A Bill Becomes a Law
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Unit 8
 
Legislative Lingo
 
Strategies and Power Plays
 
Exceptions to the Rule
 
Stats, Quirks, and Examples
 
The Legislative Junkie

Stats, Quirks, and Examples

Unit 8

 

Bypassing committees is very difficult. Between 1931 and 2002 there were

  • 513 discharge petitions filed in the House
  • 47 received the necessary 218 signatures
  • 19 were discharged and passed by the House
  • 3 became law (Labor Standards Act of 1938, Federal Pay Raise Act of 1960, and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)

SOURCE: Walter J. Oleszek, Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2004) 143.

 

Unit Introduction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2005 The Dirksen Congressional Center

Home Unit 1: Introduction Unit 2: From Problems to Solutions Unit 3: Origin of Bills Unit 4: Bill Drafting and Floor Introduction Unit 5: Referral to Committee Unit 6: Subcommittee Review Unit 7: Mark-up and Subcommittee Voting Unit 8: Committee Action Unit 9: Scheduling Floor Consideration Unit 10: Floor Debate Unit 11: Floor Votes Unit 12: Ironing Out Differences Unit 13: Presidential Action and Congressional Reaction Unit 14: The Legislative Processes