Changes

== How Laws are Made ==

== How Laws are Made ==

The basic process for passing a federal law is as follows: A committee in the House of Representatives drafts a new statute, and typically holds a public hearing about the proposed law.  Experts and members of the public are allowed to testify about the proposed law at the hearing, and this becomes part of the legislative history for the law if it eventually passes, which can be used by courts in interpreting what the law means.

The basic process for passing a federal law is as follows: A committee in the House of Representatives drafts a new statute, and typically holds a public hearing about the proposed law.  Experts and members of the public are allowed to testify about the proposed law at the hearing, and this becomes part of the legislative history for the law if it eventually passes, which can be used by courts in interpreting what the law means.  Comments by legislators at the committee hearings, and when the bill is debated later on the floor of Congress or the state legislative body, also become part of the legislative history.

If the committee approves the bill, then it is sent to the House Rules Committee, which will dictate the rules for debate and amendment by the full House prior to a vote.  If it ultimately passes the full House, it then proceeds to a committee in the Senate, which may revise it before approving or rejecting it.  If the Senate committee approves it, perhaps in revised form, then it goes to the full Senate for passage.  Amendments may be proposed by any senator, and any senator may try to block by a vote by arguing indefinitely (this is known as a filibuster).  In the Senate, 60 votes are necessary to end a filibuster and force a final vote.   

If the committee approves the bill, then it is sent to the House Rules Committee, which will dictate the rules for debate and amendment by the full House prior to a vote.  If it ultimately passes the full House, it then proceeds to a committee in the Senate, which may revise it before approving or rejecting it.  If the Senate committee approves it, perhaps in revised form, then it goes to the full Senate for passage.  Amendments may be proposed by any senator, and any senator may try to block by a vote by arguing indefinitely (this is known as a filibuster).  In the Senate, 60 votes are necessary to end a filibuster and force a final vote.   

When there is no run-off, occasionally (but rarely) a candidate can win because his opponents split their vote.  Two examples of [[president]]s who because of vote-splitting are [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1912 and [[George W. Bush]] in 2000)

When there is no run-off, occasionally (but rarely) a candidate can win because his opponents split their vote.  Two examples of [[president]]s who because of vote-splitting are [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1912 and [[George W. Bush]] in 2000)

A senator who won due to vote-splitting was conservative James Buckley in [[New York]] in 1970.  But victories due to vote-splitting is quite rare.

A senator who won due to vote-splitting was conservative James Buckley in [[New York]] in 1970.  But victories due to vote-splitting are quite rare.

== "All Politics Is Local" ==

== "All Politics Is Local" ==