The Introduction of Bills

A bill is a proposal for a change in the law that becomes a statute after it has been enacted.

In Congress, as in most legislative bodies, ideas for legislation are introduced in the form of a bill. Ideas for legislation can emanate from a variety of sources, for example, legislators, lobbyists, constituents, legislative staffs, and, perhaps most importantly, the executive branch.

Only members of a legislature can introduce bills. However, the budget processes in some states require the governor of that state to submit budget bills to the legislature. A member who introduces a bill is known as the bill’s sponsor. A bill may have a number of sponsors or cosponsors. For example, S. 1564 has 66 sponsors, enough to stop a filibuster and pass the bill. Part of the strategy of any lobbying campaign is the choice of a bill’s sponsors. A bill sponsored, for example, by a new member of the minority party would have little chance of passage or consideration. On the other hand, a bill sponsored by a senior member of the majority party or by a number of members of the majority party (see S. 1564) would be taken more seriously.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, bills are introduced by depositing a bill in the “hopper”, provided for that purpose in the chamber. In the Senate, bills are usually introduced in a similar manner. On occasion, if a senator seeks some particular procedural treatment for a bill, the senator rises and introduces the bill from the floor.

Only a small percentage of bills become law. The system, politically and administratively, winnows the number of bills enacted to a minimal percentage of those introduced. Bills occupy a number of cubbyholes that roughly bespeak their possibilities for passage: bills with little support, noncontroversial bills, controversial bills, major bills, and “must” bills.

Noncontroversial bills are bills that are expedited through the process without opposition, generally by the use of special calendars. They include bills to exchange real property, to rename parks or streets, or to name a building after a former legislator. Controversial bills are those around which swirls political controversy. They are usually major bills, those pieces of legislation that have broad redistributive or regulatory impact. The likelihood of their enactment is unpredictable. Legislative bodies focus most of their attention on these types of bills. “Must” bills are controversial bills that the legislature generally agrees must be resolved before the end of a legislative session. These bills generally garner the most attention as members struggle to find compromises to build majorities. The Voting Rights Act is an example of major, controversial, “must” legislation.

Terms and notions

Filibuster – an obstructionist in the Congress, who tries to delay action in the law-making process by making very long speeches. (Cf. freebooter – a pirate, a buccaneer).

a hopper – a box where the bills are deposited.

Cubbyhole – a category, a class.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 428