Bell Work Get Ch.12 Notes Packet from back Read Ch.12 Sect. 1 Essentials Worksheet

Answer 2 ?s Read over Mini-project: Due Next Friday

When does Congress Convene?

Convenes or begins a new term every two years, on Jan. 3 of every odd numbered year following general elections in Nov.

How does Congress convene? When both are done w/ organization joint committee

appointed to wait for “state of union” address House

Reorganizes b/c everyone is a “new member” Elections held every 2 years

All members sworn in, “roll” taken, elect speaker of house Really a formality at this point b/c already decided

Senate: Continuous body so little reorganization Members sworn (re-sworn) in, vacancies filled V.P. is President of Senate

Roles of Presiding Officers

Constitution provides for the presiding over both houses

House: Speaker of the House Most important of 2: Elected and

leader of maj. Party Duties revolve around presiding

and keeping order in house Reg. aids goals of own party

Nancy Pelosi

Roles of Presiding Officers Senate: V. President

Much less powerful Not elected, maybe even not

member of party controlling senate

Similar tasks as Speaker

President pro tempore Elected member of senate

and always member of majority party

Serves in absence

V.P.: Joe Biden

Pres. Pro Tem. Robert Byrd

Party Officers Congress is a political body b/c it’s nations policy

maker and has a partisan make-up Party Caucus

Closed meeting held by members of each party to discuss party organization

Floor Leaders Parties chief spokespeople and attempt to steer action

toward party goals (Majority/Minority) Whips: Assistant floor leaders for each party http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_leadership.html

Committee Chairmen Heads of the standing committees in each chamber,

do much of congress’s work Chosen

Seniority Rule: gives posts of committee chairmen to longest serving party members

Chosen by majority party leader in caucus Roles

Decide when committee will meet, which bills to see, whether to hold public meetings.

If their committees bill makes it to floor will also manage debate and attempt to steer its passage

Lesson Closing HW: Section 1: Key Terms #1-4 pg.327;

Critical Thinking pg.323 Video: Ten Trillion and Counting

Bell Work Grab sheet in back of room Make a Concept like one on pg. 324 of

current Leaders of congress! Replace names of 108th w/ 112th(paper in back)

Checked @ end of period for completion grade!

Read Essentials Section 2 and answer questions

Committees in congress Standing Committees: Where most bills fate is

determined Permanent com.’s that specialize in one subject and

handle bills related to it Function

To specialize in one area to make congress more efficient Where bills receive most thorough consideration

Assignments House members assigned to 1-2, senators to 3-4 Patires decide comm. Memberships, majority party holds

majority of seats in each comm.

Standing Committees House Rules committee

One of most powerful house comm.’s Decides when whole house will debate, can speed

up, delay or prevent actions on a bill Select committees

Groups set up for a specific/temporary purpose Steroid campaign right now is an example

Joint/Conference committees Joint Committee: Composed of members of

both houses Permanent or temporary Ex.: Joint economic comm., taxation, printing, etc.

Conference Committee: Differing bills pass both house/senate Temporary Works out a compromise on bill that both houses

will accept

Lesson Closing Video: Govt. By Committee Completion Check Leadership Tree HW: Section 2: Key Terms #1-3 pg.333;

Close-up pg. 328

Bell Work 1st Ten Minutes of class

Get book Get Essentials and Notes packet out

Work on Sect. 2 HW

Pre-Lecture Read Sec.3 of Essentials and answer 2 ?s

Types of bills/resolutions Bill: Proposed law that applies to nation as a whole (2

types private/public) Resolution: measure passed but doesn’t have force of

law Public Bills

Matters that apply to nation as a whole (tax measure) Private are ones that apply to individuals

