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Health Specialists’ Guide to the Federal Legislative Process and to the Process of Federal Program and Regulation Development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2021

American Hospital Association
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Extract

In January of every odd-numbered year, a new Congress convenes, made up of new or re-elected Members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate, along with Senators who are entering the second or third Congress of their six-year term. In both its first year (“first session“) and its second year (“second session“) the new Congress stays at work until adjournment in late autumn or early winter.

Any Member of Congress may introduce a legislative proposal when Congress is in session. Ideas for bills and resolutions may emanate directly from a Member (or a group of Members) either in the House of Representatives or in the Senate. Often the proposals are a response to the appeals of constituents, such as trade or professional associations or consumer groups, who may participate in their preparation.

Type
Special Feature
Information
American Journal of Law & Medicine , Volume 3 , Issue 2 , Summer 1977 , pp. 209 - 219
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics and Boston University 1977

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Footnotes

*

This Special Feature is based on material that originally appeared in Washington Developments, published by the American Hospital Association. Particular thanks is given to the American Society of Law & Medicine for its assistance in the preparation of this feature.

References

1 Throughout this Guide, pertinent government documents are cited and suggestions are provided for how to obtain them from various federal offices. Many such documents, of course, are also available at law libraries and, in some cases, at general libraries.

Useful background materials exploring various aspects of the federal political process include the following: Cornwell, Magrath Jr., and Goodman, , The Legislative Process, in THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY (1969)Google Scholar; Bacon, D., CONGRESS AND YOU (1969);Google Scholar MODERN POLITICAL ANALYSIS (Dahl, R. ed. 1970)Google Scholar; AMERICAN ASSEMBLY, THE CONGRESS AND AMERICA'S FUTURE (1971)Google Scholar; READINGS ON CONGRESS (Wolfinger, R. ed. 1971)Google Scholar; Laws, Regulations, Congress, the Courts, in READER IN GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS (O'Hara, F. ed. 1973)Google Scholar; Redman, E., THE DANCE OF LEGISLATION (1973)Google Scholar; WORKING ON THE SYSTEM: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR CITIZEN ACCESS TO FEDERAL AGENCIES (Michael, J. ed. with Fort, R. 1974)Google Scholar; Wilson, , The Rise of the Bureaucratic State, THE PUBLIC INTEREST, Fall 1975Google Scholar, at 00; and THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL, CONGRESS AND HEALTH (1976)Google Scholar.

2 Of great value in finding one’s way through the congressional maze is the Congressional Directory, published by the U.S. Government Printing Office. The Directory contains information on almost every conceivable aspect of the congressional scene that can be reduced to the level of basic data. The publication presents biographical information on Members of the House and the Senate; names and addresses of congressional staff; committee and subcommittee assignments; data on members of the federal judicial and executive branches; maps of congressional districts; and a great deal more. The Directory is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, at a cost of $6.50 (paper), $8.50 (cloth), or $12.95 (cloth, thumb-indexed).

A somewhat similar publication of special value to health specialists is the National Health Directory, published by Science and Health Publications, 1740 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. The latter publication contains extensive basic data concerning individuals and governmental entities involved in implementing federal health policy. It is priced at $19.50 (1977 edition, hardcover).

3 Copies of some bills are available from your Representative (House bills) or from one of your Senators (Senate bills). Bills also are available from the House Document Room or the Senate Document Room (Washington, DC 20515). In requesting a bill, cite it by number, and for bills ordered from one of the Document Rooms, enclose a label on which your address is given.

It should also be noted here that the text of many bills appears in the Congressional Record (see Part I, section H of this Guide).

4 See Part I, section F of this Guide for an explanation of public law numbers.

5 Transcripts of some subcommittee hearings are available from your Representative (House hearings) or from one of your Senators (Senate hearings). Transcripts also may be obtained from the subcommittee which held the hearings. In requesting transcripts, cite the subject of the hearings, the name of the appropriate committee, and if possible the dates of the hearings.

6 Copies of some congressional committee reports are available from your Representative (House Reports) or from your Senators (Senate Reports). Reports also are available from the committee which reported the bill or from one of the Document Rooms (see note 3 supra for address). In requesting reports, cite the number of the reported bill or, if known, the report number.

7 West Publications, Inc., through special arrangements with the federal government, publishes a set of volumes titled United States Code Annotated (usually cited as U.S.C.A. in legal footnotes). U.S.C.A. contains each provision of the United States Code, supplemented by notes on the legislative history of the provision, on pertinent court decisions concerning legal questions that have arisen around the provision, and on other related subjects.

8 The U.S. Constitution provides that all bills raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives. Although this requirement does not apply to general appropriations bills, by tradition such measures always are introduced initially in that chamber.

9 A document which provides an overview of the federal government as a source of funds for a wide variety of programs, and which in addition provides specific information on what funds are available, on who may apply for them, and on how to apply, is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, Executive Office of The President. The Catalog is available from the Superintendent of Documents (see note 2 supra for address). A yearly subscription, which includes the basic manual plus supplemental and replacement pages designed to provide the latest information, costs $18.00.

10 The Congressional Record is available from the Superintendent of Documents (see note 2 supra for address) at a cost of $45 per year or $3.75 per month. Single copies cost 25 cents.

11 The Federal Register is available from the Superintendent of Documents (see note 2 supra for address) at a cost of $50 per year. Single copies cost 75 cents.

12 The Code of Federal Regulations is available from the Superintendent of Documents (see note 2 supra for address) at a cost of $350 per year. Individual volumes range in price from $1 to $5 depending upon their size, which varies greatly.