The Congress cannot tax exports-goods that are shipped to foreign countries. It cannot tax different persons at different rates in different States. It cannot prefer one State over another in trade laws. The Congress cannot spend money without telling what it is spent for. These limits on the authority of the Congress help to keep business free. They help to prevent the making of laws that are not fair.

In our study of the Bill of Rights we learned some of the limits on the authority of the Congress. There are others. It cannot pass laws to punish a person for a wrong that was not a crime at the time of the act. It cannot take away his right to be heard in court before a fair judge.

Every person charged with a crime can demand that he be taken before a judge and be told by what law he is kept in prison. The Congress cannot do away with this right except in time of very great danger. These limits on the authority of the Congress help us to enjoy our rights and our liberty.

THE OFFICERS IN THE CONGRESS

The Fathers of the Constitution knew that each House must have officers to keep its work in order. The Constitution says, therefore, that the Vice President of the United States shall be the President of the Senate. It also says that the House of Representatives shall choose one of its members to direct its meetings. He is called the Speaker. If the President and Vice President should die or be unable to act, he would become President. The Senate elects one of its members to take charge when the Vice President is absent.

Of course, the chief officer of each House must have help. He cannot do all of the work. Each House, thereand other officers.

fore, selects a Clerk, a Secretary,

They are not members of the Congress. They do not vote in the Congress.

HOW A LAW STARTS ON ITS WAY THROUGH THE CONGRESS

The members of the Congress suggest many laws. The President often asks the Congress to pass certain laws. We can ask our Senator or Congressman to start a law that we want. He may write a "bill" along the lines that we suggest. When a suggested law is on its way through the Congress, it is called a "bill."

A Senator or Congressman starts a bill on its way by putting a copy of it into a box on the Clerk's desk. He may hand the bill to the chief officer of the House. When the bill reaches the Clerk's desk, it is given a title and number. This is called the "first reading" of the bill.

A BILL GOES TO A COMMITTEE

The Clerk then refers the bill to the proper committee. Thousands of bills are started at each session of the Congress. It is easy to see that all of the members in each House cannot study every bill. So each bill is studied by a small group of members. These groups are called committees.

Each House of the Congress appoints its own committees. Each committee studies all of the bills on one subject. The subjects deal with the matters over which the Congress has authority: Navy, taxes, banks, immigration, naturalization, etc. A very important committee in each House considers tax bills. Every tax bill coming before each House goes to its committee on this subject.

The committee may find that the suggested law is very necessary. The committee may ask persons interested in the bill to appear before it. These people tell why they are for or against the bill. The committee may find that there is no need for the suggested law.

The committee takes a vote. It may make no report. It may report that it does not approve the bill. In that case, usually no further action is taken.

The majority of the committee members may decide that the bill should become a law. The committee then reports to its House that the bill should pass. But the committee may feel that changes should be made. It may write a new bill along the same lines and ask that the new bill be passed.

SECOND AND THIRD READINGS OF A BILL

After the committee reports in favor of the bill, it is read, sentence by sentence, by the Clerk to the House. This is called the "second reading" of the bill. At that time, the members can suggest ways to improve the bill.

The "third reading" of a bill is by title only. It is then put to a vote of the House. The Members of the House may vote "yes" or "no."

A BILL GOES TO THE OTHER HOUSE

After a bill passes one House, it goes through the same steps in the other House. If either House votes "no," that is the end of the bill. No bill can become a law unless it is passed in the same form by both Houses. If it passes both Houses, it is ready to be signed by the President of the United States.

If a bill is changed by the second House, it is sent back to the House in which it started. If the House does not agree to the change, the bill goes to the conference committee. This is a special committee of a few members from each House who study the particular bill. After the conference committee agrees on the bill, it goes back to both Houses for a vote. If it is approved by both Houses, it is ready for the President to sign. If the two Houses cannot agree, the bill is not passed.

THE APPROVED BILL GOES TO THE PRESIDENT

After the bill has been passed by both Houses of the Congress, it is sent to the President. If he approves, he signs it. The bill becomes a law.

If the President does not approve, he can refuse to sign the bill. He gives his reasons and sends it back to the House in which it started. This is called a "veto."

The President may veto an important bill. The Congress can pass the bill against the wishes of the President. But the vetoed bill must pass both Houses of the Congress by a two-thirds majority in order to become a law over the veto of the President.

The President may not wish to sign or veto a bill. If the Congress is in session, he has ten days after the bill reaches him within which to act. If the ten days, not counting Sundays, pass without a veto by the President, the bill becomes a law.

When a session of the Congress ends, the President has ten days within which to sign a bill. If he does not sign it, the bill does not become a law. This is called a "pocket veto."

QUALITY OF OUR LAWS

We hold our representatives responsible for what they do in the Congress. If we are to have good laws, we must elect wise men to represent us in the Congress. We should tell our representatives what laws we need. We should also tell them what laws we do not want. The people have the final authority and they should use it at all times.

THINGS TO DO

Questions to discuss in your study group:

1. What is meant by the statement that "public office is a public trust"?

2. Why does the Congress do much of its work through committees ?

3. Is it important for the members of the Congress to keep in touch with the needs of the people? Why or why not? Name some of the ways by which the people can make their wants known to the members of the Congress.