How a Bill Becomes a Law

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How a Bill Becomes a Law
By Bob Schaal Kraemer Middle School
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Introduction of a Bill

• There are four basic types of legislation
  bills joint resolutions concurrent resolutions
  and simple resolutions.
• An idea for a bill may come from anybody, however
  only Members of Congress can introduce a bill.
  Bills can be introduced at any time the House is
  in session.
• A Representative or Senator who introduces a bill
  becomes that bill's sponsor. A bill may also have
  cosponsors.
• A bill's type must be determined. A private bill
  affects a specific person or organization rather
  than the population at large. A public bill is
  one that affects the general public.

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Propose a Bill

• In the House, a proposed bill is introduced by
  placing it in a special box known as the
  "hopper," which is located at the rostrum, or
  speaker's platform.
• In the Senate, a proposed bill is introduced by
  placing it on the Presiding Officer's desk or by
  formally introducing it on the Senate Floor.

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Propose a Bill

• In the House, the Clerk will assign the bill a
  number. House bills begin with the letters
  "H.R.," Senate bills begin with an "S."
• The first reading of a proposed bill is complete
  when the bill is referred to a committee for
  study.
• The Thomas Web site by the Library of Congress
  receives an electronic copy of the bill. The bill
  and its status are posted online for everyone to
  read.

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Committee Action

• There are 19 House standing committees and 16
  Senate committees.
• Once the bill is sent to a committee, it is
  placed on their calendar. Often the committee's
  first action on a bill is to send the bill to a
  subcommittee for study.
• A committee may simply stop action or "table" a
  bill, when a committee decides the bill is unwise
  or unnecessary.
• A committee will meet to markup the proposed bill
  and may or may not make changes to it.
• Committee members vote to accept or reject the
  changes.
• The Thomas Web site by the Library of Congress
  posts the status of the bill and receives updates
  for the latest major action on the bill taken by
  the Committee.
• The text of the bill may change throughout the
  legislative process. Each version of a bill is
  posted on the Thomas Web site, under "Text of
  Legislation."

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Report by Committee

• The committee votes on the bill after it is
  debated and/or amended.
• The bill is then sent to the House floor for
  consideration.
• The Thomas Web site by the Library of Congress
  receives updates for the status of the bill while
  in Committee and posts the latest major action.

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Subcommittee

• Once the bill is sent to a subcommittee, it is
  placed on their calendar for study.
• Subcommittees hold hearings, giving experts,
  supporters, and opponents a chance to voice their
  views.
• A bill is tabled when a subcommittee decides the
  bill is unwise or unnecessary.
• If changes are needed, a subcommittee will meet
  to markup the bill.
• Subcommittee members vote to accept or reject the
  changes.
• The Thomas Web site by the Library of Congress
  receives updates for the status of the bill while
  in Subcommittee and posts the latest major
  action.

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Consider the Bill

• Floor action begins.
• Members debate the bill.
• Following debate, the second reading of the bill
  begins in a section-by-section manner, during
  which amendments may be offered.
• At the conclusion of all amendment debate, the
  bill is put to a vote in the House and is read a
  third time.
• Current floor proceedings, including major
  actions on bills, are posted for public view by
  the Clerk of the House.
• The Thomas Web site by the Library of Congress
  receives an electronic copy of the debate as it
  appears in the Congressional Record, prepared by
  the Clerk of the House. The latest major action
  on a bill is posted on the Thomas Web site.

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Vote on a Bill

• The bill is read by title only and put to a vote.
  
• Members in attendance will vote to pass or not to
  pass the bill.
• Most voting in the House chamber is done
  electronically by Members recording their votes
  through the Electronic Voting System.
• Roll Call votes cast by the U.S. House of
  Representatives are recorded in the House
  Journal, the Congressional Record, and posted on
  the Web site of the Clerk of the House.
• Members of the Senate cast their votes by
  non-electronic means.
• Members may vote "Yea" for approval, "Nay" for
  disapproval, or "Present."
• The Thomas Web site logs the Roll Number for a
  vote under "Bill Status."

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Refer to Second Chamber

• The bill may be sent to a committee for study or
  markup.
• Members may choose to ignore the bill and
  continue to work on their own legislation.
• Debate in the Senate is not limited where cloture
  requires 60 votes. An ongoing Senate debate is
  known as a filibuster and is used to hold the
  floor and defeat a bill.
• Members may vote to pass or not to pass the bill.
  
• If the bill passes with different language, it
  must be sent to a conference committee.
• Differences must be agreed upon before the bill
  is sent to the President for signature. At this
  point the bill is "enrolled."
• The Thomas Web site logs the latest major action
  on the bill under "Bill Status."

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Final Action

• The President may sign the bill into law or veto
  its passage.
• If the president takes no action for ten days and
  Congress is in session, the bill becomes law.
• A pocket veto occurs when the president takes no
  action and Congress has adjourned its session. In
  this case, the bill dies.
• The Thomas Web site indicates when a bill is sent
  to the President and whether it becomes law.

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Law is Created

• The bill becomes a law!
• The Thomas Web site indicates legislation passed
  into law under "Public Laws By Law Number."

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Veto

• The bill returns to the House of origin.
• Objections are read and debated.
• If the House wishes to override the veto, a vote
  is taken.
• If the House chooses not to vote, the bill is
  stalled.
• A two-thirds vote or greater is needed in both
  Houses to override the President's veto.

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