The document describes the basic lawmaking process in the United States Congress. It involves 5 main steps: 1. A bill is introduced by a member of Congress. 2. The bill is considered by relevant committees which can amend and vote on the bill. 3. The full House and Senate debate and vote on the bill. 4. If passed by both chambers, the bill goes to the President to be signed into law or vetoed. 5. Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.

1. The Lawmaking Process

2. Warm Up 11/14
What does it mean to legislate? What things
can congress do to a piece of legislation (aka
a bill)?
•(Use your notebook and reference your
graphic organizer activity)

3. Flip back to last class’ activity: voting in
congress
• We need to fill in and discuss some of the empty blanks

4. CNN News Guidelines
• We are going to watch CNN news for 10 minutes what we need from
you;
• Pay attention to what is being presented
• Be thinking about which current events stand out to you, which do you like
the best?
• Stay quiet as you listen to the news discussion
• Stay in your seat, this only requires your attention

5. What is a current event?
• What was a current event that we were interested in? Why were you
interested in that event?

6. #26 The Lawmaking Process
• Pick a current event shown to you on the news and describe a bill
that congress might create in reaction to it if it were to happen in the
United States.
• I will show you how I want you to go about this process before you
get started.

7. Pick your topic
• The first step in the law making process is to introduce a bill, so this is
exactly what you will do. But before that, you need to think about a
current event and how a bill could be formed from it.
• I will be using an example of the hurricanes in recent months and its
destruction of Puerto Rico and the United States slow response to
this.
• I will say that I am unhappy with this news, because I believe they should
have power and be supported by the U.S. government.

8. Step 1: Introducing your bill
• I would like the U.S. to respond more thoroughly to the destruction in
Puerto Rico, and with a faster response time. So I will introduce my
bill something like this;
• “The United States and all her territories are to be aided in times of
distress, distress defined as being unable to live up to the standards
of other Americans, shall be aided by the National Guard and receive
temporary relief funding to insure that that state/territory is able to
regain its footing as a first world state.”

9. Factors about bill introduction
• Special interest groups are groups of people supporting
specific causes, concerns, and purposes. So if my bill were to
raise their interest, then they could get involved in the bill.
• When a bill is introduced in the Senate, it is simply given to a clerk for the
senate.
• In the House however, bills are placed in a wooden box
known as the hopper.

10. Step 2: Running a bill through committee
• The next step would be out of my hypothetical hands however, you will still
write about a committee that the bill will go through.
•All bills are responded to by the House Rules
Committee which does the following:
•Sets the parameters of floor debate for a bill
•It sets the rules for Senate Debate
•It vetos frivolous (silly) bills
Since I believe that this bill is not too over zealous, or selfish, I believe that the rule
committee will pass the bill to the House, and schedule a day for it to be heard
November 20th, 2017.

11. Step 3: Debates On the Floor
• Those in Congress must debate on the bill proposed if it does not
seem fully appropriate for all. This is where you will talk about
arguments for and against your bill that you could see
coming up during a debate.
• Examples of things congress might find an issue with my bill are:
• Relief funding is very expensive and demanding
• Travel during extreme weather can be difficult and the language of my bill
may be too harsh
• Puerto Rico is not considered a state of the United States and therefore the
United States could have different responsibilities

12. Step 4: Voting on Bill
• For this step, talk about who would side with your bill.
You don’t have to mention political parties if you know nothing about
politics. Talk about what people must focus on to pass your bill.
• For example I could possibly say, “My bill would be passed due to the
empathetic members of congress who wish to help our Puerto Rican
citizens as they suffer and also for people who see the future
possibility of a safety net in other natural disasters”.

13. Look back to the “Voting in Congress” sheet
•Things that are considered
•Last class, you answered many of these. Your
answer does not have to be the exact same, but
must mean the same thing.

14. Congress is controlled by what the
Constitution says:
• Collect taxes to raise money to pay
debts, to defend/protect the
country, and to provide for the
general welfare/well being of the
United States.
FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESS

15. • Control commerce (trade/business)
that happens across state lines,
with foreign/other countries, and
with Indian tribes.
FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESS
Here is what the Constitution says
Congress can do:

16. • Make laws about immigration/citizenship.
• Establish post offices.
FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESS
Here is what the Constitution says
Congress can do:

17. • Declare war.
• Raise and support armies.
FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESS
Here is what the Constitution says
Congress can do:

18. Oh, and here’s one more:
• Make all laws that are “necessary
and proper” for executing any of
these powers.
Hold on! What does that
mean?
FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESS

19. That means Congress can sometimes
do things that are not on the list . . .
. . . if it relates to something that is
on the list!
FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESS

20. •Political Party Views
•Share values, want laws that reflect those values
• DEM: Equality, cooperation, generosity—liberty, competition, cost/money saving:REP
•
Those bills should reflect the party’s beliefs, but they
don’t always agree with their party (healthcare!!)
•In the end- they work for us!

21. Step 5: President-Pass or Veto
•After the bill is passed by congress, the President
can see it and either sign it into law, or veto the bill.
• If the President vetoes a bill, congress can use an
override and move the bill to law without
him/her with a two-thirds vote.
• For this step I will say, “I believe that our President would see this bill
and pass it into law”

24. Example End Product
• So my finished product for all the steps looks like this;
I am unhappy with this news, because I believe they should have power and be
supported by the U.S. government. I propose a bill that would make it necessary for
the United States to send relief funds to all states and territories after disasters. I
believe that the rule committee will pass the bill to the House, and schedule a day
for it to be heard November 20th, 2017. Some members of the Congress may think
this requires a lot of money, but I believe it will still pass due to the fact that it is
helping other people not just of Puerto Rico but for future disasters. I also think
that the President will pass this bill after it is brought before him.

25. Current Events
• Using your notebooks, summarize three current events for us. You
should use your laptops and pick using the following criteria;
• One event that you are glad to hear about, or happy is happening
• One event that you are neutral towards
• One event that you are unhappy with
We’ll be coming around making sure you are writing about your current events.
Use full sentences!

26. Do one yourself
•Pick Your Topic (from current news)
1. Introduce your bill (what will your bill say?)
2. How would committees view your bill? (is it good
enough to consider?)
3. How would your bill be debated? (Arguments for,
against)
4. Would your bill pass if voted on? Why?
5. How would the President react?
•Does he pass the law, or veto it?
•Does congress overturn his veto?

27. How would your bill do?
• Even if you believe your bill would not do well, we would like to hear
your reasoning on why that would be.
• What factors did you consider?

28. Veterans Day Piece
With your laptops, research a veteran online, they can be someone
famous or someone you don’t know. Write about their lives including:
• Their age
• How long they served
• What branch they served in
• Did they earn any special medals or honors?
• Any additional information you can find
Be specific about the person you research and give details. Do not copy your
other table mates, try and find someone different.