Lawmak1ng process in the united states

Module VIII

LAWMAK1NG PROCESS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE USA

Task 1. Vocabulary. a)Consult a dictionary to read & to translate correctly. Practice your pronunciation. b)Get ready for the dictation upon the vocabulary.

c) Write out the key words & give their translation.

D) Give derivatives of the words from the vocabulary list (not less than 5).

e. g.: to alter (v) змінювати – alternation (n) зміна – alternate (adj) змінний – alternative (n, adj) альтернатива, альтернативний

e) Give synonyms/antonyms to the words from the vocabulary list

e. g.:

Task 2. Read & translate the following texts.

LAWMAK1NG PROCESS IN GREAT 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 tile 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 back 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.

LAWMAK1NG PROCESS IN THE UNITED STATES

The US Congress, the lawmaking arm of the federal government, consists of two houses: the House or 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, and 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 3. Multiple Choice:

1. New legislation in Britain starts in:

a) the House of Commons

b) the House of Lords

c) the royal family

2. The second reading is the occasion for:

a) debate

b) veto of the reigning monarch

c) amendments

3. If the legislation passed after its third reading, it goes to:

a) one of the houses

b) the monarch

4. Finally, the bill goes:

a) back to the House of Lords

b) back to the House of Commons

c) to the reigning monarch

5. The lawmaking body of the USA is:

a) the president

b) the Congress

c) the Supreme Court

6. The proposed legislation is first introduced in;

a) the Oval Cabinet

b) the House of Representatives

c) the Senate

7. In cases of disagreement:

a) the speaker of the House examines the bill

b) the president signs the bill

c) the House of Representatives & the Senate confer together

8. Finally, the bill must be signed by:

a) the president

b) the speaker

c) any congressman