Chapter Overviews

Chapter 7: Congress at Work

Chapter Overviews

[logo] Essential Question
What types of actions can members of Congress take to represent voters' interests, and what rules govern congressional activities?

Section 1 How a Bill Becomes a Law
Private bills and public bills are introduced in Congress. Private bills deal with individual people or places, often involving claims against the government. Public bills deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation, such as tax cuts, gun control, and civil rights. Congress can also pass resolutions to make policy. A simple resolution covers matters affecting only one house of Congress and is passed by that house alone. It does not have the force of law. A joint resolution is passed in the same form by both houses and must be signed by the president to become law. Concurrent resolutions cover matters in both houses, and do not become law.

Earmarks are a way that members of Congress can specify that some part of a funding bill will go toward a certain purpose. Bills sometimes have riders attached, which are provisions on subjects other than the one covered in the bill.

After a bill is introduced, it is sent to the committees that deal with the subject. If a committee decides to act on a bill, it holds hearings. After the hearings are over, the committee meets in a markup session to decide what changes to make to the bill. After all the changes have been made, the committee votes either to kill the bill or to report it to the House or Senate for action. The bill is then debated on the floor, followed by a vote. To become law, a bill must pass both houses of Congress in identical form. A conference committee works out any differences between versions of the same bill. Then the bill is sent to the president, who signs it into law or rejects it with a veto. Congress can override a president's veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses.

Section 2 Taxing and Spending Bills
The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the exclusive power to start all revenue bills. The House Ways and Means Committee makes the numerous rules and regulations that determine who will pay how much in tax. The Senate has the authority to amend tax bills passed by the House. The power of appropriation belongs to Congress. Thus, Congress must approve spending before the departments and agencies of the executive branch can actually spend money. The House and Senate appropriations committees review budget requests before signing appropriations bills. Some spending legislation, however, cannot be changed. Spending is required on entitlements such as Social Security, interest on the national debt, and federal contracts in force.

Section 3 Influencing Congress
Lawmakers are influenced by their constituents' beliefs, their party's positions on issues, the president, special-interest groups, and what staffers have researched. Most lawmakers make frequent trips home to learn local voters' concerns. Messages also pour into their offices every day. Increasingly, lawmakers use Web sites and e-mail to send questionnaires and get feedback on key issues. Both Democrats and Republicans tend to vote with their parties. Every president tries to influence Congress to pass the bills he or she supports. Lawmakers are also influenced by lobbyists, many of which have their own buildings and full-time professional staffs in the capital. Interest groups and their lobbyists focus their persuasion on congressional committees. Political action committees use the money they raise to support lawmakers who agree with their outlook.

Section 4 Helping Constituents
Helping constituents solve problems is called casework. Lawmakers respond to thousands of requests from voters for help in dealing with executive agencies. Casework gets lawmakers reelected, brings problems with federal programs to the attention of Congress, and provides a way for citizens to cope with the huge national government.

Congress members try to bring federal projects to their districts and states. They do this through pork-barrel legislation, by winning federal grants and contracts, and by working to keep existing federal projects. Many lawmakers' staffers are experts who help individuals, businesses, and local governments qualify for federal money.