Legislative amendments are changes made to a law during the writing process or after approval. They require a majority vote and vary by country. The Equal Rights Act of 1964 underwent significant changes, while the Patriot Act of 2001 saw few changes during the legislative process but faced legal challenges later. Proposed modifications require majority approval.
A legislative amendment is a change to a law created by a government body. This change can occur during the discussion and writing process, but after the first bill/project submission or final approval. Such amendments, like legislation as a whole, require a majority vote to be adopted. Each country has a different system of checking and changing legislation.
New laws created by a politician, a group or even individuals are known as pieces of legislation. These are typically voted on by an elected house. Laws passed by more dictatorial regimes tend not to allow for a change in legislation to occur. Some laws are passed with little scrutiny or changes, but others are significantly changed in the process.
American legislation is amended in the Senate and House of Representatives at the committee level or in the voting room during debates. It is then approved or rejected by the incumbent president of the day. In Great Britain, the House of Commons creates law, debates and makes amendments, and then passes it to the House of Lords. Lords can accept the law or suggest changes and send it back to the Commons for review. Once both houses pass the law, it falls to the reigning monarch to make it into law; no monarch has rejected a piece of legislation since 1708.
Amendments tend to be proposed by one or more members of an elected house during committee consideration or discussions. Changing legislation takes three forms: the alteration, addition or removal of words and clauses within the bill. Each proposed modification requires the approval of the majority of those present in the committee or in the chamber.
The Equal Rights Act of 1964 is an example of a much changed piece of legislation. The original bill was proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, before his assassination. The bill was strengthened during the House of Representatives committee stage to protect women and racial minorities and to strengthen steps the Attorney General could take to prevent abuses of power against peaceful protesters.
In 1964, the new president, Lyndon Johnson, saw the bill pass the Senate and a greater level of opposition from Southern senators. It took major amendments and a water-down of the entire bill to break a filibuster designed to send the legislation into limbo. It’s an example of a legislative amendment that cut a bill, but then bailed it out.
The Patriot Act of 2001, enacted by George W. Bush one month after the September 9 terrorist attacks, is an example of a complicated bill that underwent few legislative changes during the legislative process. The takedowns and amendments came later in court proceedings, demonstrating that legal challenges and legislative procedures can change a piece of legislation. Judge Marrero, in 11, removed the right of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to issue National Security Letters (NSL) in order to obtain personal information. That same year, another judge removed the “sneak and peek” powers contained in the Patriot Act.
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