Cecily Zamora
In the United States, a bill can be proposed by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be proposed during their election campaign. Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. 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 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. Then, both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, they present it to the president, who can approve the bill and sign it into law or refuse to approve it, which is called a veto. If passed in identical form by both houses of Congress and signed by the president, a bill becomes a law. However, simple resolutions do not require the approval of the other house nor the signature of the president, and they are not legally binding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can a bill be proposed by? | A sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, during their election campaign, or by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them |
| What happens once a bill is introduced? | It is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill |
| What happens after the committee stage? | The bill is put before that chamber to be voted on |
| What happens 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 |
| What happens 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 |
| What happens if the bill passes both chambers? | They present it to the president |
| What can the president do? | The president can approve the bill and sign it into law, or refuse to approve it (veto it) |
| What happens if the president vetoes the bill? | In most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto and the bill becomes a law |
| What is a pocket veto? | 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 and cannot be overridden by Congress |
| What is the difference between the Senate and the House in how they function? | While both are equal in how they function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, and only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties; the House processes legislation through a majority vote, while the Senate does so through deliberation and debate prior to voting |
| What are simple resolutions? | Used to express the sentiments of a single house, such as offering condolences to the family of a deceased member of Congress, or giving "advice" on foreign policy or other executive business; they do not require the approval of the other house, the signature of the president, and they do not have the force of law |
| What are concurrent resolutions? | Must be passed in the same form by both houses, but they do not require the signature of the president and do not have the force of law; they are generally used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses, or to express the sentiments of both of the houses |
| What are joint resolutions? | Require the approval of both chambers in identical form and the president's signature to become law; they are generally used for continuing or emergency appropriations or proposing amendments to the Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Bills can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups
Bills, or ideas for legislation, can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. This is done by petitioning a member of Congress to recommend a new or amended law. The member of Congress then sends the idea and the language for the bill to the Legislative Counsel's Office, where it is drafted into an official bill. The drafted bill is then sent back to the member of Congress for review. The bill's authors, whether they be citizens or legislators, can review the bill to ensure their desired provisions are included.
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 to the other body to undergo a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. If the bill passes both bodies of Congress, they must work out any discrepancies 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 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 usually vote to override the 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. This action is called a pocket veto, and it cannot be overridden by Congress.
In the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate have some procedural differences. While both are equal in how they function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. Only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties. The House processes legislation through a majority vote, while the Senate does so through deliberation and debate before voting.
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Bills must be assigned to a committee for research and discussion
Once a bill is introduced, it must be assigned to a committee for research, discussion, and potential changes. The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate typically makes the referral decision, and bills may be referred to more than one committee or split so that parts are sent to different committees. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on.
The committee will hold a "mark-up" session, where it will make revisions and additions. If significant 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. The chamber must approve, change, or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote. After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favour the bill and why they wish to see any amendments adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report.
The bill is then put before the 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. Members from each house form a conference committee and meet to work out the differences. The committee is usually made up of senior members appointed by the presiding officers of the committee that originally dealt with the bill. The representatives from each house work to maintain their version of the bill. If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written conference report, which is submitted to each chamber. The conference report must be approved by both the House and the Senate.
If the bill passes, it is presented to the President for review. A bill becomes law if signed by the President or if not signed within 10 days and Congress is in session. The President can also refuse to approve a bill, which is called a veto. If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress with a note listing their reasons. In most cases, Congress can vote to override the 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.
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The president can veto a bill
In the United States, the president can veto a bill. This means that the president can refuse to approve a bill, preventing it from becoming a law. The president's veto power is derived from Article I, Section 7 of the US Constitution, which grants the president the authority to veto legislation passed by Congress. This power is one of the most significant tools at the president's disposal to influence the legislative process.
The veto process involves the president returning the unsigned bill to the originating house of Congress within a 10-day period (excluding Sundays), typically accompanied by a memorandum of disapproval or a "veto message." This act of vetoing a bill can occur in two forms: a "regular veto" or a "pocket veto."
A regular veto is a qualified negative veto, where the president expresses their disapproval of the bill and returns it to Congress. Congress then has the opportunity to override the president's veto by mustering a two-thirds vote in favour of the bill in each house.
On the other hand, a pocket veto occurs when a bill is vetoed by default because the president does not sign it into law before Congress adjourns. This type of veto cannot be overridden by Congress. The president may choose to accompany a pocket veto with a message outlining their objections to the bill, ensuring clarity that the lack of signature constitutes a veto.
It is worth noting that even the threat of a veto can significantly influence the legislative process. The possibility of a presidential veto can lead to changes in the content of legislation long before a bill is presented to the president for approval.
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Congress can override a presidential veto
In the United States, the process of making a law involves the bill passing through both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they present it to the President for approval. The President can then approve the bill and sign it into law. However, the President can also refuse to approve a bill, which is called a veto.
The power to veto acts of Congress is given to the President to prevent the legislative branch from becoming too powerful. This is an example of the separation of powers between the three branches of the US government, and the system of checks and balances between them. The veto allows the President to review acts passed by Congress and block measures they find unconstitutional, unjust, or unwise.
However, Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers. This demonstrates the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of the US government. While the President can veto a bill, Congress can still pass it into law if there is enough support.
Congress has historically overridden around 7% of presidential vetoes. While it is possible for Congress to override a veto, it is not a common occurrence. The veto process and the ability to override vetoes are important aspects of the law-making process in the United States, ensuring a balance of power between the different branches of government.
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The Senate and House have procedural differences
The process of how a bill becomes a law differs slightly in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Senate and the House have some procedural differences, but they are equal in how they function. The House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, while the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties. The House processes legislation through a majority vote, whereas the Senate requires a three-fifths majority or 60 votes in favour. This means that the Senate places a greater emphasis on deliberation and debate prior to voting.
In the House, majority party leaders control the priority of various policies and determine which bills are debated. In the Senate, however, minority party leaders have more influence, so the majority leaders must work more closely with them. The Constitution states that the House "shall have the sole power of impeachment" for the offices of president, vice president, federal judges, and other federal officers.
Another difference is that bills to raise revenue must originate in the House. This is because the House has a closer connection to the people and is more representative of the population. The Senate, on the other hand, was designed to be a more deliberative body, with a longer term length and a smaller number of members.
Despite these procedural differences, both chambers are essential in the law-making process. A bill must pass through both the House and the Senate, with each body having the opportunity to research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. Once both bodies accept a bill, they must work together to resolve any discrepancies between their versions. This collaborative process ensures that the final legislation presented to the president reflects the input and agreement of both the House and the Senate.
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Frequently asked questions
No, laws cannot be passed without the House's approval. A bill must be passed by both houses of Congress and then signed by the president to become a law.
If the House doesn't approve a bill, it will not become a law. The bill may be amended and put before the chamber again for another vote, or it may be abandoned.
Yes, the House can block a bill by voting against it. However, if the bill is passed by the other body of Congress and the House is the only body that does not approve it, the House will have to work out the differences with the other body and vote on a new version of the bill.
A joint resolution requires approval from both chambers of Congress and the president's signature to become law. Simple resolutions, on the other hand, do not require the approval of both chambers of Congress nor the president's signature, and they are not laws.
