Introduction of legislation (can be introduced in either house)
Must be introduced by the speaker/majority leader or else it will die
President's bill must be sponsored by a member of Congress
First reading
Formality in the Senate - title read out
In the House it is placed in a ‘hopper’ on the clerk’s desk
Nothing fails at this stage
Committee stage
In both Senate and House, and the party with the majority leads the committee
Usually where bills go to die - only 1/4 bills make it out of the committee stage, both houses must agree at this stage
Bills that do not pass are 'pigeon holed'
Timetabling
Deciding the timeline for a debate
House rules committee = House of Representatives
Senate majority leader = Senate
Floor action
Debates time limited in the House
Right on unlimited debate -> filibusters
Second/third reading
Amendments are knows as 'mark ups'
Conference committee
Representatives from the House and the Senate reconcile the two different bills and come up with a compromise bill, if this works, it goes to the President
Presidential action
President can sign it/veto/pocket veto
Congress can override the President’s veto with a ⅔ vote in both houses
