The Legislative Process
Inside Congress: More than 10,000 bills can be introduced in Congress each year. Because of the volume of bills proposed, the complexity of the issues and the large number of members, there is an obvious need for division of labor within this institution. The leadership and the committee system provide Congress with the direction and help needed to ensure that the work of Congress gets done.
Committees and Subcommittees: Congress functions primarily through the committee system. Within committees and subcommittees, members draft, debate, and amend legislation.
The Senate and House are divided into committees that specialize in specific areas of jurisdiction (e.g. Appropriations, Small Business, etc.). Members of Congress are assigned to committees; and legislative issues of interest to SIA members will generally fall under four main Congressional committees:
- Senate Homeland and Government Affairs Committee
- House Government Reform Committee
- House Appropriations Committee
- Senate Appropriations Committee
How a Bill Becomes Law
"We debated this bill for nine days. I heard the world was created in seven." —Robert C. Byrd
The path that a bill must take to become law is long and often arduous. Of the approximately 10,000 pieces of legislation proposed each Congress, fewer than 1,000 are signed into law. The numerous steps in the legislative process allow for members of Congress to listen to the concerns of their constituents and deliberate over the proposed measure.
Legislation often arises from concerns expressed to a member of Congress by constituents or interest groups such as SIA. Typically, legislation becomes law through the committee process, negotiations among members of Congress, passage by the House and Senate, and approval by the president.
What Influences Lawmakers?
On any given day, members must attend committee meetings, vote on legislation, respond to the media, meet with constituents and worry about the next campaign and election. With all of these pressures, members must also find the time to deliberate over the bills that are scheduled for consideration and determine how they will vote. In making these decisions, members must rely on information from a variety of sources such as SIA.
Role of Congressional Staff
Congressional staff members, often known as legislative assistants, represent your best point of contact to members of congress, as they execute many important responsibilities including:
- Research of facts surrounding issues
- Interpret points of view from SIA and other outside groups
- Make recommendations on issues to members of Congress
- Represent a link between members and their constituents
- Read and respond to letters and telephone calls
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