Discuss the steps in the legislative proposal.

The legislative process involves the procedure of enacting a bill into law, which follows the under listed steps.

Step 1: Introduction and referral of the bill to a committee

A member of the Congress, who is referred to as a sponsor, first tables the bill, and any other member may cosponsor it. It is then presented to the committee for discussion and jurisdiction.

Step 2: Committee Hearings and Mark up

When the bill is presented to the Committee, the chairperson decides if there be hearing and mark up of the bill. The subcommittee often does the hearing, but both the full Committee and the subcommittee do the mark up. After amendments, the chairperson may favorably vote the bill out of Committee and pass to the entire body.

Step 3: Floor Debates and Votes

The Leader of the Majority in the Senate and the Speaker in the House determine if the bill proceeds to the entire body for debate and amendment. A majority vote is necessary for the bill amendment and final passage.

Step 4: Referral to the other chamber

After the bill passes the Senate or House debate, it is presented to the other chamber where it undergoes the same process. The chamber may accept, reject, or amend the bill before passing it.

Step 5: Conference on a bill

A conference committee is usually set up to reconcile the differences in case of a discrepancy between the two chambers. A conference report is then prepared, but if either chamber rejects it, the bill dies. If both chambers agree, the bill passes to the President.

Step 6: President’s Action

The President signs the bill and enacts it into law after he approves the legislation. However, the bill automatically becomes law if the President does not act within ten days the Congress is in session. The President can also veto the bill if he opposes it.

Step 7: Overriding a Veto

The Congress may override the veto by the President, which requires two third of the votes.

Discuss agenda setting as the confluence of three streams of activities. Include the concept of a “window of opportunity” for legislation development in your answer.

The three streams of activities include problems, solutions to the problems and political involvement. The three aspects must be present for effective policy making in the legislative process. The policy making process involves legislation, regulations and health policy rules formulated by powerful stakeholders, influential business leaders, legislators and the general public. The metaphor of three streams of activities serves as a window of opportunity towards the development of legislation. Identifying the problem is the first step in the rational decision making process. Possible solutions to the problem are then proposed and considered. A solution is then selected, which is made at the public level. The involvement of political events in the window of opportunity is necessary in the decision making process. Thus, the three streams of activities are necessary aspects in the decision-making process, and are perceived to be the window of opportunity for legislative development.

Discuss the role of chief executives in agenda setting at the federal level.

The chief executive is entrusted with ensuring the faithful execution of all laws in the agenda setting process. They mainly involve state bureaucracy in carrying out the laws because the responsibility is quite tasking to handle solely. It is also the responsibility of the chief executive to reorganize the bureaucratic structure for accountability to the governor. The managerial role of the chief executive requires collected effort from many forces in order to achieve the policy goals. It is the ultimate responsibility of the chief executive to create coherence among the key players in agenda setting for effective execution of the laws. The main actors include legislators, clientele groups, and bureaucrats, who oversee the agenda setting process.

Discuss the link between agenda setting and legislation development

The link between agenda setting and legislative development is the window of opportunity, which involves various players essential in the decision making process. These include interest groups, individuals, the public, and organizations. In addition, economic, biological, cultural, legal, social, physiological and technological forces are also essential determinants of the process. Agenda setting involves identifying the problem, formulating solutions and involving political forces in decision-making. The aforementioned players and forces form a platform for the enactment of the item proposed in agenda setting, and the outcome could lead to the development of legislation.

Discuss the involvement of interest groups in the political circumstances that affect agenda setting. Incorporate the specific ways in which they exert their influence on agenda setting in your response.

Various political forces such as political party caucuses, whips, factions, committees, legislative leaders and shadow cabinets play significant roles in agenda setting. The party whips maintain the vote count, persuade members to vote and participate in debates, and monitor the members’ position on certain issues in the legislature. The party factions influence the members to vote in a certain way for a proposed bill. The role of the party caucuses is to determine the strategy of the party, elect leaders and set party policies. Party committees are involved in the formulation of party decisions while the legislative leaders such as the Speaker have various roles such as chairing the committee and legislature sittings, appointing members, and administratively heading the legislature.

Work Cited

Ferguson, Margaret. Roles, Functions, and Powers of the Governors. Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers. 2014. Web. 1 March 2014.