Pokemon Learning League
Law Making
Written By
Timothy Whitfield
(Episode opens with Ash, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, Brock, May, Wyatt, Jen, Scooter and Olivia walking along the streets of Castelia City and Ash speaks to the others.)
Ash: Man, Isn't it great to be in Castelia City?
Scooter: It sure is great.
Iris: Yeah. It's nice to visit here again.
Axew: Axew.
Ash: Well, Brock and May, what do think of Castelia?
Brock: It's a very interesting city.
May: Yeah, there are so many places we can go to.
Ash: Okay, where would you guys like to go?
Iris: I know. We can go to the Casteliacone stand.
Brock: Huh? What's a Casteliacone?
Iris: The Casteliacone stand is an ice cream stand that can make really good ice cream cones also called Casteliacones. It's one of the most popular stops in this city.
May: Really? I've got to try one.
Ash: Then, let's get going.
Pikachu: Pika.
(They continue to head down the street. A few minutes later, they come to a crosswalk. May speaks.)
May: Well, there are no cars coming. Let's go.
Brock: Hold it, May. We can't cross yet.
May: Why not, Brock?
Brock: The light isn't green yet.
(She sees the stop light, which is red.)
May: Oh, yeah. Thanks, Brock.
(They wait for the light to turn green. The light turns green, and they walk across. Afterwards, they walk pass an alleyway. Wyatt speaks.)
Wyatt: Hey, guys. We can cut through this alleyway to get the stand faster.
Iris: No, Wyatt. We can't go through that alleyway. That would be trespassing.
Wyatt: Oh, okay.
(They continue down the street. They eventually reach the Casteliacone stand.)
Ash: Well, guys. Here's the Casteliacone stand. Let's go get some Casteliacones.
(A few minutes later, everyone has a Casteliacone and licking them.)
Pikachu: Pika.
Axew: Axew.
May: Mmm, this Casteliacone is delicious.
Olivia: Yeah, this is the best ice cream cone I've ever had.
(They all continue licking their cones until Jen speaks.)
Jen: You know guys, I was just thinking about something.
Brock: Really? And what would that be, Jen?
Jen: I was thinking about how laws like stopping at a red light or trespassing into an alleyway get made.
May: You have a good point there, Jen. I started to think about how laws get made, too.
Iris: Now that you mention it, it starts to make me wonder how any law gets made, as well.
Scooter: I was starting to think about that, as well. Hey, Brock. Do you know how laws get made?
Brock: Sorry, guys. I'm afraid I don't know how laws are made.
Scooter: That's okay, Brock. Hmm, how are we going to know how laws get made?
Iris: I know. Let's give Diana a call. (She pulls out the Pokepilot and calls Diana.) She might know something about this.
Diana: Hey, guys. What's up?
Iris: Hey, Diana. Well, we were just enjoy some of the best Casteliacones. They were really good.
Diana: I'm sure they were. Now, what else is going on?
Olivia: May and Jen started to wonder about how laws for the city get made and none of us have any idea on how they do. So, we were wondering if you knew how they get made.
Diana: I sure do. Laws are made by going through a complicated process known as law making.
Ash: Okay, but how is it done?
Diana: It starts out when a senator introduces an idea, it's sent to the clerk of the Senate or the House of Representatives, and it'll then be made into a bill, where they give it a number and a title.
Jen: Then what happens?
Diana: Next, it'll go to an appropriate committee, where they may hold hearings so they can listen to different facts and opinions make some changes to it and cast their votes. If most of the committee vote in favor of the bill, it is sent back to the Senate and the House for debate.
Scooter: What? What's a debate?
Diana: A debate is when two parties engage in an argument by discussing some opposing thoughts.
Scooter: All right, what do they debate about?
Diana: Well, the Senate and the House separately debate about the bill, offer amendments to it and cast their votes. If the bill is beaten in either, it dies in Congress.
Iris: Huh? What is an amendment?
Diana: When you make an amendment, it means you're making some improvement.
Iris: Oh, okay. Thanks, Diana.
Diana: No problem, Iris. Anyways, sometimes if the House and the Senate might have the same bill, but with different amendments on each one. If this happens, the bill will go a conference committee, which is made of the members of Congress. Here, they work out the differences in the two versions of the bill. After that, the bill goes before all of Congress for a vote. If a majority of both votes for the bill, it then goes to the President for approval.
Scooter: Okay, what's left?
Diana: All that's left is that if the President approves the bill and signs it, the bill shall become a law.
May: Wait, what happens if the President doesn't approve of it?
