Keith Mack
In the United States, the legislative branch is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, with only Congress having the power to pass laws. The lawmaking process can begin in either chamber, with a bill being introduced and assigned to a committee for research, discussion, and potential changes. After passing through one chamber, a bill is sent to the other chamber for a similar process. If a bill passes one chamber but is amended by the other, it must return to the original chamber for approval. Once both chambers approve a bill, it is sent to the executive branch, where the president may sign it into law or veto it. Therefore, while laws can originate in one chamber, they require approval from both chambers to become law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can a bill be passed with one chamber? | No, a bill must pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate in identical form to become law. |
| Who can introduce a bill? | A bill can be introduced by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives or 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 that represents them. |
| What happens after a bill is introduced? | After the sponsor introduces the bill, it goes to a specific committee that deals with bills of that kind. The committee may make changes or add amendments to the bill. After the bill passes the committee, it goes to the main body for a vote. |
| What happens if a bill passes one chamber but is amended by the other? | The amending chamber must return it to the original chamber for approval. Once both chambers approve a bill, they send it to the executive branch where the president may sign it into law or veto it. |
| What is a simple resolution? | Simple resolutions are designated H.Res. and S.Res. and address matters entirely within the prerogative of one house, such as revising the standing rules of one chamber. Simple resolutions do not require the approval of the other house or the signature of the president, and they do not have the force of law. |
| What is a joint resolution? | Joint resolutions are designated H.J. Res. or S.J. Res. and require the approval of both chambers in identical form and the president's signature to become law. Joint resolutions are also used for proposing amendments to the Constitution, which must be approved by two-thirds of both chambers and three-fourths of the states but do not require the president's signature. |
| What is a concurrent resolution? | Concurrent resolutions are designated H.Con.Res. or S.Con.Res. and 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. |
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What You'll Learn
Bills must pass through both chambers
In the United States, the legislative branch is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together make up the Congress. The House of Representatives acts as the "lower house", while the Senate acts as the "upper house" or "upper chamber". The lawmaking process can begin in either chamber.
For a bill to become a law, it must pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate in identical form. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the first chamber to be voted on. If it passes, the chamber will send the bill to the other chamber. The other chamber may also propose changes or amendments to the bill. If a bill passes one chamber but is amended by the other, the amending chamber must return it to the original chamber for approval.
Once both chambers approve a bill, they send it to the executive branch. There, the president may sign it into law or veto it. If the president vetoes the bill, the House and Senate may vote to override the veto. If two-thirds of each chamber votes to override the president's veto, the bill becomes law.
Requiring bicameral chambers to discuss, debate, and approve legislation ensures that any proposed law receives careful study and deliberation. This procedure also acts as a safeguard against tyranny, either from Congress or the president. It prevents a potentially corrupt Congress from abusing its legislative power and passing "bad" laws. It also stops an authoritarian president from having unfettered power to block legislation from becoming law.
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The House and Senate can override a presidential veto
In the United States, the president can use the veto power to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law. However, the House and Senate, which together make up Congress, can override a presidential veto. This is done by a two-thirds vote of both chambers. If the veto is overridden, the bill becomes law without the president's signature.
The presidential veto power was first exercised on April 5, 1792, when President George Washington vetoed a bill outlining a new apportionment formula. Apportionment refers to how Congress divides seats in the House of Representatives among the states based on US census figures.
Historically, Congress has overridden about 7% of presidential vetoes. The veto was constructed with limits, such as the ability for Congress to override and that the president's objections must be stated in writing.
It is important to note that there is a procedural difference between the House and the Senate. While both are equal in how they function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. Conversely, only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties.
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Simple resolutions only require one chamber's approval
In the United States, a simple resolution is a legislative measure that requires approval from only one chamber of Congress—either the Senate or the House of Representatives. Unlike regular bills, simple resolutions do not need to be presented to the President for approval and do not carry the force of law. Instead, they pertain to the internal operations of a single chamber or express the collective opinion of that chamber on public policy issues.
Simple resolutions are designated by the abbreviations "H.Res." or "S.Res." followed by a number. They are used to establish the rules under which each chamber operates and to authorize one chamber to act or speak on behalf of Congress. For example, a simple resolution may be passed by the Senate to authorize one of its members to speak on a particular issue as a representative of the Senate.
Simple resolutions are distinct from joint resolutions and concurrent resolutions, which involve both chambers of Congress. Joint resolutions are similar to bills in that they require approval from both chambers and the President's signature to become law. However, joint resolutions are typically used for continuing or emergency appropriations and proposing amendments to the Constitution. Concurrent resolutions, on the other hand, relate to the operations of Congress as a whole or express the collective opinion of both chambers on public policy issues.
It is important to note that the legislative process in the House of Representatives and the Senate differs slightly. While both chambers are equal in their functions, the House has the exclusive power to initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, while the Senate has the sole authority to draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties.
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Joint resolutions require approval of both chambers and the president
In the United States, the legislative branch is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the former acting as the "lower house" and the latter as the "upper house" or "upper chamber". This system is known as a bicameral legislature, and the lawmaking process can begin in either chamber.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes, it will be sent to the other chamber, where the process of research, discussion, and voting will occur again. This is because, for a bill to become law, it must pass through both chambers in identical form.
However, it is important to note that there are different types of resolutions. Simple resolutions, for example, address matters within the prerogative of one house and do not require the approval of the other chamber or the president's signature. They are also not considered laws.
On the other hand, joint resolutions require the approval of both chambers in identical form, just like a bill. They are designated H.J. Res. or S.J. Res. and are typically used for continuing or emergency appropriations or proposing amendments to the Constitution. Unlike simple resolutions, joint resolutions do require the president's signature to become law, except when they propose constitutional amendments. In that case, they must be approved by two-thirds of both chambers and three-fourths of the states.
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Concurrent resolutions require both chambers but not the president's signature
Concurrent resolutions are designated H.Con.Res. or S.Con.Res. and followed by a number. They are passed by both chambers of the United States Congress, namely the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, they are not presented to the President for their signature and do not have the force of law. They are typically used to address the sentiments of both chambers or to deal with issues affecting both houses. For example, concurrent resolutions can be used to permit the use of the Capitol rotunda or to censure a President.
In contrast, joint resolutions and bills are presented to the President, and once signed or approved over a veto, they are enacted and have the force of law. There is little practical difference between a joint resolution and a bill, and both require the approval of both chambers in identical form and the President's signature to become law. Joint resolutions are used for continuing or emergency appropriations and proposing amendments to the Constitution.
Bills are the most common form of legislative proposals and can be introduced by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or be proposed during their election campaign. They can also be petitioned by citizens or groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process.
While both chambers are equal in how they function, there are some procedural differences. For example, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, while only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties.
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Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make 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 go through a similar process of research, discussion, and voting. If both chambers approve a bill, they send it to the executive branch, where the president may sign it into law or veto it. If the president chooses to veto a bill, in most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.
No. For a bill to become a law, it must pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate in identical form.
The House of Representatives acts as the "lower house," while the Senate acts as the "upper house" or "upper chamber." While both are equal in how they function, there are some procedural differences. For example, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, and only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties.
Simple resolutions address matters within the prerogative of one house, such as revising the standing rules of one chamber. Simple resolutions are also 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. Simple resolutions do not require the approval of the other house nor the signature of the president, and they do not have the force of law.
