Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-08-25
Looking In en- Congress From
the House Gallery
THE STORY OF A BILL
By CONGRESSMAN GUY u. HARDY
By CONGRESSMAN GUY u. HARDY

THE STORY OF A BILL


& About the easiest thing In the world
s. Il a member of congress to do Is to
8 Etroduce q bill.
$# All one needs to do Is to write the
ar the basket on the clerks desk. Then
has been introduced.
z3* Many bills are introduced, but few
Re passed. In the last congress 1910
1lls and $50 joint and concurrent res
buttons were introduced In the house
md 5,052 bills and 304 joint and con-
brent resolutions In the senate.
Out of all Of these, 60 public resolu-
IONS and 521 bills passed and became
nws Of the land. The record for the
featest number Of bills introduced
Has made in the Sixty-frst congress,
9Rhen 34,383 bills and resolutions were
: Introduced in the house alone, out Of
mich 80 became law.
Wien the clerk gets hold Of the bill
M refers it to the appropriate commit
tee And there 1t may rest in peaceful
Number forever more, or 1t may be
card from again If enough pressure
1s exterted In its favor.
Out home a good friend Of mine sug-
gested once that he didn't like this
seommittee system; he thought that
ach member should give individual
consideration to every bill introduced.
Imagine it, If you can.
No man can read fast enough to
pep up with all bills introduced.
Most committees get more bills re
bred to them than can be given In
elligent consideration. So, naturally,
be bills which have the greatest sup
lort in the country get first considera-
Zion. Congress gives first considera-
ION to the appropriation and revenue
5ills. These and some other bills of
Nationwide Importance come along
automatically.
81 Hearings on Bills
"a When a committee decides to give
consideration to a bill, If 1t concerns
many people or interests, hearings are
3eld. That is, people interested are
invited to come IN and tell the COM
lhittee why they think tie bill should
II should not become a law.
Sometimes these hearings are quite
Elaborate affairs. Some last several
weeks and hundreds Of people come
from all over the country to testify for
- against the bill. The tariff bill
yearing brought experts and prominent
representatives. of every line Of indus
~ to Washington.
NJ The appropriations committee has
- members, the ways and means % (,
members and other important commit |
ices have 81 members each. The mem
bers sit around a long table and the |
witness addresses them. The witness |
must know what he Is talking about |
e he would make good impression.
Any member may interrupt him at any !
time with any question, and before he
gets through the committee is likely |
10 find out all he knows and some he
Doesn't know about his subject. The !
hearings are open to the public.
An official reporter takes down ev-
erything that is said, and later the
hearings are printed in paper-bound
book form. Some of these hearings,
like that on the tariff, for instance,
run into thousands of pages. They
bring out a vast amount Of useful in
formation, and some of the printed
hearings are practically textbooks on
the subject discussed The printed
hearings are given to all members, so
hat they may become posted on any
proposed legislation. Others who are
Interested may, at times, get copies.
After the hearings are closed the
committee holds executive sessions !
ind discusses the bill. 1t may decide
lot to report it out. This practically
ILLS a bill. 1t may decide on some
IT many amendments TO the bill, or
t may rewrite the bill in another form.
,r it may report 1t out as it was In
reduced.
When the bill Is reported out II
,oes on the calendar There are sey-
raj kinds of calendars, operating for )
lifferent classes Of bills under differ
mt rules.
Debating the Measure.
The big bills come up In the COM
nittee of the whole house on the state
f the Union. Debate is usually two
r four hours, though any amount OF
ime may be agreed upon. Sometimes
? or ii hours has been agreed on.
he time Is equally divided between
he majority and minority sides. The
reatest fairness as 10 division ana
istribution of time always prevails.
ne time is parceled out by the chair
san OF the committee In charge on .
he majority side and the ranking :
linorify members on the other side. p
The bin Is first read. Then comes .
le debate. Sometimes members must q
'ick 10 the subject under discussion
M sometimes they are permitted 90 .
'lk about anything under the sen'
ers Is where campaign speeches y
ln3umss gei AZ. +"
Alter ihe hours for general debate =
afe besn used ~ The bil u f'''e
saip ~ sections fof anlendinepif