THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS
Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing
Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct
Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act 2001
For detailed information about the legislative process, visit How Laws are Made
by John V. Sullivan, Parliamentarian, House of Representatives
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon. These acts created a
political climate in which the George W. Bush
Administration and Congress quickly sought to
investigate and punish those responsible and propose
legislation that would prevent future attacks.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Discussion Questions:
If you were a member of
Congress in 2001, how
would you have responded
to the 9/11 attacks on the
World Trade Center and
Pentagon?
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Video Clip – 5 minutes
What power(s) does the
Constitution give Congress
regarding national security
threats?
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Discussion Questions:
What do you think constitutes a
“heinous” or atrocious act?
What do you think are some of the
most heinous acts in world history?
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Do you agree with Mayor Rudy
Giuliani’s assessment that the 9/11
attacks on the World Trade Center and
Pentagon are one of the “most
heinous acts” in world history? Explain
your answer.
Video Clip – 1 minute
Would you consider these attacks an
act of war? Why or why not? If so,
who is the war against?
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Discussion Questions:
Why did President George W.
Bush refer to the party responsible
for the 9/11 attacks as a “faceless
coward”?
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Video Clip – 2 minutes
What constitutional powers did
President Bush use to do
“whatever [was] necessary to
protect America and Americans”?
What role did the President’s
cabinet play in executing domestic
and foreign policy?
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Discussion Questions:
Define bipartisanship.
How was this gathering of
Congress an example of
bipartisanship?
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Video Clip – 3 minutes
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
Discussion Questions:
Although only members of the House
and the Senate can introduce
legislation, who can propose
legislation to Congress?
Which federal department proposed
anti-terrorism legislation to Congress?
Define civil liberties. List examples.
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Video Clip – 3 minutes
Are you willing to give up individual
liberties in the interest of public
safety?
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
Discussion Questions:
What is the purpose of a standing committee?
Why is the Attorney General proposing antiterrorism legislation to the House Judiciary
Committee?
Why does Representative Sensenbrenner
consider the anti-terrorism legislation proposal
bipartisan?
How does Representative Sensenbrenner view
the anti-terrorism legislation proposal?
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Video Clip – 6 minutes
Why does Representative Sensenbrenner share
the plan for hearing testimonies?
Why do the participants take an oath before
providing testimony to the committee?
Using the video content, describe a power(s)
used by the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
Discussion Questions:
How did Attorney General Ashcroft
define the new threat of terrorism?
Why do you think Attorney General
Ashcroft emphasized the importance
of preserving civil liberties in his
testimony?
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Video Clip – 12 minutes
What were the two problems Attorney
General Ashcroft saw with the current
statutes?
What were the five objectives Attorney
General Ashcroft addressed in the
anti-terrorism legislation proposal?
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
Discussion Questions:
Why did the Attorney General propose
anti-terrorism legislation to the Senate
Judiciary Committee?
What is a “sunset” provision in
legislation?
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Video Clip – 3 minutes
Why did Senator Feinstein want to put
a “sunset” provision on certain
sections of the anti-terrorism
legislation?
What was Attorney General Ashcroft’s
response to the senator’s suggestion?
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
Discussion Questions:
How did Attorney General
Ashcroft propose to detain
suspected terrorists?
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Video Clip – 3 minutes
Why did Attorney General
Ashcroft suggest clarification
on this section of the
proposal?
INTRODUCTION
Discussion Questions:
Describe the major actions taken by
both houses of Congress on the USA
PATRIOT bill up to the introduction of
HR 3162.
HR 2975 (Original version of antiterrorism legislation introduced in the
House)
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Video Clip – 4 minutes
S 1510 (Original version of antiterrorism legislation introduced in the
Senate)
What compromises were made
between the House and Senate to
draft HR 3162?
COMMITTEE ACTION
Visit the link to HR 3162 on Thomas to determine which
House committees the bill was referred. Then click on “All
Congressional Actions.”
Why do you think the bill was referred to each of these
committees?
FLOOR ACTION IN THE HOUSE
Discussion Question:
Why did Representative
LaHood vote in favor of the
new bill?
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Video Clip – 1 minute
FLOOR ACTION IN THE HOUSE
Discussion Questions:
What is the role of the House
Committee on Rules?
What is meant by “closed rule’?
Click here for footage
Video Clip – 3 minutes
Why was Representative Frank
disappointed in the legislative
procedures established for the
USA PATRIOT Act?
FLOOR ACTION IN THE HOUSE
Discussion Questions:
Why did Representative
Sensenbrenner think the
new bill was stronger than
the original?
Click here for footage
Video Clip – 6 minutes
Why did Representative
Sensenbrenner think a
conference committee was
not necessary?
VOTING IN THE HOUSE
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Video Clip – 1 minute
Click here for footage
Video Clip – 30 seconds
Discussion Question:
Discussion Question:
Describe the voting process in the
House.
If the bill passes in the House, what is
the next step?
FLOOR ACTION IN THE SENATE
Discussion Question:
What were Senator
Feingold’s objections to the
bill?
Click here for footage
Video Clip – 12 minutes
FLOOR ACTION IN THE SENATE
Discussion Questions:
What were Senator Hatch’s
rebuttals to Senator
Feingold’s objections?
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Video Clip – 8 minutes
VOTING IN THE SENATE
Click here for footage
Video Clip – 40 seconds
Discussion Question:
How is voting in the Senate different
than the House?
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Video Clip – 1 minute
Discussion Question:
What happens after the same bill
passes both the House and Senate
without any changes?
PRESIDENT SIGNS THE BILL INTO LAW
Discussion Questions:
What happens after the
President signs a bill into a
law?
Click here for footage
Video Clip – 12 minutes
How does this step in the
legislative process show the
system of checks and
balances?
How could the third branch of
government check this law?
TRACING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Now that students have experienced the legislative
process, they will research a specific bill and
explain how it became a law.
Access the Tracing the Legislative Process
lesson plan and have your students complete the
procedure and culminating activity using C-SPAN’s
resources.