House of Representatives - CommitteesAgriculture

AppropriationsArmed ServicesBudgetEducation & LaborEnergy & CommerceFinancial ServicesForeign AffairsHomeland SecurityHouse Administration

Joint Committees:Joint EconomicJoint PrintingJoint Taxation

JudiciaryNatural ResourcesOversight & Government ReformRulesScience & TechnologySmall BusinessStandards of Official ConductTransportation & InfrastructureVeterans' AffairsWays & Means

Select Committees:Select Committee on IntelligenceHouse Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

Senate CommitteesAgriculture, Nutrition, &

ForestryAppropriationsArmed ServicesBanking, Housing & Urban

AffairsBudgetCommerce, Science &

TransportationEnergy & Natural ResourcesEnvironment & Public Works

Special, Select, and Other Indian Affairs Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging

FinanceForeign RelationsHealth, Education, Labor & PensionsHomeland Security & Governmental AffairsJudiciaryRules & AdministrationSmall Business & EntrepreneurshipVeterans’ Affairs

Joint CommitteesJoint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on the Library Joint Economic Committee

Legislative Process• 5,000 bills introduced each year• Only about 125, or 2.5%, become

laws• Process

o Lengthy, deliberate, fragmentedo Formidable obstacles that defeat most

bills

Creating bills• Anyone can write a bill• Most are not written by members of

Congress• Most originate in the executive branch• Business, labor, agriculture and other

interest groups often draft bills• Only members of Congress can

introduce billso Drop them in the “hopper”, a box hanging on the edge of the clerk’s

desk.

Process• Committees

o Subcommittee – study, hearing, revisions, approval

o Most bills die in committee (pigeonholed or buried)

o House: discharge petition can blast a bill out of committee – needs majority of the House

• Floor Actiono House: Rules Committee decides time for

debate, if amendments are allowed• Floor debate & vote

o Senate: allows unlimited debate• Filibuster, cloture• Senators can threaten filibuster

• Bill is forwarded to the appropriate Sub-Committeeo Sub-Committee Chairperson sets the agendao Sub-Committee researches, holds hearings, debates, makes

changes to bill and then finally voteso Bill must pass a 50% + 1 voteo Bill is sent back to the Standing Committee

• Process may be repeated in the Standing Committee

If in the House of Representatives…

• 50% +1 in the House Standing Committee

• Sent to the Rules Committee o sets rules for House Floor debate, then

vote• Released to the full floor for debate &

voteo When passed by a 50% + 1 vote, then sent to the Senate where the process is

essentially repeated

If bill started in the Senate…• When passed by a 50% +1 vote in the Senate

Standing Committee osent to the full floor for debate and

voteopotential filibuster

• When passed by a 50% + 1 vote, then sent to the House of Representatives where the process is essentially repeated

All bills must pass BOTH Houses of Congress

All bills must pass in identical wording

• if the House and the Senate versions of the bill are different, the bill is sent to a Conference Committee

Conference Committee• contains members of both Chambers • senior members of standing or

subcommittees that initiated the bills• If a compromise bill is accepted by

the Conference Committee, then this single version of the bill must be sent back to each House for a final full floor vote (50% + 1)

House of Representatives

IntroducedGiven a Title & #

SubcommitteeChairperson sets agendaResearch, hearings, debate Vote 50% + 1

Rules CommitteeLimits on debate timeVote 50% + 1

Full FloorCommittee of the WholeDebate & Vote50% + 1

Sent to the SenateStanding CommitteeProcess repeatedVote 50% + 1

SenateBill is IntroducedGiven a Title & #

Committee Processis repeatedExcept there is no Rules Committee

Full FloorDebate is unlimitedPossible filibusterVote – 50% + 1

• Members from both Houses• Reconcile HR & S versions of the bill• Vote 50% + 1

Sent to thePresident

Conference Committee

Full Floor vote in each House (50% + 1)

Bills passed in each House of Congress are sent to the

President where he/she is given 10 days to take action

The President has 4 Options:

Bill becomes

Law

Option 1:The President signs the bill into law

Passes with No Signature

Option 2:Bill becomes a law without the

president’s signatureo Does not signo 10 days passo Congress is still in

sessiono bill becomes law

VETOOption 3: Veto

(rejects)o The President formally rejects the billo The bill is sent back to Congresso Congress can vote to override veto by

2/3 voteo Most vetoes are not overridden

POCKET VETOOption 4: Pocket Vetoo The President does not

signo 10 days passo Congress has adjournedo bill does not become

law