Congress in Action HW name_____________________

period_____

12.1

Read it first. Then, create a chart below of the leadership of the 115 th Congress. It should include the current presiding
officers and party officers- there’s 5 in the House and 6 in the Senate. There should also be a brief description of what
they do. Use p. 333 as a model.

Congress

- House
o Presiding Officer: Paul Ryan
- Party Officers
o Kevin McCarthy
o Steve Scalise
o Nancy Pelosi
o Steny Hoyer
- Senate
o Presiding Officer: Mike Pence
o Presiding Officer: Orrin Hatch
- Party Officers
o Mitch McConnell
o John Cornyn
o Chuck Schumer
o Dick Durbin

12.2

What are standing committees?

- Standing committees are committees with specific responsibilities in the house and senate.

Why is the House Rules Committee so powerful?

- The rules committee is powerful because it basically sets the rules for a debate.

What is role of select committees? Joint committees? Conference committees?

- Standing committees consider legislation before its sent to the house, Conference Committees are temporary
committees there to resolve differences between legislation passed in the house vs the senate and Joint
Committees are committees of house and senate members for issues concerning congress rather than public
policy.

Think about it- what are the benefits/drawbacks of the committee system used by Congress?

12.3- read it first!

1. What steps does a successful bill follow as it moves through the House?

- Bill is introduced

- first reading
 - assigned to committee

- subcommittee may hold hearings

- Committee reports bill

- Bill receives second reading; may be debated and amended

- voted on

- approved bill is engrossed

- bill receives third reading by title only

2. What happens to most bills in committee? Why?

They die in the committee

12.4

3. What are the major differences in the lawmaking process in the House and the Senate? Create and complete the venn
diagram below:

Differences:

- The house needs a simple majority to change its rules, whereas the senate needs 3/5ths

- The senate is supposed to be more "mature" seeing as its the "upper house"

4. What are the four options a President has when a bill reaches their desk?

- Veto - Send back

- Sign - do nothing