The pamphlet summarizes how the U.S. Congress considers legislation, and budget appropriations bills in particular, which must begin in the House of Representatives. This primer includes the following sections: Summary, How a Bill Becomes a Law, The Budget Process and Timeline, and Terms and Definitions of the Legislative Process. It points out that the Foreign Operations Appropriation bill is the primary source of funding for programs in Africa, whereas authorizing bills define policy and guide priority uses of the funds that are appropriated. The pamphlet defines terms, including Act, Amendment, Appropriation Bill, Authorization Bill, Bill, Bi-partisan, Chamber, Cloture (Rule 22), Congressional...
The pamphlet summarizes how the U.S. Congress considers legislation, and budget appropriations bills in particular, which must begin in the House of Representatives. This primer includes the following sections: Summary, How a Bill Becomes a Law, The Budget Process and Timeline, and Terms and Definitions of the Legislative Process. It points out that the Foreign Operations Appropriation bill is the primary source of funding for programs in Africa, whereas authorizing bills define policy and guide priority uses of the funds that are appropriated. The pamphlet defines terms, including Act, Amendment, Appropriation Bill, Authorization Bill, Bill, Bi-partisan, Chamber, Cloture (Rule 22), Congressional District, Committee/Subcommittee, Conference Committee, Constituency, Co-sponsor, "Dear Colleague" letters, Earmark, Filibuster, Floor fight, Hearings, Joint Resolution, Law, Lobbying, Mark-up, Presidential veto, Rescission Bill, Statute, Substitute, Swing list/vote, Table a Bill, and Veto Override. The pamphlet discusses the Senate, grassroots lobbying, the Democratic and Republican parties, and the House Rules Committee. [Note on date: The document has an e-mail address which the Washington Office on Africa apparently got about late 1995 and the address on the document is 110 Maryland Ave Suite 112, by May 1996 the address was Suite 509.]
