The United States Congress is a bicameral legislature. It is the Legislative Branch, which is the law-making branch of the three branches of the federal government. Our representatives act in certain ways and the houses act in certain ways- creating legislation that, in turn, may or may not become the law of tomorrow.

The term “congress” just seems to comfortably sum up the two units that make it up. Many just think of the congress being a “whole” unit. Historically, the House of Representatives has been more of the “people’s” house of congress. It was the only part of the three branches of government to be elected by a direct election of the people. The Senate, which had constitutionally been elected by state legislature, is elected by direct vote today as a result of the 17th Amendment in 1913.

The House of Representatives is tied a little more closely to the people than the Senate.

Mike Thompson is a Democrat, however, in California’s 53rd district, he was not just elected by California’s traditional Democratic Value’s. In a Valley District, there is a lot of conservative thinking that runs with agribusiness. He has a full load to balance when voting. At one time he can’t cut school benefits, however, it would be the end of his career if he cut money for farm subsidies. Every two years he is up for re-election.

Senators, in general focus on their state and the nation in their six-year term. They help write and push bills that get them seen well in the eyes of their constituents, and, in the eyes of the nation. Senators stand on the breast of national office and are often jockeying to launch further careers into politics with the policies they write and vote for.

Congressmen log-roll with colleagues.

If a republican voted on a farm-reform bill that Thompson wrote, Thompson may vote republican against his party line to protect his ally. One does not burn bridges. If a congressman has not researched a bill, he will simply vote with his or her because allegiance to the party tops all else. Often President of the United States, lobbyists, and Political Action Committees who have funded the campaigns put pressure on which way the voting goes, as well.

The two houses of congress act quite differently, however, they are quite similar, as well. The House is composed of 435 members as compared to the Senate’s 100. We are currently in the 110th Congress.

On the surface, they look very similar, as both the House and Senate are broken down into a bunch of committees and sub-committees. Standing Committees are always in existence, such as the House Rules Committee. Special Committees handle investigations such as impeachments. Joint Committees co join the house and the senate on big projects such as global warming. Lastly, there are Conference Committees, which stand temporarily but are always in existence. These make dissimilar bills similar to be given to the President for signing.

Due to its size, alone, the House of Representatives must be much more structured. The most important committee in the house is The House Rules Committee. It works under the direction of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D) CA. She decides in which order, if at all, bills will be heard. She can schedule a bill early or “table” it so that it is never heard.

The house has limited debate. Pelosi can issue three types of rules for debate. One is open rule-once the bill is on the floor, any member can offer amendment. Another is closed rule-only those that sponsored the bill can amend it. Lastly is the Restrictive Rule, which is anything the Rules Committee wants it to be. In the house, all amendments must be germane to the bill.
The Senate has unlimited debate and is not as partisan. The majority leader looks at legislation, it is asked, “All in favor say ‘aye,’ all opposed say, ‘no,’” and the Senate either works on the bill or not based on a simple majority.

In the senate, the attach riders to bills. These do not have to be germane. An Agriculture bill can have an amendment about deep space exploration. Senators begin to debate in a “filibuster,” so that a bill they do not like eventually dies on the floor when it hits a “hold period.” A cloture vote of sixty senators can end this filibuster. For six years, democrats have been filibustering Bush’s nominees.

When we look the process, we can see why only about ten percent of bills become law. Out of 11,000 proposals, there are about 150 laws each year. A bill originates in a senator or representative’s respective chamber of congress. A bill raising taxes must originate in the house.
If the house committee approves, it goes to the Speaker of the House. Right there she can table the bill, where it must wait two years for reintroduction. If introduced, it gets a number.

Once the bill is introduced, the appropriate committee looks at it. Say it is a trade bill. A committee on foreign affairs might look at it. Right there the bill might end if this committee disapproves.

It may get approved and/or amended where it is marked up and testimony is heard. Most lobbying is done to kill bills. The bill is likely more trouble than it is worth. Here the bill may die to a “no” vote.

Again, it goes to a full standing committee, where again it can die, be amended, or voted on. Except in times of war, such as the patriot act, a bill can take fifteen years to become law.
If the bill has made it thus far, it then goes to the rules committee, where Pelosi decides what kind of debate, if any, the bill will get. If it gets none or is placed at the bottom of the list, again, it could die. Even if it goes fully through the debate, without a simple majority, which is the yes or no we see on CNN, the bill dies.

If it passes the house, it gets a number, HR—. The house author finds a senator to sponsor the bill. It becomes SR—-. In the senate, the bill gets all kinds of riders attached to it, and, again, it must pass by a simple majority. From here, if it does pass, it goes to a conference committee to reconcile the two bills. Again it can die for another two years.

From here the bill goes to the President. He can sign the bill; here it becomes law. He can veto the bill, where it takes a 2/3 supermajority of both houses of congress for the bill to become law. He can do nothing, where, after ten days, the bill becomes law. He can also do a pocket veto if he is given the bill within ten days of the end of congress’s session. Here, if he does nothing, the bill dies. Congress and Presidential approval were intended to be an elaborate filter of indirect democracy.