INFLUENCING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

We've covered "how" to communicate with lawmakers; now we'll discuss "when" your communications with lawmakers can have the greatest impact.

Lawmaking is the most important work of members of Congress. Thousands of bills are introduced during each session of Congress, but few are ever enacted into law. Your lawmakers must deal with and understand hundreds of different issues and then determine how best to vote to represent their constituents' views.

Seldom are lawmakers approached by a group of people representing a broad cross-section of interests from their home districts while the legislation is still in the formative stage. As a constituent, you can help develop a constructive and positive approach to forestry issues by regularly communicating your views to your lawmakers, which will enable them to better represent your views as the legislation is being developed. This is the best time to communicate with lawmakers.

Other critical times to communicate to lawmakers about a particular bill are revealed with a better understanding of how a bill becomes a law.

How a Bill Becomes a Law
(from C-SPAN http://congress.nw.dc.us/c-span/process.html)

Anyone may draft a bill; however, only members of Congress can introduce legislation, and in doing so become the sponsor(s). After a bill is introduced, it begins a long and arduous 13-step process described below:

• Referral to Committee - With few exceptions, bills are referred to standing committees in the House or Senate according to carefully delineated rules of procedure.
  
  

• Committee Action - When a bill reaches a committee it is placed on the committee's calendar. A bill can be referred to a subcommittee or considered by the whole committee. If the committee does not act on a bill, the bill "dies."
  
  

• Subcommittee Review - Often, bills are referred to a subcommittee for study and hearings. Hearings provide the opportunity to put "on the record" the views of supporters, opponents, experts, the executive branch and other public officials on the pending legislation.
  
  

• Mark Up - When the hearings are completed, the subcommittee may "mark up" the bill, that is, make changes prior to recommending the bill to the full committee. If a subcommittee votes not to report legislation to the full committee, the bill dies.
  
  

• Report a Bill - After receiving a subcommittee's report, the full committee can conduct further study and hearings, or vote on the subcommittee's recommendations and any proposed amendments. If the committee votes on its recommendation to the House or Senate, it is called "ordering a bill reported."
  
  

• Written Report - After a committee votes to have a bill reported, the committee chair instructs staff to prepare a written report on the bill. The Report describes the intent and scope of the legislation, impact on existing laws and regulations, position of the executive branch, and views of dissenting members of the committee.
  
  

• Scheduling Floor Action - After a bill is reported back to the chamber where it originated, it is placed in chronological order on the calendar. The Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader largely determine if, when, and what order bills come up in the House and Senate, respectively.
  
  

• Debate - When a bill reaches the floor of the House or Senate, there are rules and procedures governing the debate on legislation. These rules determine the conditions and amount of time allocated for general debate.
  
  

• Voting - After the debate and approval of any amendments, the bill is passed or defeated by the members voting.
  
  

• Referral to Other Chamber - When a bill is passed by the House or senate, it is referred to the other chamber where it follows a similar path through committee and floor action. This chamber may approve the bill as received, reject it, ignore it, or change it.
  
  

• Conference Committee Action - If the actions of the other chamber significantly alters a bill, a conference committee is formed to reconcile the differences. If agreement is reached, a conference report is prepared describing the recommended changes. Both the House and Senate must approve the conference report.
  
  

• Final Actions - After a bill has been approved by both the House and Senate, it is sent to the President. If the President signs the bill or the President takes no action for ten days while Congress is in session, the bill becomes law. If the President vetoes a bill or takes no action after the Congress has adjourned, the legislation dies.
  
  

• Overriding a Veto - If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may attempt to "override the veto." This requires a two-thirds roll call vote of the members.

For more information about our legislative process, please visit the following websites:

How A Bill Becomes Law (Project Vote Smart: http://www.vote-smart.org/)

How Our Laws Are Made (THOMAS, Library of Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html)

Best Times to Influence the Process
Once a bill has been introduced, there are a number of key intervals during the legislative process where your input can assist the passage of a favorable bill or call impede the progress of an unfavorable one.

• Subcommittee Review - The best time for public and industry on the substance of a forestry-related bill is during the subcommittee process. This input may be in the form of oral or written testimony or constituent contacts with subcommittee members and staffs. This is the first opportunity for opponents and proponents to try to pass, amend or defeat a bill.
  
  

• Full Committee - Once a bill reaches the full committee, it is much more difficult to influence the substance of the legislation. It is at this point again that grassroots lobbying (letters, emails, phone calls and visits) can be effective in encouraging votes for or against a bill or specific amendments to it.
  
  

• Full House or Senate - As might be surmised, it is difficult to influence legislation once it reaches the floor. However, this may be the first time that your own lawmaker can vote on a bill. Grassroots lobbying by constituents is the primary means of seeking specific votes on amendments and/or the final bill.
  
  

• Conference Committee - Industry and grassroots lobbying can only influence preferred language in specific provisions of either bill.

Many "Action Calls" you receive from your trade associations will coincide with one of these four critical junctures of a bill's life.

Keep in mind that your goal is to develop an ongoing personal relationship with your lawmakers in order to facilitate communications on legislation affecting America's forest products industry. Once you have become acquainted with your lawmakers, you will find the following activities helpful for maintaining good relationships.

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