UNIT II AN OUTLINE OF LAWMAKING PROCESS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND
THE USA
TASK 1. Read the following
texts
Britain
New legislation in Britain usually starts in the House of Lords. In each
house a bill is considered in three stages, called readings. The first reading
is purely formal, to introduce the bill. The second reading is usually the
occasion for debate. After the second reading the bill is examined in detail
by a committee.
The bill is then returned to one of the houses for the report stage, when
it can be amended. If passed after its third reading, it goes to the other
house. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords must be considered by
the Commons. If the House of Commons does not agree, the bill is altered and
sent bask to the Lords. In the event of persistent disagreement between the
two houses, Commons prevails.
Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch for the royal assent.
Nowadays the royal assent is merely a formality. In theory the queen could
still refuse her consent, but the last monarch to use this power was Queen
Anne, who vetoed the unpopular Scottish Militia Bill in 1707.
United States
The US Congress, the lawmaking arm of the federal government, consists of
two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Any congressman in
either house, or the president, may initiate new legislation.
The proposed legislation, or bill, is first introduced in the House of
Representatives, then referred to one of the standing committees, which
organizes hearings on it and may approve, amend or shelve the draft. If the
committee passes the bill, it is considered by the House of Representatives as
a whole. If passed there, it goes to the Senate for a similar sequence of
committee hearings and general debate.
In cases of disagreement, the House of Representatives and the Senate
confer together. Once passed by the Senate as a whole, the bill has to be
examined by two more standing committees - the Committee on House
Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration - and is
then signed by the speaker of the House and by the president of the
Senate.
Finally, it must be signed by the president, who has the right to veto it.
If the president vetoes a bill, it can still become a law - but only if it is
passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress.
TASK 2. Answer the questions
In which House does new legislation usually start?
in Great Britain
in the USA
What is a bill ? How does a bill become a law?
in Great Britain
in the USA
Who has the right of veto ?
in Great Britain
in the USA
TASK 3. Work in groups. Find as many differences (similarities)
in the lawmaking in GB and the USA as possible.