Joint Resolution: Similar to bills Have force of law if passed, usually for temporary or unusual

circumstances Example: Appropriate $$ for Obama’s inauguration

Types of bills/resolutions Concurrent Resolutions

Statement of position on an issue w/no force of law behind it

2 Houses acting jointly on issue Resolution

Measure to deal w/some matter in either house No force of law, and doesn’t require president

signature

1st Reading 1st reading of a bill is numbered by clerk of the house Numbering

Prefix (for house), then number of measure introduced, and short title H.R. 2500= H.O.R., 2500th measure introduced in that term: S. 500 would be what

then? The 500th measure introduced to senate that term

Recordings Journal records minutes, and official proceedings of the day Congressional Record records account of daily proceedings (speeches, debates,

comments, votes, etc) These can be edited by members to make it look “professional”

Readings Actions above constitute the 1st reading: Where it is then referred to committee Each bill, if passed, will receive 3 readings

2nd reading comes during floor consideration, 3rd before final vote Readings usually are just summarizations unless controversial

Lesson Closing L-J#1

5 from 45-60 5 from anywhere

Complete some of HW Section 3: Key Terms #1-4 pg.340; Face the Issues pg.341

Work on mini-project Work on Tic-Tac-Toe

Bell Work Read Bill in committee Section on pg. 336 Read/Answer Guide to essentials (3) Be ready for notes

Bill in Committee No mention of committees in constitution but this is where most

bills meet their fate Discharge Petition

Enables members to force a bill that has remained in committee for 30 days onto the floor for consideration Prevents committees from burying all bills

Gathering Info Most of this work is done through sub-committees Public hearings, interest groups, etc. can participate

Committee Actions Recommend bill passed Report an amended bill w/ suggested changes Vote to reject bill Substitute entirely new bill Pigeonhole, or ignore bill

Scheduling Debates Bills for consideration placed on a schedule of order to

be taken up Calendars (5 types)

Union Calendar: Comm. On whole house on state of union House calendar: For all public bills Private Calendar: For all private bills Corrections: All bills taken out of order Discharge: For petitions to discharge bills

Rules: Often arrangements not followed closely Critical role of rules committee plays biggest role

Bill must be granted a rule by this committee to make floor

Bill on the Floor Where the bill receives 2nd reading Important measures often considered in the

comm. Of the whole Debate

B/c of large #, many rules impose limits No speaker may speak for more than hour straight

w/out unanimous consent to continue Floor leaders decide in advance how they will

split the time to be spent on a bill

Bill on the Floor Voting

Bills may be subject to many votes Amendments and motions made that also require

voting Types

Voice Votes: Ayes and Noes Standing vote: to contest voice vote results Teller vote: Party votes collected by tellers Roll-call vote: Just like roll, but cast vote Computerized voting has replaced teller vote

Bill on the Floor Final Step

Once approved at 2nd reading, bill is Engrossed Printed in final form,

Bill is read 3rd time by title, and a final vote is taken

Carried over to Pres. Of senates desk

Lesson closing L-J#2 Video and finish Section 3: Key Terms #1-4

pg.340; Face the Issues pg.341

Bell Work Get Book, get notes/packet Read/Answer Section 4 Essentials Pick up Congress Worksheet from Metal Desk

1st 2-3 done get candy on Monday

Senate Introducing a bill

Bill is introduced by senator supporting it Much same as house, but less formal

Rules for Debate: Major diff. b.t. house/senate: much less restricted in

senate. Virtually no restrictions Filibuster: Essentially talking a bill to death

Senate delays action by talking at a great length Cloture: Action that can be taken to stop filibuster

3/5s of senators vote to end or limit debate

Conference Committees In order for a bill to reach the president, both houses must

pass identical versions Conference Committees if not (above)

Combination of houses called together to work out a compromised version that both houses would accept

Presidential Actions (provided for by constitution) 4 Options

Sign bill and become law Veto, refuse to sign, send back to congress

(2/3 vote to override presidential veto Allow bill to become law by not signing and waiting 10 days Pocket Veto; congress adjourns w/in 10 days of submitting bill and

pres. Holds bill

Lesson Closing HW: Section 4: Key Terms #1-3 pg.346;

Close-up pg.347 Study Guide Work Video on the Side: Congress in Action Quiz Monday