How Laws Are Made: Bills To Acts

In the United States, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The process of a bill becoming a law involves several stages, including introduction, committee review, debate, voting, and approval by the President or state Governor. Notably, a bill can become a law without the President's signature if it is not signed within 10 days and Congress is in session. This scenario is known as a pocket veto, and it underscores the critical role of timing in the legislative process.

A bill's journey to becoming a law

The committee review process involves a mark-up session, where revisions and additions are made. If significant amendments are proposed, a new "clean bill" with these changes is introduced, and the old bill is discarded. The committee then approves, amends, or rejects the bill before sending it back to the House floor. If the committee requires more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further examination and to gather expert opinions. Once the committee has approved a bill, it is reported to the House floor, where it is debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their agreement or disagreement, and recommend changes.

After the bill has been debated and all recommended changes have been made, it is ready for voting. The U.S. House of Representatives employs three methods of voting: Viva Voce (voice vote), Division, and Recorded vote. Once the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body, including research, discussion, changes, and voting. Once both bodies, the House, and the Senate, have approved the bill, they must reconcile any differences between the two versions.

Finally, the bill is sent to the President for approval. The President has three options: signing and passing the bill into law, refusing to sign it and issuing a veto, or doing nothing (a "pocket veto"). If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress with the President's reasons for the veto. Congress can then vote to override the veto, and if two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, it becomes law. Alternatively, if Congress is in session and the President does nothing for 10 days after receiving the bill, it automatically becomes law.

The role of the President/Governor

In the United States, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or be proposed by citizen groups or individuals. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through the same process in the other body. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. Then, both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, they present it to the President.

The role of the President

The President can approve the bill and sign it into law. Alternatively, the President can refuse to approve a bill, which is called a veto. If the President chooses to veto a bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. However, if the President does not sign off on a bill and it remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default, known as a pocket veto, which cannot be overridden by Congress. The President can also make suggestions about things that should be new laws.

The role of the Governor

The legislative process varies across states, but in general, the Governor is responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch. Governors advance and pursue new and revised policies and programs using tools such as executive orders, executive budgets, and legislative proposals and vetoes. Governors may also issue executive orders or proclamations to declare special elections to fill vacancies in certain elected offices. Governors may use their position to encourage support for legislative initiatives and influence the progress of legislation through meetings with legislators, legislative officials, and other stakeholders. All 50 state Governors have the power to veto whole legislative measures, and in most states, a bill will become law unless vetoed by the Governor within a specified number of days.

The committee process

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will review, research, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee will hold a "mark-up" session during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" that includes the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded.

If the committee members would like more information before deciding if the bill should be sent to the House floor, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. While in subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval. When the committee has approved a bill, it is sent—or reported—to the House floor. Once reported, a bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

In the House, most bills go to the Rules committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. The Committee of the Whole debates and amends the bill but cannot technically pass it. Debate is guided by the Sponsoring Committee and time is divided equally between proponents and opponents. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader decide what will reach the floor and when. Legislation can also be brought to the floor by a discharge petition.

The legislative process

The committee reviews, researches, and revises the bill. If more information is needed, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further examination. Once the committee has approved the bill, it is reported to the House floor for debate. Representatives discuss the bill and recommend changes. After debates and amendments, the House votes on final passage. If the bill passes by a simple majority, it moves to the Senate.

In the Senate, the bill goes through a similar process of committee review, research, discussion, and voting. If the Senate makes changes, the bill returns to the House for concurrence, and the resulting bill returns to both bodies for final approval. Once both chambers of Congress vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions.

After passing both chambers of Congress, the bill is presented to the President for consideration. The President can approve the bill and sign it into law, or veto it. If the President vetoes the bill, it can be sent back to Congress with a note listing the reasons. Congress can then attempt to override the veto by a vote, and if successful, the bill becomes a law. If the President does not sign off on the bill and Congress adjourns before the 10-day period, the bill will be pocket-vetoed and will not become law.

The House of Representatives and the Senate

The process by which a bill becomes a law is rarely predictable and can vary significantly from bill to bill. In the US, the House of Representatives and the Senate are the two chambers of a bicameral Congress, which holds all legislative powers. The two chambers are fundamentally equal in their legislative roles and functions, but there are some procedural differences.

Ideas for bills can come from anyone, including citizens, who can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If a Representative agrees with a proposed idea, they will research it and write it into a bill. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. Once a bill has the support of some Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. In the House of Representatives, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. The bill is then sent to the House Rules Committee, where it is assigned to a policy committee for its first hearing. The bill is then assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. If the committee members would like more information before deciding on the bill, it is sent to a subcommittee, where it is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before being sent back to the committee for approval. Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent to the House floor.

In the Senate, if a Senator authors a bill, the bill is introduced at the Senate Desk. The bill then goes to the Senate Rules Committee, where it is assigned to a policy committee. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. While the House processes legislation through a majority vote, the Senate does so through deliberation and debate prior to voting.

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