Congressional Committees: The Workhorse of Legislature

The Power and Significance of Congress Firstly it is important to look at the power and significance of congress as a legislative body. This includes the creation of law, and the scrutiny of the executive. Because the US federal system is ruled by 'separation of powers', it is important that the legislative - congress - acts as a good check and restraint on the executive - the president. The most significant power that congress has is to create and pass legislation. Most of the creation is down to congressional committees - specialist groups of congressman who revise and investigate laws into their own committee's interests, for example The House Science Committee.

It’s is basically the same as the House; they make sure people show up and talk. Congress is important, especially in passing bills, getting support for them, and making sure they are fair. The House and Senate help to select different members for committees, maintain unity, and much more. These committees themselves have important functions. Many things, most out of our control, influence the congressional elections.

Evidently, it is an extensive and labored trail to the development of a bill to a law. Initially the bill is introduced to the House of Representatives where important readings take place. Secondly, the bill goes the Senate where the it is debated. Third, the bill is altered by both Houses and then placed on President’s desk where he or she approves, vetoes, or ignores the bill. Ultimately, the procedure of a bill to law encounters many obstacles to conquer.

Congress faces issues with action problems and the solution to correcting these collective problems are at the expense of the incentive members. The Cabinet, President, state and federal courts, political groups, media, etc. all have input when determining a political decision in the United States. Open arrangement is an objective arranged strategy that the legislature follows in managing an issue or issue in the nation. Open approaches are focused around law; however numerous individuals other than officials set them.

Anyone can draft a bill but only members of the House of Representatives or the Senate can formally submit a bill for consideration. A bill has to go through many steps in both the House and the Senate until it can reach the President’s hand, which he can sign or veto. Throughout the legislative process, there are also many important groups and individuals who highly influence the outcome and results of the process. Article 1, Section 1, of the United States Constitution states that “All Legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.” The House of Representatives is made up of over 400 elected members who each represent their state in proportion to the state’s total population. The Senate has over 100 senators, with 2 representing each state.

Congress has four different types of committees. The four committees are the joint committees, conference committees, standing committees, and select committees. The standing committee has an influence on Congress because of the fact that they have jurisdiction over all the bills of a given type. Select committees, however, influence congress because since they study and investigate rather than consider legislation, congress has to take into consideration of who is making sure that they have to make careful decisions with these operations with according to what is considered “right and wrong”. The joint committee has to give a full congressional overview to a complex subject to Congress and to the public.

The legislative branch refers to Congress who has the power to create and develop laws for citizens of the United States. After Congress develops the law, the executive branch is responsible for enforcing the law. It makes sure everyone is going to follow and obey the laws. This principle is the same in a budget process. There are distinct differences between the legislative and executive branch because they have their own perspectives on things, but they resolve these differences together.

Also there is little time to produce these first drafts, so there is a lot of pressure on time to introduce the Bill to Parliament. To become an Act of Parliament, both Houses of Parliament, in which each there is a lengthy and complex process, must pass the Bill. A Bill may start in either the House of Commons or Lords, although Finance Bills must start in the House of Commons. To become an Act of Parliament, each Bill must go through certain proceedings. The first stage is the 'First Reading' where the name and main aims of the Bill are introduced and there is a vote on whether the Bill should continue.

Congress and The Presidency Congress as a whole makes laws. When Bills are addressed they must meet the approval of both the House and the Senate in order to become a Law, and then the President can always veto it. Congress also deals with matters of public concern be it something that needs to be investigated or something that needs to be put before the public to raise awareness. Congress is made up of two parts: The Senate and the House of Representatives. Each is granted different powers and responsibilities.

This essay will, mainly, use the course materials to describe the process of how a bill becomes a law. The process of transforming a bill into a law requires the participation of both the Legislative branch and Executive branch of government. Before there is a law, there is a bill – and bills have many phases to pass through before these may become laws. The course materials of week three point out that a bill can originate in the House of Representatives or in the Senate – but different versions of the same bill could begin simultaneously in both chambers of Congress (Unit 3 the Congress, 9). It is possible for the President – or someone else – to write a bill, but a member of Congress must introduce the legislation through sponsorship.