The Legislative Process: How A Bill Becomes Law

Creating laws is the most important function of the U.S. House of Representatives. All laws in the United States begin as bills, which are proposals for new laws or changes to existing ones. The process by which a bill becomes a law involves multiple stages, including drafting, introduction, committee review, voting, referral to the other chamber, and, finally, review by the President. This process is different for the House of Representatives and the Senate, and understanding how a bill becomes a law is essential to comprehending the legislative process and the functioning of the U.S. government.

Bill proposal and sponsorship

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with a proposal. Ideas for bills can come from 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. Once a member of the House of Representatives has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The representative talks with other representatives to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

In the U.S. 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. Only representatives can introduce bills in the House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. A reading clerk then reads the bill to all the representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees. In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill during the morning hour. If any senator objects, the introduction of the bill is postponed until the next day. The bill is then assigned a number (e.g. HR 1 or S 1) and sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for copying.

Bill introduction

The legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill to Congress. Anyone can write a bill, but only members of Congress can introduce legislation. Some important bills are introduced at the request of the President, such as the annual federal budget. During the legislative process, the initial bill can undergo drastic changes.

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. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the House. When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. A reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill during the morning hour. If any senator objects, the introduction of the bill is postponed until the next day. The bill is then assigned a number (e.g. S 1) and sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for copying. Senate bills can be jointly sponsored.

Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

Committee referral

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee members are groups of representatives with expertise on the bill's topic, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They will review, research, and make changes to the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor.

If the committee wishes to gather more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. Here, the bill is closely examined, and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

The committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, where they 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. 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 favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.

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. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes.

Committee review and revision

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. Committees 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, 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. Subcommittees are organized under committees and have further specialization on a certain topic.

Once the subcommittee review is completed, 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" which will include 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 favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.

Bill voting

The process of a bill becoming a law involves several steps, with bill voting being a crucial part of this process. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee that researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The committee's role is to review and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. This process involves subcommittees and hearings to gather expert opinions and make informed decisions.

After the committee approves a bill, it is reported to the House floor, where it is debated by representatives. During the debate, representatives discuss the bill, explaining their agreement or disagreement and recommending changes. Once all modifications have been made, the bill is ready for a vote.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, there are three methods for voting on a bill: Viva Voce (voice vote), Division, and Recorded. In the Viva Voce method, representatives express their support or opposition verbally. In Division, they physically stand up and are counted. In the Recorded method, they use an electronic voting system to record their votes as yes, no, or present.

If a bill receives a majority vote in the House, it is certified and delivered to the U.S. Senate, where it undergoes a similar process of discussion and voting. Senators vote by voice, with supporters saying "yea" and opponents saying "nay." If a bill passes in the Senate, it moves forward in the legislative process.

The bill-voting stage is a critical juncture in the journey of a bill becoming a law. It involves careful deliberation, debate, and expression of support or opposition by representatives and senators. The voting methods ensure that the will of the majority is respected while also providing options for representatives to express their individual positions.

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