Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1922-10-05
Looking In on Congress From
the House Gallery
THE STORY OF A BILL
By CONGRESSMAN GUY u. HARDY
Bv CONGRESSMAN GUY u. HARDY
Copyright. is2s. Western NEWSPAPER Union.
THE STORY OF A BILL

usually some are adopted. On one bill
over 300 amendments were offered.
Often amendments are offered In order
to weaken the bill and help to defeat
1t. Amendments not supported by the
committee have hard shedding and
few are passed. Occasionally amend
.ments are offered by members merely
to enable them to make a speech that
may please constituents Interested. 1t
has been estimated that only about
five per cent OF the amendments Of
ifered on the floor are adopted.
When the bill Is read through for
amendments. which Ii the second
reading. the committee Of the whole
votes on recommending Its passage.
IL this IL favorable the committee
then "rises" and the speaker takes
the chair and calls the house to order.
The chairman OF the committee Of
the whole reports the proceedings to
the speaker. Then the bin comes up
for third reading. II IL read by title
only and voted on without further
remarks or debate.
Fixed Up In Conference.
II II Is passed, the bill Is sent to
the senate and has the same rocky
road to travel over there. Probably
1t will have sundry amendments
tackled to II In the senate. Then II
cones back to the house for another
vote. II the house declines to accept
the amendments put In by the senate,
the bill Is sent to conference That
is, committee made up Of few
senators and representatives. the
ranking members on the committees
that reported the bill out, consider all
phases, endeavor To compromise diff
ferences. and when they agree, their
report goes back to both houses and
In usually adopted. Once In awhile
the bill Is sent back to conference
several times before one Of the
houses Is satisfied
Many proud father of proposed
Legislation does not recognize his
fond offspring when II Is finally
passed by both houses and Is ready
to be. sent over for the President
signature.
There are several other ways OF
getting bills up In the house. Those
pertaining to claims. and pensions,
and of private nature, come up
under unanimous consent" On con-
sent day the father Of the bill has
good reason to be on the anxious
seat for single member may cob
ject" and prevent the consideration
Of the hill. Very seldom does mem
Der object out Of spite or on account
Of personal enmity. But there are II
half dozen who make speciality OF
studying these bills and stand ready
to see that they are properly amend
ed or objected to. And many an In
nocent looking little bill Is choked to
death on unanimous consent day.
Some bills come up under u special
rule. The rules committee presents
a resolution providing a special rule
bill. for instance. came up under a
special rule. Four hours were nj.
lowed for debate and then the blu
came up for vote without allowing
any amendments To be offered. You
had to take the bin the way II was
or not at all. The object. Of course
was to prevent unreasonable and
harmful amendments being offered or
adopted. Men often vote for an
amendment and then vote against
the bill.
Some think that curb should per.
/ ihaps be put on the Introduction Of
| 40 many bills hut that Is hardly pos
sible. Who would he competent 10
censor? or course the greatest free
dom In this respect must prevail. Let
the congress and the country decide
which are worthy and needful. As a
matter Of fact when you come ia
think about Il. the wonder il that
many more bills are not introduced
for practically every man and ut most
every woman In the country has In
his or her system the idea Of some
new law or laws that In his or heI
opinion ought to be enacted Many
Of these Ideas OF proposed new legis
.lation find their way In the shape ot
bills TO the basket on the clerks desl
In the house OF representatives OF
In the senate. Many start there, but
very few wind up at the White House
, seeking the Presidents signature.