What is legislation and why does Citizens for Global Solutions TRACK it?

U.S. Foreign Policy Legislation

Legislation is the act of making or enacting laws. When a law is proposed it may be introduced into either chamber of the congress (the house or senate) as a bill or a joint resolution. When a bill or a resolution is introduced, it is ordered to be printed and referred to one or more committees for review. It is not uncommon to see multiple versions of the same bill because each time a bill is successfully amended, or when it is introduced into a different chamber, a new version of the bill is required to be printed.

Types of Bills:

• Resolutions are also legislation, but unlike bills, they may be limited in effect to Congress or one of its chambers.

• Concurrent resolutions relate to the operations of Congress, in both the house and senate, or express the collective opinion of both chambers on public policy issues.

• Joint resolutions are considered to have the same effect as bills and require the approval of the president.

Citizens for Global Solutions acknowledges that in today’s global community, the laws that the United States government enacts affect our international neighbors. Citizens for Global Solutions tracks legislation in the House and the Senate on global issues concerning global engagement, international health and the global environment, peace and security, international institutions, and international law and justice. It also provides regular updates and alerts to its members. Currently, the 108th and 109th Congress are available for review.

+ 109th Congress (Jan '05 - Jan '07)
+ 108th Congress (Jan '03 - Jan '05)

Legislators' Grades Citizens for Global Solutions honors legislators who work to extend U.S. values of democracy, accountability and
transparency to our increasingly interdependent world. The Global Solutions Report Card lets you know how your Senators and Representatives voted on legislation that affects the United Nations, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the International Criminal Court, the global environment and other international issues and institutions impacting our daily lives.

+ CITIZENS FOR GLOBAL SOLUTIONS REPORT CARD

What Can You Do?

Citizens for Global Solutions encourages you to engage with your leaders on global issues that affect us all.  From phone calls to letters, and lobby visits to op-eds, you can  make your voice heard. To learn more about what you can do, visit our advocacy center.  To find out more about legislation and to look at past and present Congress, go to the Thomas website.

+ CITIZENS FOR GLOBAL SOLUTIONS ADVOCACY CENTER
+ THOMAS WEBSITE