Chapter 7: Congress at Work

Section 1: How a Bill Becomes a Law

Section 2: Taxing and Spending Bills

Section 3: Influencing Congress

Section 4: Helping Constituents

Section 1: How a Bill Becomes a Law

This is really a review of the processes explained in chapter 5

I. Types of bills and resolutions A. Public bills involve national issues, while private

bills deal with individual people or places. B. Resolutions may be passed by either house or by

both houses jointly. If passed by one house only, it’s called a simple resolution. Most simple resolutions have to do with changing procedures, so they don’t require the attention of the other house or the president.

C. Joint resolutions can be signed by the president, in which case they have the same effect as a law. A proposal for an amendment would start out like this.

Types of bills & resolutions continued Concurrent resolutions don’t have the force of law.

Congress often issues them to make a public statement on an issue or to set dates on the congressional calendar (date to adjourn, etc.)

Almost every bill has a “rider.” Why would a member of Congress want to tack something completely unrelated onto another bill?

“Christmas tree” bills are often used as a tactic by the party that opposes the bill.

Less than 10% of all bills become a law.

III. Floor Action What can happen to a bill once it’s under

debate on the floor? Any lawmaker may propose amendments

(unless a rule has been attached) The bill must receive a majority vote to pass

(simple majority) Congress may use a standing vote, a roll-call

vote, a record vote or a voice vote. Why would the type of vote matter?

IV. Final Steps in Passing a Bill A. To become a law, the bill must pass in identical

form in the House & Senate (or else what happens to it?)

The bill then goes to the President, who can Sign the bill into law Let the bill become law without signing it by not vetoing it

within 10 days Veto the bill by refusing to sign it (Bush 43 has only vetoed

one bill) Kill the bill using a “pocket veto” If passed, the bill gets a new name, (PL-###-##, for Public

Law, #of Congress, # of law) The public now has access to what went on in Congress

every day and what action has been taken on a bill through the Thomas site maintained by the Library of Congress.

What if the President vetoes a bill?

Congress can override a veto with a 2/3 vote in both houses.

This does not happen very often. Why not?

The Supreme Court has said that the President does not have the power to use the so-called “line-item” veto in Clinton v. City of New York (1998)

Section 2: Taxing and Spending Bills The House has exclusive power to start all revenue

bills. The committee that gets tax bills is the House Ways

and Means Committee Until the 1970s, this committee operated under closed

rules, arguing that tax matters were too complex to allow for amendments from the floor.

In 1973, enough members of Congress disapproved of these closed rules that they forced the committee chairperson to change the rules. Some critics have said this has made it too easy for special interests to influence lawmaking and made it easier for members to get “pet” projects passed through Christmas-tree bills.

Taxing and Spending Bills continued

The Senate may propose changes in tax bills, but not originate them.

Remember that Congress has the power of appropriation, or approval of government spending

Congress appropriates money by using a two-step process: 1. Set up a federal program using an authorization bill and

specify in the bill how much money may be spent on the program.

2. Then pass an appropriations bill, which provides the money needed to carry out the program or law

Not as much of this goes on as you might expect because the majority of the budget goes towards programs that are already in place such as entitlements (Social Security, Medicare, etc.)

Section 3: Influencing Congress What influences lawmakers?

Their views aren’t usually based on individual conscience. (trustee vs..delegate models)

1. Voters back home

2. Staff members

3. Party members’ views

4. The president’s views

5. Special-interest groups

II: The Influence of Voters Lawmakers are heavily influenced by the needs

and opinions of their constituents needs of the district vs.. needs of the nation Voters say they want their elected officials to listen

to their votes, but few bother to find out how they actually voted.

Legislators keep up with what the ‘folks back home” want by making trips back to their district, reading letters sent by constituents, reading reports written by staff members in the district offices, keeping up with local media

III: The Influence of Parties A. Members of Congress generally support

their party’s position on major issues. They may disagree if their constituents feel differently.

This makes sense because legislators join one party or another based on the core beliefs of the party; the parties tend to attract people who hold the same general ideas about issues.

House members tend to be more loyal to the party platform than Senators.

IV: Other Influences on Congress

A. The Presidential agenda The president can give or withhold political favors in order

to persuade lawmakers to support the laws they want to see passed.

B. Interest groups and their lobbyists represent groups such as

• labor unions (AFL-CIO)• business groups (chambers of commerce)• education groups (National Council for the Social Studies)• environmental groups (PETA, Greenpeace)• minority groups (Arab-American League, NAACP, NOW)• Interest groups raise money through their members’ donations as

well as contributions from Political Action Committees (PACs), which are fundraising groups.

Section 4: Helping Constituents I. Handling Problems A. House and Senate members focus on dealing

with their constituents’ problems with government B. Caseworkers on congressmembers’ staffs assist

them with constituents’ requests for help. Casework is very important because it

helps the legislator get reelected Draws attention to problems that need congressional

attention Helps the average citizen deal with problems they have

with the government.

Helping constituents continued

II: Helping the State or District

A. Legislators want to bring federal projects and money to their districts and states (pork barrel legislation)

B. These projects bring funds and jobs and help win votes for the House or Senate member. Ex. Sessions’ website has a section called constituent services