| A | B |
|---|
| bill | an idea for a law |
| people, citizens, President, Congress | where ideas for laws come from |
| citizens | What are constituents? |
| sponsor | The person who presents the bill |
| hopper | the box where the bill is placed |
| The House | Who has the hopper? |
| podium | The bill is placed here to go before the Senate |
| Yes | Can a bill become law? |
| No | Can a resolution become law? |
| public | when a bill is "for the people" it is ________. |
| private | when a bill is "for a person or group" it is ____________. |
| resolution | Allows the legislature to recognize people, events, groups, or issues without actually making a law. |
| Yes | Can the process of making a law begin in the House or Senate? |
| drafted | Means the bill has been written up. |
| clerk | Gets the bill from the House or Senate |
| clerk | assigns the bill a number |
| The Congressional records | Where is the bill title entered into by the clerk? |
| committee | The bill is given to this group by the presiding officer (Senate pro tem or Speaker of the House). |
| Members of Congress that have expertise in a specific area | Who makes up the "committee"? |
| Studies and researches the bill | What does the committee do with the bill? |
| subcommittee | Who gets the bill if the committee believes more research is needed? |
| hearings | At these __________, groups and persons bring evidence for or against the bill. |
| lobbyists | Individuals from various special interest groups. |
| lobbyists | a person, possibly hired, who seeks out members of Congress to persuade them |
| lobby | an act of trying to persuade someone to believe or vote a specific way |
| committee or subcommittee | Who can table a bill? |
| table | means that the bill will be set aside for a later date. |
| to prevent the measure from being voted on or "kill" the bill | Why is a bill tabled? |
| budget | bill cost |
| calendar | to set a date for the bill to be presented to the Senate/House |
| question, debate, change | After the reading of the bill, the Senate/House members have time to ___________, __________, and ________. |
| amendments | These can change the bill or part of the bill |
| Riders | often added in committee or later so that a member of Congress can gain (for his constituents) from the bill. |
| riders | additional provisions that might pass in a different bill but not by themselves. |
| riders | a tactic to sneak something by or to kill a bill. |
| poison pill or wrecking amendment | Name given to a rider that is attached to a bill to try to kill a bill. |
| filibuster | a stall tactic that is used either to push an opposing party into compromise or to kill a bill. |
| Senate | Where can a filibuster happen? |
| No | Can the House filibuster? |
| Because they are limited to the amount of time they can debate | Why can't the House filibuster? |
| No | Are Senators limited to the amount of time they can speak and stall the bill? |
| The Floor | The part of a legislative chamber or meeting hall where members are seated and from which they speak |
| vote | Once debating is done and the final draft is complete, the Senate/House will ___________ on the bill. |
| 51% | simple majority percentage |
| simple majority (51%) | How much does the vote in the Senate have to win by in order to pass the bill? |
| engrossed bill | official, finalized draft |
| No, it goes to the House for a vote, and then goes to the President. | Does the bill become law after only the Senate votes to pass it? |
| Conference Committee | Works out any differences with the bill between House and Senate. |
| President | Where does the bill go after the House and Senate have approved the measure? |
| President | Who signs the bill in to Law? |
| Veto | President says "no" to a bill. |
| Congress | Where does the bill go if the President vetoes it? |
| pocket veto | When the President has not signed a bill after 10 days and Congress has adjourned, it is called this. |
| adjournment | long break taken by Congress |
| recess | short break taken by Congress, but Congress is still in session |
| "Kill" | To end a bill |
| table, neglect, filibuster, not vote to approve in one House | Ways to kill a bill. |
| 2/3 majority vote | Required to override the President's veto |
| quorum | minimum required members that must be present for a vote to take place. |