Diana: Well, if the president doesn't approve of it, he can veto it. He can do that by saying, "No" and refusing to sign it.
Ash: Well, is there any way a veto can be undone?
Diana: Yes, there is. Congress can try to overrule it. If the Senate and the House pass the bill by a two-thirds majority, the veto is overruled and the bill becomes a law.
Olivia: Whoa. The law making process is really complicated.
Diana: It sure is. How about I show you something to make it easier?
Ash: Sure, Diana. (He looks at the viewers.) Do you want to see what Diana is showing? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) Okay.
(Cut to a flow chart in Diana's lab.)
Diana: Here's a flow chart of the law making process. What you're going to do is put the correct part of the process in the right spot.
Everyone: Okay.
Diana: Good, then let's get going. First, a senator comes up with an idea for a law. Where does that idea go?
Brock: That idea gets sent to the Senate or the House, where it becomes a bill.
Diana: All right, Brock. Now, after it's given a title, it goes to a committee where they hold hearings. What happens during then?
Jen: The committee makes some changes to it and if they vote favorably, then it goes back to the Senate and the House.
Diana: Very good, Jen. Okay, what happens to the bill after it goes back to the Senate and the House?
Scooter: The Senate and the House separately debate the bill, offer amendments and cast their votes.
Diana: Good one, Scooter. Great work, so far, you guys.
Everyone: Thanks, Diana.
Pikachu: Pika.
Axew: Axew.
Diana: No problem. Well, I've got to get back to work. Do you think you guys can handle the rest on your own?
Ash: Sure we can. What do you think guys?
(They all nod their heads as if to say, "yes.")
Diana: That's the spirit. Now, I better get going. See you later, guys.
Everyone: Bye, Diana.
Wyatt: All right, guys. Before we get back to the chart, why don't we go over what we already know first?
Brock: Okay, Wyatt. But before we do that, let's ask our friends at home if they want to go over with us.
Iris: All right, Brock. (She looks at the viewers.) Do you want to go over with us? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) Okay, what does it mean when a president vetoes a bill? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) It means he disapproves of it. All right.
Scooter: What does making an amendment mean? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) It means you're making some improvements. Very good.
Olivia: What is a debate? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) It's when two parties engage in an argument by discussing some opposing thoughts. Way to go.
Everyone: Great work, guys.
Pikachu: Pika.
Axew: Axew.
Olivia: Okay, now let's back to finishing that flow chart.
Brock: Hold on a second there, Olivia. Don't you think that we should ask our friends if they would like to finish it with us?
Olivia: Oh, sorry, Brock. (She looks at the viewers.) Do you want to finish the flow chart with us? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) Oh, good.
(Cut to the flow chart.)
May: Okay, let's continue where we left off. What happens if the Senate and the House have the same bill, but with different amendments? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) It goes to a conference committee. All right.
Ash: Okay, what happens after the committee works out the differences of the bill? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) The bill goes before all of Congress for a vote. Way to go.
Wyatt: If the majority of both the Senate and the House vote for the same bill, what happens next? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) It goes to the president to be approved. Yeah.
Olivia: What happens if the president refuses to sign the bill? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) He vetoes it. Right.
Iris: What can Congress do to override the president's veto? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) They can overrule it if they both pass the bill by a two-thirds majority. Yeah, you got it.
(Cut back to the gang.)
Everyone: Great job, guys.
Pikachu: Pika.
Axew: Axew.
Olivia: I say we did a pretty good job on the chart. What about you guys?
May: I think we did a good job, too.
Brock: Well, there was a lot to do for it, but I think we put it together very well.
Iris: It was really interesting.
Wyatt: The flow chart made it a little bit easier to understand it.
Ash: It was a tough challenge, but we pulled through.
Jen: Yeah, and now we know how laws get made.
(They all turn to the viewers.)
Everyone: Thanks for the help, guys.
Pikachu: Pika.
Axew: Axew.
(Cut to the gang sitting in front of the stand, eating their Casteliacones.)
Brock: We had a good day today. Did you have a good day? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) Oh, good. I liked visiting Castelia City.
Ash: I liked how challenging the process was.
Jen: I liked putting the flow chart together.
Iris: I liked visiting Castelia City, too.
Wyatt: I liked doing the flow chart, as well.
May: I liked trying the Casteliacone.
Scooter: I like that we know about law making.
Olivia: I liked learning about the process.
Everyone: Thanks again, guys. See you next time.
(They all wave goodbye to the viewers as they finish their Casteliacones and they walk off and the scenery fades to black, ending the episode.)