Legislation

• House of Representatives (Introduction of Bill)

  Speaker of house receives bill and places it into relevant committees
• House of Representatives (Committee Consideration)


  Bills can be considered by whole committee, sub committee or pigeon holed. Hearings will be held and bill is amended before being reported out if its considered
• House of Representatives (Scheduling)

  House rules committee decides on a timetable for debate and type of debate allowed
• House of Representatives (Floor Action)


  Debates take place, the bill is amended and voted on
• Senate (Introduction of bill)


  Presiding officer of the senate receives bill and places it into relevant committees
• Senate (Committee Consideration)


  Bills can be considered by whole committee, sub committee, or pigeon holed. Hearings are held, bill is amended before being reported out if its considered.
• Senate (Scheduling)


  The senate majority leader decides timetable for debate
• Senate (Floor Action)


  Bill is amended and vetoed on. Stage can be fast tracked with 'Unanimous consent'
• Resolving Differences


  The house and senate liaise to ensure bills remain similar as they advance through the process. Any minor differences go through the conference committee where they are resolved. It must be approved by both houses again
• Presidential Action


  President can sign the bill into law, veto it where it can be sent back to congress for amendment, veto override or left. Or the president can leave it for 10 days. If congress is still in session it becomes law automatically but if they're not in session it gets vetoed.
• Bill Success

  • 2011 and 2016 there were between 10,637 and 14,042 bills introduced with success being under 5%
  • Weak party leadership makes it harder for bills to pass
  • Different parties controlling different houses
  • Presidential veto requires a supermajority to override the veto
• Strengths 


  + Lengthy process ensures thorough scrutiny

  + Equality of both houses ensures needs of people and states is heard

  + Requirements of supermajorities for veto overrides and cloture motions prevents tyranny of majority
• Weaknesses


  - Chance of passing legislation is limited

  - Power is placed in the hands of a few e.g. speaker, senate majority leader and committee chairs

  - Supermajorities allows for tyranny of minority

  - Scrutiny is reduced under united government, in divided it can lead to gridlocks

  - The president can stop bills regardless of scrutiny

  - Pork barrel politics has not been eliminated
• • House amendments must be relevant to topic of bill (germaneness rule) but senate can offer them on any topic e.g. 2014 spending bill of $1 trillion included an amendment to keep sage-grouse of endangered species list
  • Process in house is controlled by majority party. Speaker chooses committee and which majority members are in house rule committee. 'Unanimous' consent reduces this in senate
  • Senate uses 'unlimited debate' whilst house is timed
• Congress is significant 


  can pass laws on wide range of policy areas and has produced land mark legislation like Obamacare, No Child Left Behind Act. Supremacy clause ensure congressional law is superior. Even under united Govs landmark legislation can be passed such as Tax Cuts and Jobs Act under Trump despite Republicans not backing him entirely
• Congress is insignificant 


  State dependent laws are often ignored, marujana is federally illegal yet some states have legalised it. Difficulty in passing legislation means congress does not pass huge amounts of legislation; failed to pass any immigration reform despite bipartisanship under Obama. Laws can also be overturned by sc or president