2 the lawmaking process part ii

Unit V Lesson 2The Law Making Process Part II

Essential Question:• What are the institutions and

policy-making processes of the national government?

• What are the links between

the branches of the national government, political parties, interest groups, public opinion, the media, and state and local governments?

The Legislative Process: *Step 2: A clerk assigns the bill a title beginning with either “H.R.” (for House of Representatives) or “S”

(for Senate) depending on where it originated

Question for you…

Hopper

1

2

1,000 Pages!!!

The Legislative Process: *Step 3: The bill goes to a

“committee” for discussion, debate, and revision

“Senate Armed Services

Committee”

“Committee” =Group within

a group 26

“House Budget Committee” 39

20 16

What do they do?

Read It 1,000 Pages

Hear Testimony

Revisions (Changes)

“Rider”

Committee Members

Rider

PorkPork

Pork

PorkPork

Pork

PorkPork

“Rider” (“Earmark”) (“Pork Barrel Spending”) - Non-relevant projects (not related to the main topic of the bill) added to

legislation to help lawmakers win favor with their constituents

$7.7 Billion

“Healthcare Bill Includes 75 Earmarks; 2 Million for Healing

Power of Peanut-Butter

Research”

10 Million Dollars

2014

Immigration

Committees

“Riders”

MOST of the work on a bill is done in COMMITTEE

BUT it is also where most bills DIE

Over 5,000 bills are dropped in the hopper

every year…

…Only about 500 actually make it out of

committee (less than 10%)

Where is most of the real work of Congress done?

A. On the House floor

B. On the Senate floor

C. In committees in both houses

D. In meetings with the president

The term “pork barrel legislation” refers to riders added to bills with the purpose of:

A. Encouraging a balanced federal budget

B. Ensuring the careful inspection of farm goods

C. Distributing funds to the poor and disabled

D. Providing funding for local projects meant to benefit constituents

Which of the following is the BEST example of an “earmark” in a defense spending bill?

A.Funding for a new missile defense system

B.An increase in benefits for military dependents

C.Subsidies and other price supports for dairy farmers in the mid-west

D.Research and development funding for anti-terrorism tactics