Pruposess of Bills in the US Congress

Pruposess of Bills in the US Congress The bill is the most commonly used form of legislation considered by the US Congress. Bills may originate in either the House of Representatives or the Senate with one notable exception provided for in the Constitution. Article I, Section 7, of the Constitution provides that all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives but that the Senate may propose or concur with amendments. By tradition, general appropriation bills also originate in the House of Representatives. Purposes of Bills Most bills considered by Congress fall under two general categories: Budget and spending, and enabling legislation. Budget and Spending Legislation Every fiscal year, as part of the federal budget process, the House of Representatives is required to create several â€Å"appropriations† or spending bills authorizing the expenditure of funds for the daily operations and special programs of all federal agencies. Federal grant programs are typically created and funded in the appropriations bills. In addition, the House may consider â€Å"emergency spending bills,† which authorize the expenditure of funds for purposes not provided for in annual appropriations bills. While all budget- and spending-related bills must originate in the House of Representatives, they must also be approved by the Senate and signed by the president as required by the legislative process. Enabling Legislation By far the most prominent and often controversial bills considered by Congress, â€Å"enabling legislation† empower appropriate federal agencies to create and enact federal regulations intended to implement and enforce the general law created by the bill. For example, the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – empowered the Department of Health and Human Services, and several of its sub-agencies to create what are now hundreds of federal regulations to enforce the intent of the controversial national health care law. While enabling bills create the overall values of the law, such as civil rights, clean air, safer cars, or affordable health care, it is the massive and rapidly-growing collection of federal regulations that actually define and enforce those values. Public and Private Bills There are two types of billspublic and private. A public bill is one that affects the public generally. A bill that affects a specified individual or a private entity rather than the population at large is called a private bill. A typical private bill is used for relief in matters such as immigration and naturalization and claims against the United States. A bill originating in the House of Representatives is designated by the letters H.R. followed by a number that it retains throughout all its parliamentary stages. The letters signify House of Representatives and not, as is sometimes incorrectly assumed, House resolution. A Senate bill is designated by the letter S. followed by its number. The term companion bill is used to describe a bill introduced in one chamber of Congress that is similar or identical to a bill introduced in the other chamber of Congress. One More Hurdle: The Presidents Desk A bill that has been agreed to in identical form by both the House and Senate becomes the law of the land only after: The President of the United States signs it; orThe president fails to return it, with objections, to the chamber of Congress in which it originated, within 10 days (Sundays excepted) while Congress is in session; orThe presidents veto is overridden by a 2/3 vote in each chamber of Congress. A bill does not become law without the presidents signature if Congress, by their final adjournment, prevents its return with objections. This is known as a pocket veto.

How to Manage and Identify the Boxelder Tree

How to Manage and Identify the Boxelder Tree Boxelder, also known as ash-leaved maple is one of the most common and adaptable urban trees in North America though  it also may be the trashiest from a visual perspective. Planting it next to your house is probably not a good idea. The best thing about the tree is that it is comfortable on poor sites where more desirable trees cannot maintain adequate health for long life. It is very commonly seen in the treeless plains and western United States as a street tree. You can use the tree for quick growth but plan to interplant with more desirable trees to provide for a lasting tree canopy. Boxelder can be a treasure on adverse tree sites. Boxelder Specifics The scientific name of boxelder is Acer negundo (AY-ser nuh-GUHN-doe). Common names include ashleaf maple, Manitoba maple, and poison ivy tree and the tree is a member of the plant family Aceraceae. Although considered by many a maple outcast, it is indeed in the maple family and the only native maple with more than one single blade or leaflet on a single leaf stalk. Boxelder grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 and is native to North America. The tree is sometimes crafted into a bonsai specimen but often used as a screen/ windbreak and for land reclamation. It grows rapidly, can become very large and needs a lot of space. Boxelder is still a very common tree to see in a yard or park west of the Mississippi River.​ Boxelder Cultivars There are several attractive cultivars of boxelder including Aureo-Variegata, Flamingo and Auratum. The cultivar Acer negundo Aureo-Variegata is noted for its leaves bordered in gold. Acer negundo Flamingo has variegated leaves with pink margins and is somewhat available at local nurseries. Acer negundo Auratum has abundant gold leaves but is a little harder to find. You must remember that even though these cultivars are ornamental, they still share the original boxelder tree’s undesirable characteristics that include unattractive female fruit and breakage that increase the chances of the trees early removal due to quick growth. Problems With Boxelder Boxelder is a rather unattractive tree where limbs break with a vengeance   a landscape maintenance nightmare. The fruit droops in clusters which some describe as looking like dirty brown socks which adds to the overall trashy look of the tree. The boxelder bug makes things even worse. Robert Schafer / Getty Images Boxelder bug or Leptocoris trivittatus loves the boxelder tree. This half-inch red-striped insect is a true pest during winter where the adult multiplies and invades homes near where boxelder trees grow. It is one of the most common household pests in the United States. The bug emits a foul odor, stains fabric and can cause asthmatic reactions. It does no harm to the tree. Boxelder Description A boxelder in the landscape grows to a height of 25 to 50 feet, depending on tree variety and site conditions. One of the tallest ever measured had a recorded height of 110 feet. The trees crown spread is 25 to 45 feet and the crown is typically broad and ragged or disheveled. The tree often has multiple furrowed trunks or very squat single trunks. Flowers are without petals, dioecious and yellowish-green and the female tassels are very conspicuous. The very maple-looking seeds, called samaras hang in long, profuse clusters and stay on the tree throughout winter. Nearly every seed is viable and will cover up a disturbed area with seedlings   a very prolific seeder is boxelder. Boxelder Leaf Botanics Leaf arrangement: opposite/suboppositeLeaf type: odd pinnately compoundLeaflet margin: lobed; serrateLeaflet shape: lanceolate; ovateLeaflet venation: pinnate; reticulateLeaf type and persistence: deciduousLeaflet blade length: 2 to 4 inchesLeaf color: greenFall color: orange; yellowFall characteristic: showy Pruning Boxelder You will have to prune this tree regularly.  Boxelder branches droop as the tree grows and will require pruning if you have consistent walking and vehicular traffic under the canopy. The tree form is not particularly showy and should be grown with one single trunk to maturity. The tree is susceptible to breakage and can occur either at the crotch due to poor collar formation, or where the wood itself is weak and tends to break. Superior Western Boxelders There are also good qualities of boxelders in western North America. It seems that the tree takes on positive characteristics in the west that is not seen in trees in the eastern half of North America. California interior boxelder takes on yellow and red colors in autumn that rival eastern maple. Its drought tolerance makes the tree a welcome plant in that dry country landscape and very easy on limited water resources.