How Do Bills Become Laws?

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How Do Bills Become Laws?

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CHEESEBURGER BILL http//thomas.loc.gov/home/gp
oxmlc109/h554_rh.xml
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Legislation Is Introduced

• Numbered (House bills start w/ HR Senate bills
  start with S)
• Labeled with sponsors name
• Read (1st time)

H.R. 101 Kevin Brady - TX
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Committee Action

• Bill referred to committee (based on what
  subject is)
• Speaker of House (HOR)/President Pro Tempore
  (Senate) refer these bills
• http//www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_thre
  e_sections_with_teasers/committees_home.htm
• (Most bills die here)

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Committee Steps

• Assigned to subcommittees by Committee
  chairperson
• Subcommittees research topic and then report
  their findings
• All vote (committee members)
• Pass set date for it to go to the floor for
  debate vote
• Dont pass bill is dead

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Floor Action

• Speaker/President Pro Tem places the bill on
  calendar
• On calendar date GOES TO FLOOR (VOTE)
• Debate, Amend, AND/ OR Defeat.

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Debate

• Senate
• Debate is unlimited
• Filibusters talk a bill to death
• Invoke cloture need 60 Senators to agree to
  limit debate time

• House
• One hour maximum!
• A quorum call made (51 of reps must be present
  before debate/vote begins)

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Longest filibuster in history over Civil Rights
bill
STROM THURMOND
24 hours 18 min
http//www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-16
-filibuster-history_x.htm
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Vote

• Bill is voted on after debate
• If passes in one house sent to the other
  house for debate vote (process starts over
  again)
• If either house doesnt pass it , then the bill
  DIES
• If both houses pass, then signed by Speaker
  Pres Pro Tem and sent to

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The President

• Choices, choices
• Sign it (immediately)
• Veto it (whole thing)
• Dont sign it (lets it sit on desk for 10 days
  becomes law)
• Pocket Veto (Congress adjourns before the 10 days
  are up no law)

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The Bill Becomes A Law

• Bill is signed by the President
• Or the veto is overridden in Congress (2/3 of
  BOTH Houses needed)

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https//www.youtube.com/watch?vFFroMQlKiag