How The Controversial Foreclosure Bill Made It Through Congress With No Public Debate

The rule of law requires precision in the definitions of words and phrases.



Politicians live and d!e by playing with and bending those words and their definitions.



Pocket Veto: The Constitution grants the President 10 days to review a measure passed by the Congress. If the President has not signed the bill after 10 days, it becomes law without his signature. However, if Congress adjourns during the 10-day period, the bill does not become law.



Adjourn: A motion to adjourn in the Senate (or a committee) ends that day's session.



Adjournment Sine Die: The end of a legislative session "without day." These adjournments are used to indicate the final adjournment of an annual or the two-year session of a Congress.



Adjournment to a day and time certain: An adjournment of the Senate that fixes the day and time for its next session.



Adjourn for more than 3 days: Under the Constitution, neither chamber may adjourn for more than three days without the approval of the other. Such approval is obtained in a concurrent resolution approved by both chambers.



Recess: A temporary interruption of the Senate's (or a committee's) business. Generally, the Senate recesses (rather than adjourns) at the end of each calendar day.



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