LawCraft

Bicameral
Brainstorm
ACTIVITY ONE

What do you already know about the United States Congress?

Write down as much as you can in the time provided!
SENATE

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BOTH

Legislating
legislators in the
legislature
ACTIVITY TWO & THREE

The Lawmaking Process

Starts with ideas from a variety of sources
Can you think of any more?

Citizen
letters and
email
Challenge
s facing
the
nation

Interest
groups

Research on
issues

The Lawmaking Process

A bill can start in either chamber of Congress, but lets have ours
start in the Senate!

Step One: The Proposal

Once a lawmaker gets an
idea for a bill, she will write
up a proposal and work to
get support from others in
the Senate.

Step Two: The Introduction

The bill is assigned a number
and is read aloud to the other
Senators. Then it is sent to a
committee for a close review.

S.357

The Lawmaking Process

A bill changes A LOT between the time it is proposed and when it reaches a
final version. Editing and amending is a big part of writing future laws.
Step Three: The Report
If the committee likes it, it
will be sent to the to the
whole Senate for debate.

S.357

Step Four: The Floor Debate

All of the Senators get a
chance to read the bill and
debate whether it should be
supported or opposed. The
bill is read again and changes
are suggested.
No
way!

Love it.
We need
to change
that part

The Lawmaking Process

Step Five: The Vote
If changes are made, the bill
is read again, and the whole
Senate is called to vote on
the bill. They can vote yes,
no, or present (if they dont
want to vote on that
particular bill).

Senate Vote on
S.357

59 Yeas
39 Nay
2
Present

Step Six: The Delivery

The bill arrives at the House
of Representatives, where it
goes through the same
debate, changes are made,
then another vote is held
before it can move on.
No way!

Love it.

We need to
change that
part

House Vote on
S.357

227 Yeas
203 Nay
5
Present

The Lawmaking Process

Step Seven: The Vote (Part 2)
If both chambers of Congress
approve, the bill lands on the
presidents desk. If it is
signed, it becomes a law. If it
is vetoed, it doesnt.*

New
Law

S.357

*Congress can override a veto if there

are enough votes (2/3 of Congress) to
do so. The president can also ignore
the bill. If a bill is ignored while
Congress is in session, it
automatically becomes a law after
ten days.
If Congress is not in
session, it doesn't.

A Tale of Two
Bills
ACTIVITY FOUR

A Tale of Two Bills

Check out the two energy bills- one that originated in the Senate,
the other is the version approved in the House. Find the common
ground and get one bill to send to the president.

S.357

oil
Invest in domestic
drilling operations
ernative
Cut funding to alt
energy research
x credit
Provide a $500 ta
buyers
to electric vehicle
tes of
Lower Pollution ra
cars and trucks

H.R.422

r
Increase funding fo
alternative energy
research
tax credit
Provide a $1,000
buyers
to electric vehicle
tes of
Lower pollution ra
5% in 5
cars and trucks by
years
s in new
Award innovation
energy source
development

A Tale of Two Bills

Based on the common ground you found in the Senate and

House version of the bill, make a compromise version. You need
to have at least two items in the bill.
Compromise Bill

Mini-Quiz
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE