Slip Laws (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Slip Laws photo credit: Digital Sextant A few days after a law has been enacted, it is officially published first as a “slip law.” The first official publication of a bill that has been enacted and signed into law. Each is published separately in unbound … Read more

U.S. Code (U.S.C.) (USC) (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms U.S. Code (U.S.C.) (USC) photo credit: AngryJulieMonday Following the assignment of a public-law number and statutory citation, and the publication of a slip law, the House of Representatives’ Office of Law Revision Counsel, working largely under the auspices of the Speaker of the House, organizes … Read more

Understanding the Congressional Committee System

. . .it is not far from the truth to say that Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work. Woodrow Wilson, Congressional Government, 1885. Most matters are accomplished by Congress in committees. Each chamber of Congress has committees that are established to perform very … Read more

Proposing Legislation to Congress

Federal legislation is introduced as a proposal by either a Senator or a Representative in the House of Representatives. Before a bill can actually become a law, the proposal must be passed by the Senate as well as the House by a majority vote. It must then be signed into law by the president, or … Read more

The Constitution of the United States, Article. II. Section. 2. Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments

The United States Constitution Article. II. (The Executive Branch) Section. 2. (Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments) The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may … Read more