Law Making

Process of law making

introduction

Committee stage

Timetabling

Floor debate and vote on passage

Conference committee

Presidential action

Introduction

bill placed in hopper, pure formality (both house and senate)

Committee stage

Only those with a good deal of support make it through bill can also be altered

Timetabling

House Rules Committee which prioritises popular bills (House only)

By unanimous consent agreement majority and minority leaders agree on what to debate (senate only)

Floor debate and vote on passage

Both houses can further amend bill

votes also taken on amendments

filibuster may be employed

simple majority required for passage

Conference committee (if required)

reconcile differences between the bill in the house and in the senate

Presidential action

Can sign, leave the bill on desk, veto or pocket veto at the end of a legislation session

from 1789-2017 how successful is a presidents veto

92% successful

Amount of bills introduced per congress

10,000-14000 only 2-4% become law

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• Equality

both houstoes possess equal power making the process more difficult as both have to c

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• President

if president doesn’t have majority in congress will struggle to pass bills

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• volume

vast numbers of bills introduced process is crowded

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• Super-majority

a 3/5 majority is required to stop a legislative filibuster in the senate

a 2/3s majority in both houses to override a presidents veto

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• Decentralisation

Much power resides with the standing committees

party leaders have limited powers

Bob Dole ‘majority pleader’

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• Complicated process

‘legislative labyrinth’ -Professor R.V Denenburg in 1976 describing the passing of laws

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• Partisanship

Parties tending to be more and more party aligned

Factors effecting bill passing in congress

• Crisis

Congress has been able to deal with crises in Bipartisan agreement CARES Act (2020)

how the legislative process gives too much power to committee members

have ability to influence and amend policy to benefit their congressional district or party

Chuck Schumer made earmarks up to $80 million for New York State Inflation Reduction Act (2022) running up to his re-election