Understand why the drafting of legislation is strategic to its survival (CD 8.20, 8.30)

Learn how key legislative decisions are made during markups

Vehicles for markup

Examine the amendment process (CD 8.50)

Committee Reports

Briefly review the history of the Rules Committee, its power, and its role in recent Congresses

Take an inside look at the work, membership and internal decision-making process of the Rules Committee

Find out how the resolutions or "rules" granted by the Rules Committee structure floor debate and amendment opportunities (CD 8.91)

Learn the nuances and procedural implications of the different types of "rules" by walking through the common types: open, modified, closed

Examine the procedures that govern floor consideration of the "rule"

View videotapes of floor action

Master the stages of action when the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole (CD 8.113)

Understand the specific rules that govern debate, the amendment process, and voting (CD 8.111)

Examine the different types, classes and degrees of amendments (CD 8.121)

Learn the strategic importance of knowing when to offer an amendment

Examine the steps following the Committee of the Whole consideration including the motion to recommit and final passage (CD 8.140)

Walk through a real-life example of the House amending process

Learn how the Senate's rules are designed to slow down or even defer, action on legislation by granting enormous parliamentary powers to individual senators (CD 12.50, 8.03)

Analyze how legislating in the Senate differs from legislating in the House (CD 8.151)

Discuss the current Congress in terms of political dynamics, leadership, and the role of partisanship

Examine how conference committees have changed as Congress has changed, i.e. growth of subcommittee power, the rise of omnibus bills, use of multiple referrals

Learn how differences between the House and Senate are solved via amendments between the houses, and the advantages of using this process (CD 8.260, 8.270)

Discuss pre-conference maneuvering in the House and Senate and the key factors that determine whether a bill does or does not go to conference

Distinguish between House and Senate procedures for going to conference, and the conferee selection process (CD 8.270)

Examine the political and strategic role of instructing conferees before the conference committee meets

Discuss the selection and the role of the conference committee chairman, how the meeting location influences the dynamics of the conference committee, the different styles of conference committees, and how subconferences are used to streamline the work of large conference committees (CD 8.280)

Examine the scope of what the conferees may debate, negotiating strategies used by conferees during the bargaining process, and how institutional differences--particularly the issue of germaneness--impact the bargaining process (CD 8.282)

Review the role of the committee staff, other members of Congress, the executive branch, and lobbyists in this final stage of the legislative process

Review actual applications of parliamentary procedural tactics employed by House and Senate Members/ staff to achieve their objectives

Presentation of actual case studies of strategies and tactics used on the House and Senate floor to influence the results of legislation

Discussion of options used to influence legislation pending resolution by the full House of Representatives and the Senate

Formulating and implementing political lobbying strategies

Sponsors, champions, and handlers

What federal agencies need to know

When to engage in the legislative process

Overview of the appropriations process

What are earmarks

Making your case at every stage of the process

Education and advocacy