How is it decided which possible bills are presented to Congress ? Evidently the President has no direct control over what bill is presented or what proposal becomes a bill. So it must be decided by the legislators in some way. Does not that give enormous potential for lobbying?

[In Britain the best you can hope, in lobbying for a bill, is that you find an MP who is lucky in the ballot to present a member's bill and who might be persuaded to promote some draft bill of yours, rather than some pet project of his own. Nearly every bill is chosen and proposed by the government.It is almost unheard of for a private member's bill to become law, unless it later receives the backing of the government ]

quote:

Originally posted by FredPuli:
How is it decided which possible bills are presented to Congress ? Evidently the President has no direct control over what bill is presented or what proposal becomes a bill. So it must be decided by the legislators in some way. Does not that give enormous potential for lobbying?

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It does give enormous potential for lobbying, and lobbying is big business here. Most new legislation in the US starts in committees. Only if a committee approves a bill will it be presented to the entire House or Senate for debate and approval. Most bills die in committee.

Alan Moore

FP-
Here's how many of us learned about our legislative processes-

"I'm Just a Bill"

(Schoolhouse Rock also taught us our times tables and grammar rules. )