The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-19
WAYS OF CONGRESSMAN.
How the Various Appropriation
Bills Are Passed.
they Originate In the House, But Must
BE Endorsed by the Senate Before
They Can Go Into Eject
Legislative Red Tape. \
Especial Washington Letter.I


The principal work of congress dur
ing the past few weeks has been the
consideration and completion of the
various regular Appropriation bills
apon the passage of which the execu.
Tive branch of the government depends
most largely, but which are also neces.
sary to the legislative and judicial
branches of our system.
The agricultural, army, diplomatic
and consular, District of Columbia, fort.
tication, Indian, legislative, executive
and judicial, military academy, naval,
pension, post Office, river and harbor,
and the sundry civil are the regular APP
propriation bills for the support of the
government, while this year there are
1--we deficiency bills for items dating
back as far as 1890 and in some cases
prior to that year. All appropriation
bills, under the constitution, originate
IN the house of representatives.
The highly ornamental scroll of
parchment which is handed to the pres.
ident of the United States for his sig.
oature that it may become a law is
very different looking document to the
one originally prepared by Mr.. Courts,
the clerk of the house committee on APP.
propriations. The first step towards
the Introduction of one Of these bills,
the passage of which is one of the most
important and necessary works Of oSr
congress, is to formulate a rough esti.
mate of the items for which appropria.
tions are to be made, after showing by
comparison the different appropriations
for the same items for the five previous
years. This gives an insight into the
changes made in appropriations from
year to year, whether of increase or
decrease, and is of inestimable value in
the formation of new bill out of raw
material. A subcommittee is chosen,
and, after getting all the light pos,
sible on the subject they sit down and
make up their minds about it. Then,
after much deliberation and compar.
ison, the looking up of old records and
the holding of many conferences with
members interested in proposed items,
bill is finally decided upon, the provis-
ions of which shall be acceptable to the
fullcommittee. After this subcommittee
has completed its work, If the entire com.
mittee favors it, one of their number is
deputed to present the bill in the house
and move its reference to the commit.
tee on appropriations, from whence it
has been introduced. There, in
pigeon-hole, it sleeps the sleep of the
just until the committee is ready to uon-
slider it. Its consideration necessitates
the appointment Of another sub-com-
mittee whose business it is to study
carefully all Of its provisions and give
hearings to members of congress inter-
ested in the different items. After hav.
ing obtained all the information pos.
sible on the matter the subcommittee
makes its report to the full committee,
which generally concurs in the Judgment
of the chosen few. If the majority of
the full committee favors the report
1t is adopted and placed in the hands
of Chairman Holman, of Indiana, who
reports it to the house at its next SEES.
sion. 1t then takes it's regular place
on the calendar to come up for consider
alton when ordered by the house. Polit-
ical leaders generally appear to forget
the existence of these very important
bills until within short time before
the adjournment Of congress. Then
they become aware of the urgency of
these measures and every effort is made
to rush them through, in some cases
without giving proper time for discus