The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-09-02
Looking In on Congress From
the House Gallery
THE STORY OF A BILL
By CONGRESSMAN GUY U. HARDY
BY CONGRESSMAN GUY u. HARDY
Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union
THE STORY OF A BILL


usually some are adopted. On one bin
over 300 amendments were offered.
Often amendments are offered in order
70 weaken the bill and help to defeat
IL. Amendments not supported by the
committees have hard shedding and
rev 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
nVe per cent OF the amendments Of
fered on the floor are adopted
When the bill is read through for
amendments, which is the second
reading, the committee of the whole
| votes on recommending its passage
If this Is 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 bill comes up
for third reading. 1t is read by title
only and voted on without further
remarks or debate
Fixed Up in Conference.
If 1t is passed, the bill is sent to
the senate and has the same rocky
road to travel over there. Probably
it will have sundry amendments
tackled to it in the senate Then it
comes back to the house for another
vote. If 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
is usually adopted. Once in awhile
the bill is sent back to conference
several times before one of the
houses is satisfied
Many a proud father of proposed |
legislation does not recognize his |
fond offspring when it is finally
passed by both houses and is ready
to be sent over for the Presidents
signature.
There are several other ways Of
getting bills up in the house. Those
pertaining to claims, and pensions,
and Of a 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 bill. Very seldom does a men,
Der object out Of spite or on account
Of personal enmity. But there are a
half dozen who make a speciality of
these bills and stand ready
% see that they are properly amend
I'd or objected to. And many an in
1ocent looking little bill is choked to
1eath on unanimous consent day.
Some bills come up under a special
'ule. The rules committee presents
| resolution providing a special rule
or consideration of bill The bonus
ill, for instance, came up under q
special rule. Four hours were al
owed for debate and then the bill
anne up for vote without allowing
my amendments to be offered. You
lad to take the bill the way 1t was
n not at ALL The object, Of course,
vas to prevent unreasonable and
armful amendments being offered or
dopted. Men often vote for an
mendment and then vote against
he bill. i
Some think that a curb should per
APPS be put on the Introduction Of
o many bills, but that is hardly pos
lble. Who would be competent to
ensor? OF course the greatest free
ON in this respect must prevail. Let
ne congress and the country decide
'hich are worthy and needful. AS
natter Of fact when you come to
link about 1t, the wonder is that J ,
lany more bills are not introduced,
,r practically every man and at most |
very woman in the country has in
Is or her system the idea Of some !
ew law or laws that In his or her
Dinion ought to be enacted. Many S
these ideas Of proposed new legis. I
tion find their way in the shape Of I
Ills to the basket on the clerks desk
the house Of representatives or I
the senate. Many start there, but 7
FRY few wind up at the White House +
'eking the Presidents signature 1