How a Bill Becomes LawBy: Tara Pawlyk

What is a Bill?A bill is a proposal

If passed, the bill becomes a law

Congress is in charge of lawmaking

Only a member of House of Senate can propose a bill

A bill can start in either House or Senate

Bills starting in the House are typically revenue or appropriations (so having to do with money)

Most other bills start in Senate

The ProcessA bill is proposed by a member of Senate or House

Whichever one then assigns the bill to a committee

Committees are run based off of seniority

Standing Committees are permanent committees divided into two sections:

Joint

Select

Standing Committees

SenateIf the bill starts in Senate...

Bill assigned to a committee

There will be a Senate Floor Debate

The debate is controlled by the President Pro Tempore

StrategiesFilibuster

When a person talks a bill to death

Basically, everyone gets tired of hearing the person talk and just gives in

Cloture

A vote to end a filibusterAbove is Strom Thurmondwith the record of longest

filibuster in 1957

House of Representatives

In this case, if bill passed by senate where it started it goes to the House

House assigns the bill to a committee

A debate is held controlled by the President of the House

A vote is taken

President

If the bill is passed by BOTH House and Senate, it is passed along to the President

If the President signs the bill, it becomes law

President can veto the bill

Bill goes back to Congress for potential pocket veto

If 2/3 vote for it to be passed, becomes law

Example

Let’s follow a bill through the system to see how it all works

Bill: The drinking age should be lowered from 21 years of age to 18 years of age.

The Debate

Lets acknowledge that we have one of the highest drinking ages in the world excluding countries that have prohibited all alcohol consumption.

Exceptions29 states allow underage alcohol consumption on private, non-selling, premises with parental consent

6 states allow underage alcohol consumption on private, non-selling, premises without parental consent

25 states allow underage alcohol consumption for religious purposes

16 states allow underage alcohol consumption for medical purposes

4 states allow underage alcohol consumption for government purposes

7 states allow underage alcohol consumption for education purposes

3 states allow underage alcohol consumption when reporting medical need due to underage drinking of another minor

11 states allow underage alcohol consumption on selling-premises with parental consent

The Debate

Only 10 states actually fully enforce no alcohol consumption under 21 without exceptions

Only 6% of countries worldwide require an age of 19 or higher for alcohol consumption

4% of countries prohibit alcohol consumption and the remaining 90% are able to drink at age 18 if not sooner

The Debate

“Legal Age 21 has not worked. To be sure, drunk driving fatalities are lower now than they were in 1982. But they are lower in all age groups. And they have declined just as much in Canada, where the age is 18 or 19, as they have in the United States.”

Age 18 RightsVoting

Work Full Time

Sue or Be Sued

Get Married

Adopt a Child

Join the Military

Gamble

Sign Legal Documents

Get a Loan

Purchase Tobacco Products

Convicted as Adult

Serve alcohol

Bartend

Sign a Lease

ArgumentSo let me get this straight. At age 18 people are considered responsible enough to get married and raise children, enlist, handle financial debts, get loans and live on their own, gamble, and use tobacco products but are not responsible enough to have an alcoholic beverage? If you cannot trust an individual with a drink, you should not be trusting them with the above, much more serious, responsibilities.

Picture Citations

The Modern-Day Filibuster is a Road to Gridlock. Newsday. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. <http://www.newsday.com/opinion/the-modern-day-filibuster-is-a-road-to-gridlock-1.3724716>.

Civics Textbook

Higherground Brewery. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. <http://highergroundbrewery.com/>.

Lower the Drinking Age; An Argument. The Constant Inconstant. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. <http://www.constantinconstant.com/2010/10/08/lower-the-drinking-age-an-argument/>.