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HOW OUR LAWS ARE MADE
Revised and Updated by Charles W. Johnson
Parliamentarian, United States House of Representatives
January 31, 2000

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ENTIRE DOCUMENT: Text 156k PDF 277k

Foreword

I. Introduction

II. The Congress

III. Sources of Legislation

IV. Forms of Congressional Action

- Bills
- Joint Resolutions
- Concurrent Resolutions
- Simple Resolutions

V. Introduction and Referral to Committee

VI. Consideration by Committee

- Committee Meetings
- Public Hearings 
- Markup 
- Final Committee Action
- Points of Order with Respect to Committee Procedure

VII. Reported Bills

- Contents of Reports
- Filing of Reports
- Availability of Reports and Hearings

VIII. Legislative Oversight by Standing Committees

IX. Calendars

- Union Calendar
- House Calendar
- Private Calendar
- Corrections Calendar
- Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees

X. Obtaining Consideration of Measures

- Unanimous Consent
- Special Resolutions or "Rule"
- Consideration of Measures Made in Order by Rule Reported from the Committee on Rules
- Motion to Discharge Committee
- Motion to Suspend the Rules
- Calendar Wednesday
- District of Columbia Business
- Questions of Privilege
- Privileged Matters

XI. Consideration and Debate

- Committee of the Whole House
- Second Reading
- Amendments and Germaneness Rule
- The Committee "Rises"
- House Action
- Motion to Recommit
- Quorum Calls and Rollcalls
- Voting
- Electronic Voting
- Pairing of Members
- System of Lights and Bells
- Recess Authority
- Live Coverage of Floor Proceedings

XII. Congressional Budget Process

XIII. Engrossment and Message to Senate

XIV. Senate Action

- Committee Consideration
- Chamber Procedure

XV. Final Action on Amended Bill

- Request for a Conference
- Authority of Conferees
- Meetings and Action of Conferees
- Conference Reports
- Custody of Papers

XVI. Bill Originating in Senate

XVII. Enrollment

XVIII. Presidential Action

- Veto Message
- Line Item Veto

XIX. Publication

- Slip Laws
- Statutes-at-Large
- United States Code

Appendix

- Select List of Government Publications
- Earlier Printings