Essay
Examine the differences between the Uks legislative process and the US process
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Essay about: Examine differences between the Uks legislative process and the US process
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Examine the differences between the Uks legislative process and the US processIn the UK the party leader which is also known as the prime Minister controls the legislation
put forward, which makes it very hard for MPs of its own party to put forward legislation in
order to be recognised and potentially increase their chances to get re-elected. This leads to
a decrease in legislation being put forward. However, in the UK it is likely that more
legislation is passed as a simple majority in the House of commons is required. On the other
hand the legislative process is very different as the party with a majority and minority in
America puts much more legislation forward due to existing committees. The committees
are mostly filled up with members of the majority party, which means that they are able to
control legislation that should be put forward to get debated and also able to pigeonhole
legislation which they think is not in their interest. This means that the only chance they
have got in order to pass legislation is due to conference committees, which means that two
party’s try to find an agreement. However this happens very rarely. In the 116th congress
approximately 800 bills have been put forward and only 4 got out of the commitments and
none became a law.
Another important legislative point are the two houses. In America you have got the house
of representatives which equals the house of commons in the UK and the senate which
equals the house of lords. However, the American Congress differs to the houses of
parliament, as congress has got bicameral powers, which means that senate and the house
of representatives have got the same power. In the Us both houses are able to put
legislation forward, while in the Uk the house of commons have more legislative power and
therefore put all of the legislation forward. Another fundamental difference is that 1/3rd of
Senators get elected every 2 years and the houses of representatives every two years. This
allows a greater representation, because if the people in congress changes their opinions
and interest may also change. However, in the Uk the house of commons is the only elected
body, as the lords are appointed by the king after being nominated from the prime minister,
which mean that legislation can be only passed by the commons and the prime minister,
which makes the British legislative process less representative.
Lastly a difference can be seen in the role of the prime minister and the president. The
President sets the parties manifesto and therefore the legislative line they should follow,
which makes it easier for him to pass legislation as he is likely to have a majority support in
the house of commons due to a way higher party loyalty in the Uk compared to the Us.
Because the party loyalty in the Us is much lower the house of representatives and Senate
cooperate with the idea of owing the other one a favour. In addition it can be said that
legislation is being put forward by the prime minister and his senior minister, which are
experts in their subject, which means they are able to develop and introduce new legislation
quicker. In the US however the president can say what he would like to see introduced but
has no control about whether legislation is getting introduced, as congress is able to
introduce bills they consider as being important, or just block the Presidents idea.
Furthermore it is really hard s to pass a bill in America as a super majority of 2/3 is required.
Congress also hasn’t got the full power of introducing legislation, as the US is split up into 50
states, as the founding fathers wanted to prevent the central federal government to
become too powerful. All of these 50 states have got the power to introduce legislation,
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller GoodEssays2022. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.28. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
73918 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now