Understanding Snl's Satirical Take On How A Bill Becomes Law

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is known for its comedic sketches, often parodying serious topics in a lighthearted manner. In one such instance, SNL presented a satirical sketch titled How a Bill Does Not Become a Law, which aired in November 2014. This sketch was a playful take on the well-known I'm Just a Bill segment from the 1976 Schoolhouse Rock! series, which educates viewers on the process of how a bill becomes a law in the United States. In the SNL version, the show's writers added their own humorous twist by having President Barack Obama, played by Jay Pharoah, push the bill down the Capitol Hill steps multiple times, contrasting it with the ease of issuing an executive order. This sketch not only entertained the audience but also sparked discussions about the use of executive orders by President Obama.

The 'I'm Just a Bill' sketch

"I'm Just a Bill" is a 1976 Schoolhouse Rock! segment that features a song of the same title written by Dave Frishberg. The segment was part of "America Rock", the third season of the Schoolhouse Rock! series. It is one of the most well-known parts of the educational television series and is often referenced in popular culture. The song, sung by Jack Sheldon, explains how a bill becomes a law in the United States. It must go through Congress and can be vetoed by the President.

The "I'm Just a Bill" sketch was parodied in an opening sketch of Saturday Night Live (SNL) on November 22, 2014, called "How a Bill Does Not Become a Law". In the sketch, the Bill, played by Kenan Thompson, is an immigration bill that sings a slightly altered version of the original song to a boy (Kyle Mooney). However, President Barack Obama, played by Jay Pharoah, pushes the bill down the Capitol Hill steps several times, explaining to the boy that it is much easier to use an executive order (Bobby Moynihan). This was a critique of Obama's frequent usage of executive orders during his presidency.

The SNL sketch deviates from the original "I'm Just a Bill" song and sketch, which portray a more idealized version of how a bill becomes a law. In the original, the bill must go through the legislative process, including being voted on by the House and Senate, before being signed into law by the President. The SNL version highlights the complexities and realities of the law-making process, including the use of executive orders to bypass the standard legislative process.

The "I'm Just a Bill" sketch from SNL has had a significant impact on popular culture, with references and parodies appearing in various TV shows, films, and other media. It has also become a well-known example of how comedy and satire can be used to critique and comment on political and social issues, such as immigration reform and the use of executive orders.

The bill-making process

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, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress.

Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on. If it 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.

The president then has the option to approve the bill and sign it into law or refuse to approve it, which is called a veto. If the president chooses to veto a bill, Congress can usually 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, called a "pocket veto," which cannot be overridden by Congress.

The Senate and the House have some procedural differences in their lawmaking processes. 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 before voting.

The role of Congress

Congress is the lawmaking branch of the US federal government. 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 US Senate or House of Representatives, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups.

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 that chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar 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 president can approve the bill and sign it into law or refuse to approve it, which is called a veto. If the president chooses to veto a bill, Congress can usually 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, which is called a pocket veto, and cannot be overridden by Congress.

While the Senate and the House are equal in how they function, there are some procedural differences. 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.

Veto power

In the context of the "How a Bill Does Not Become a Law" sketch on Saturday Night Live (SNL), the veto power is portrayed in a comedic light. The sketch features an immigration bill, sung by Kenan Thompson, that is repeatedly pushed down the Capitol Hill steps by President Barack Obama, played by Jay Pharoah. The bill expresses hope that it will one day become a law, singing, "I'm just a bill, yes, I'm only a bill... but I know I'll be a law someday, at least I hope and pray that I will, but today I'm still just a bill."

Despite the bill's aspirations, President Obama favours the use of an executive order, which does not require congressional approval. The executive order, portrayed by Bobby Moynihan, sings, "I'm an executive order, and I pretty much just happen." This highlights the ease with which the president can bypass the legislative process and implement their preferred policies.

The sketch provides a satirical commentary on the use of executive orders, suggesting that they can be utilised to circumvent the traditional law-making process. While the bill undergoes the standard procedure, seeking approval from the House and the Senate, it is ultimately vetoed by the president in favour of the more immediate executive order. This portrayal of the veto power underscores the significant role it can play in shaping legislation and the potential for it to be used as a political tool.

The SNL sketch offers a humorous and exaggerated take on the legislative process, drawing attention to the complexities and challenges a bill can face on its path to becoming a law. While the veto power is a serious aspect of law-making, the sketch effectively captures the frustrations and unexpected twists that can arise, often to the detriment of well-intentioned bills.

Executive orders

In the Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch, "How a Bill Does Not Become a Law", an immigration bill is introduced, singing about how it hopes to become a law someday. The bill explains the process of how it needs to go to the House, get a majority vote in the Senate, and then be presented to the President. However, in a comedic twist, President Barack Obama, played by Jay Pharoah, pushes the bill down the Capitol Hill steps, dismissing its chances of becoming a law.

The sketch then introduces the concept of an executive order, played by Bobby Moynihan, who sings about how it "pretty much just happens". The executive order is portrayed as a quicker and easier alternative to the lengthy legislative process that a bill has to undergo. The executive order also pokes fun at the idea of how the government works, laughing at the notion that it has to go through Congress at some point.

The bill, undeterred, returns and sings about taking the executive order to court, but it is pushed down the stairs again by President Obama. The executive order then learns about its purpose, which is to grant legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants. This is a reference to President Obama's Immigration Accountability Executive Order, announced on November 20, 2014.

The sketch is a parody of the Schoolhouse Rock! segment "I'm Just a Bill", which educates viewers on how a bill becomes a law in the United States. In the original segment, the bill goes through Congress and can be vetoed, but in the SNL version, the bill is unable to complete its journey due to the intervention of the executive order.

While the SNL sketch is entertaining, it has been noted that it spreads misinformation about the President's executive order. In reality, President Obama's executive action was not intended to replace any act of Congress, but rather to serve as a stopgap measure until a more permanent solution could be agreed upon.

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