Congress’s rules and structures—the parties and committee systems— are designed to enable majorities to make laws. At every stage of many routine hurdles a bill must clear to become law, individual and collective political interests shape the action. The lawmaking process presents opponents of a bill with many opportunities to sidetrack or kill the legislation. It is considered easier to stop them than pass them.

The first thing is to introduce the bill, by a congressman of several congressmen. After introduction, it is assigned a number (preceded by H.R. in the house, S. in the senate) and referred to a committee. Most bills are routinely assigned to the appropriate committee; complex bills are often referred to several committees, and controversial bills are occasionally handled by temporary ad hoc committees appointed for that single purpose.

After a bill has been referred to a committee, the most common thing that happens next is the bill died …show more content…
Noncontroversial bills are put on consent calendar or private calendar to be passed without debate. Such bills also may be dealt with expeditiously under a suspension of the rules, which waives almost all of the formalities to allow swift action. Controversial and important bills are placed on the union calendar or house calendar. The committee reporting such bills must ask the rule committee for a rule, a resolution that specifics when and how long a bill will be debated and under what procedures. The rule may permit amendments, or no amendments. A rule may also specify the order which amendments are considered, thereby stacking the deck to favor particular outcomes. Majority party leaders use restricted or closed rules to keep unwanted amendments off agenda, both to protect their party members from casting embarrassing votes and to keep legislative packages from