws, creates
laws, and investigates if laws are being carried
out by the executive branch
2) Executive Branch: President overseas the
bureaucracy in executing the laws of Congress
3) Judicial Branch: Interprets the constitutional
and laws for the country when people disagree
to their interpretation.

10. Review
4) republican Govt (little r): Const. promises gov
by representatives (not direct)
5) Bicameral Legislature: US legislature divided
into 2 independent parts: House of
Representatives (elected) and Senate (initially
state appointed, 1913: now elected)

11. Notes #48a, Title:
“Congress Notes”
1) How a Bill Becomes a
Law
1) Committee votes: 1/2+
2) Floor votes: 1/2+ (If a
Senate filibuster, 60+ to
stop filibuster, 60 is key!)
3) Other chamber:(H or S)
4) Conference Comm: Work
out any differences, then
both H+S vote again
(1/2+)
5) Pres Signs or Override
Veto: 2/3 H+S to override

12. 2) Purpose of Legislature:
a) Create laws (legislate)
b) Conduct investigations/research (hearings)
c) Help citizens with US gov (casework)
3) House of Reps (435/Honda): Local US rep,
serve 2 yr term/no limits. Tends to be more
extremist (less power, driven by rules)
4) Senate (100/Boxer+Feinsten): State US rep,
serve 6 yr term/no limit. Tends to be more
moderate (more power, easier to edit bills=$$$)

14. SENATE
 WHITE HOUSE
HOUSE
OF REPS
SUPREME COURT OUT BACK

15. Sunnyvale Population: 132,109

16. Journ. #48a, “Bicameral Debate”
1) Read the 2 sides, choose 1 side, and write
which you choose and explain why.
2) Then write down what your partner thinks
(include their name at the end).
1 2 3 4 5
CON: 1 Chamber by Pop|
(only go by population)
1) 2 chambers means a bill
has to go through 2
places, slowing things
down
2) Senate is a waste, why
should a small state have
2 senators like a big state
PRO: 2 Chambers Good (1
that give each state 2)
1) 2 chambers allows to
separate eyes to look at
any bill
2) 2 chambers allows
small states to have more
power in 1 chamber, and
big states in another

17. 34 Dem HoR
19 GOP HoR
53: HoR Seats

18. HoR
08-10- DEM: 258, GOP: 177
10-12- DEM: 195, GOP: 240

20. KEY PARTS OF THE HOUSE BILL (HR 3962)
•Creates a public health insurance option and the Secretary of
Health and Human Services would negotiate rates with doctors.
•Mandates for individuals to purchase and businesses to
provide health insurance or pay a fine. Individual penalty is 2.5
percent of gross income.
•Insurance companies are prohibited from denying coverage
based on a pre-existing condition.
•There are caps on annual out of pocket spending at $5000.
•Allows individuals up to 27-years-old to stay on their parent’s
health insurance
•Expands Medicaid from 100 percent to 150 percent of the
Federal Poverty Level.
•As amended, it prohibits federal funds from covering abortions.
Women would need to purchase riders to insurance purchased
on the exchange if they wanted that coverage.
•The bill taxes individuals making more than $500,000 and $1

22. Senate
08-10- DEM: 58, IND: 2 (Liberal), GOP: 38
10-12- DEM: 51, IND: 2 (Liberal), GOP: 47

23. Journ. #48b, “Divided Gov Debate”
1) Read the 2 sides, choose 1 side, and write
which you choose and explain why.
2) Then write down what your partner thinks
(include their name at the end).
1 2 3 4 5
CON: Good to have
mixed control congress
(no party in comp. power)
1) We need a gov with
checks against waste and
abuse, parties do that
2) Parties bring different
ideas to gov
PRO: We need unified
gov, all GOP or all DEM
1) Terrorism, economic
crisis, global warming, we
need a can do gov
2) Parties just waste time
fighting on petty issues

24. Notes #48b, Title: “Congress
Notes”
5) Committee: Small groups
with in H+S, for efficiency +
experience (majority
apponts chairperson who
controls com. bill+ hearing
schedule)
Most Powerful Committees:
H: Ways and Means (taxes)
H: Rules (all bills go to rules)
H+S: Appropriations (spend)
Your party leaders chose
your committees

28. 6) Committee Work: Most of H + S time is spent
their committees (ask your rep to testify).
a) Role of Committees: To research a bill
(hearings) + to edit bills (mark up).
b) Power of Committees: If a com. doesn’t like
the bill (less than 1/2 of com), bill is DEAD!
Committee on Agriculture Committee on Appropriations
Committee on Armed Services Committee on the Budget
Committee on Education and Labor Committee on Energy and Commerce
Committee on Financial Services Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Homeland SecurityCommittee on the Judiciary
Committee on Rules Committee on Science and Technology
Reminder:
Your Party: Chooses which comm. you are on
Committee Chairman: Controls
com. schedule + what investigations are called

30. Hearings: Committees calls experts to
testify on a proposed bill OR if current law
is being enforced (testimony is under oath)

32. Review
How a Bill Becomes a Law
1) Committee votes: 1/2+
2) Floor votes: 1/2+ (If a
Senate filibuster, 60+ to
stop filibuster, 60 is key!)
3) Other chamber:(H or S)
4) Conference Comm: Work
out any differences, then
both H+S vote again
(1/2+)
5) Pres Signs or Override
Veto: 2/3 H+S to override

35. Homework:
1) Study today’s notes + Journ.
sections for a possible Journ.book
quiz.