The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-09-22

About the easiest thing In the world
for O member of congress to do is TO
Introduce bill.
All one needs to do Is to write the
bill out on piece of paper and put II
In the basket on the clerks desk Then
1t has been introduced.
Many bills are introduced, but few
are passed. In the last congress 1870
bills and $50 joint and concurrent res
buttons were introduced In the house
and 5,O52 bills and 304 Joint and con-
current resolutions in the senate.
Out of all of these, 60 public resolu-
lions and 621 bills passed and became
laws of the land. The record for the
greatest number of bills introduced
was made In the Sixty-f1rst congress,
when 84,9S3 bills and resolutions were
introduced In the house alone, out OF
which $40 became law.
When the clerk gets hold Of the bill
he refers it to the appropriate commit
tee And there 1t may rest In peaceful
Alumber forever more, or 1t may be
heard from again II enough pressure
Ii e1terteu III ltS laNOI.
Out home q good friend of mine sug-
9ested once that he didn't like this
committee system; he thought thnt
each member should give individual
consideration to every bill introduced.
Imagine n, IL you can.
No man can read fast enough 10
keep up with all bills introduced.
Most committees get more bills re-
ferred to them than can be given in
telligent consideration. So, naturally,
the bills which have the greatest sup
port In the country get first consadera-
ton. Congress gives first considera-
ton to the appropriation and revenue
bills. These and some other bills OF
nationwide Importance come along
automatically.
Hearings on Bills.
When a committee decides to give
consideration to bill, If 1t concerns
many people or interests, hearings are
held. That Is, people interested are
invited to come in and tell the COM
mittee why they think the bill should
or should not become q 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
or against the bill. The tariff bill
hearing brought experts and prominent
representatives of every line of indus
try to Washington.
The appropriations committee has
-35 members, the ways and means 20
members and other important commit
tees have Fl members each. The men,
!bers sit around a long table and the
witness addresses them. The witness
must know what he Is talking about
IL he would make a good impression.
ANY member may interrupt him at any
thine with any question, and before he
gets through the committee is likely
to find out all he knows and some he
doesn't know about his subject. The
hearings are open to the public.
p An official reporter takes down ev-
erythlng that is said, and later the
hearings are printed In paper-bound
book form. Some of these hearings.
aike that on the tariff, for instance,
run into thousands of pages They
bring out a vast amount of usefui IN
formation, and some of the printed
hearings are practically textbooks on
the subject discussed. The printed
hearings are given to all members, 50
that 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
and discusses the bill. 1t may decioe
not to report 1t out. This practically
Kills a bill. 1t may decide on some
or many amendments to the Dill, OF
IT may rewrite the bill In another FORM
or II may report 1t out as 1t was In
froduoed.
When the bill IL reported out
goes on the calendar. There are sew
sral kinds of calendars, operating Tor
different classes Of bills under ofner-
ent rules.
Debating the Measure.
The big bills come up In the COM
mittee of the whole house on the state
of the Union. Debate is usually TWO
or four hours, though any amount OF
time may be agreed upon. Sometimes
70 or Ia hours has been agreed on.
The time is equally divided between
the majority and minority sides. Inc
greatest fairness as to division ana
distribution of time always prevails
The time is parceled out by the chair
man of the committee In charge on
the majority side and the ranking
minority members on the other SIDE.
The bill is first read. Then comes
fine debate. Sometimes members must
stick to the subject under discussion
and sometimes they are permitted 10
toIk about anything under the sun
Here is where campaign speeches
sometimes get in.
After the hours for general debate
have been used UP the bill is reao
again by sections for amendments
This is termed reading the bill under
the five-minute rule" as no member
may talk more than FIVE minutes, e1'