Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies
- Lots of partisanship around future nomination
    - Republicans could successfully confirm new justice
    - Democrats will still attempt to block new justice, but they
      probably won't succeed
        - Would need to flip 4 senators to block, but conservatives
          don't have good motivations
    Currently, Biden has polling advantage, but can be close fight if
    Trump mobilizes
        - Senate seats will likely fall out 50/50, so pres important
        - Electorate tie could happen

Leadership in Congress
- House (Unique): Speaker of the House --- Most powerful of any Congress
    - Legislative power vested, voted in by caucus of house
    - Currently Pelosi in front of Dems
- Senate (Unique): President of Senate AND President Pro Tempore
    - Pres. of Senate = VP of US
        - Only needs to attend State of Union and break ties
    - Pres. Pro Tempore
        - Most senior member of the majority party
- Majority and Minority Leaders
    - Mitch McConnell in Senate has this power
    - Whips collaborate voting and keep a pulse on party's vote

Committee Structure
- Standing committees critical to legislation process
    - Small committees => easier legislation discussion, credit-claim
- Select committees accomplish specific tasks
    - Often transient investigative, reporting committees
- Joint committees
    - Both parties, both chambers
    - Budgetary, taxation
    - Really want to catch potential problems beforehand
- House rules committee
    - Type of standing committee
    - Creates "rules for floor action inside House"

"How a bill becomes a law"
- This is not a real, singular process because bills can become laws in
  many many ways
House side of process
    - Introduce (submit) legislation to get a "house resolution number"
    - Committee Stage - referred to appropriate Standing Committee
        - Speaker of House does this
        - Can refer to one or many committees
            - Multiple referral means it's more likely to die/change
    - Standing Commitee refers to subcommittee
        - Marked up for changes, can die (get buried)
    - Full Committee discusses and votes on marked up version
    - Rules Committee -- sets rules for debate on bill
    - Floor Action - scheduled by Speaker (time limit, position)
        - (Germane) amendments can get added and get debated separately