Cameron Miranda
Laws are a set of rules that we have to follow. They are created to protect people and property. In the United States, laws are made by people we elect, such as members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. But how does an idea become a law? Well, it starts as a bill. A bill is a proposed law that must be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. This process is called how a bill becomes a law. Let's take a closer look at how it works.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where a bill comes from | 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. |
| What a bill is | A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. |
| What happens when a bill is introduced | 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 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. |
| What happens after both bodies of Congress vote to accept a bill | Both bodies 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. |
| What the president can do | The president can approve the bill and sign it into law, or refuse to approve a bill (veto). |
| What happens if the president vetoes a bill | In most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto and the bill becomes a law. |
| What happens if the president does not sign off on a bill | If the bill remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default (pocket veto), and this cannot be overridden by Congress. |
What You'll Learn
How a bill is proposed
So, you want to know how a bill becomes a law? Well, it's the U.S. House of Representatives' most important job to create laws, and it all starts with a bill. Anyone can have an idea for a new law, be it a Representative or a citizen. If you have an idea, you can contact your local Representative to discuss it. If they agree, they'll research the idea and write it up as a bill.
When a Representative has written a bill, they need to find a sponsor. They'll talk to other Representatives about the bill, hoping to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the backing of several Representatives, it's ready to be introduced.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced by placing it in the hopper, a special box on the clerk's desk. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the House. A bill clerk assigns it a number starting with H.R., and a reading clerk reads the bill aloud to all the Representatives. Then, the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
The committee reviews, researches, and revises the bill. They might send it to a subcommittee for further examination and expert opinions before sending it back for approval. If the committee approves the bill, it's sent to the House floor for debate.
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How a bill is introduced
So, you want to know how a bill is introduced? Well, let's dive in!
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. Anyone can come up with an idea for a bill, but for it to become a bill, it needs to be written by a Representative or a member of the U.S. Senate. These people are sometimes called legislators or sponsors. They research the idea and write it up as a formal bill. Once they have written the bill, they need to find a sponsor and get the support of other Representatives.
When a bill is ready to be introduced, it is placed in a special box on the side of the clerk's desk in the U.S. House of Representatives. This box is called the hopper. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the House of Representatives. A bill clerk gives the bill a number that starts with H.R. Then, a reading clerk reads the bill out loud to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends it to one of the House standing committees.
The committees are made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on different topics, like agriculture, education, or international relations. They carefully review, research, and revise the bill. They can also choose to send the bill to a subcommittee for an even closer look and to gather expert opinions. Once the committee is happy with the bill, they vote on whether or not to send it back to the House floor for further discussion and a full vote.
Now the bill is reported to the House floor, which means it's ready to be debated by all the Representatives. They discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, the reading clerk reads the bill again, this time section by section, and the Representatives suggest changes. Once all the recommended changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.
There are a few different ways to vote on a bill in the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House might ask Representatives to say "aye" or "no," stand up and be counted, or record their vote electronically. If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is sent to the Senate for the next steps in its journey to becoming a law!
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The bill goes to committee
So, the bill has been introduced and read out to the House of Representatives. Now, it's time for it to go to committee.
The Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees. These committees are made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics, like agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members will now review, research, and revise the bill. They might send the bill to a subcommittee if they want to closely examine it and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.
The committee will vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. If they do, it's time for the bill to be reported to the House. But, if the committee doesn't vote to send the bill back to the House floor, then the bill won't progress any further—at least, not yet.
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The bill is reported
So, the bill has been approved by the committee and is now being sent, or reported, to the House floor. This is when things start to get really interesting! Once the bill is reported, it's time for the U.S. House of Representatives to debate. This is where things can get a little heated! Representatives will discuss the bill, explaining why they agree or disagree with it. They will present their arguments and try to convince others to see their point of view. It's a bit like a classroom debate, but on a much bigger scale!
After the debate, the bill is ready for a closer examination. A reading clerk will read the bill section by section, and the Representatives will recommend any changes they think are necessary. This is an important step because it ensures that the bill is clear, fair, and effective. Once all the recommended changes have been made, the bill is almost ready for a vote.
Before the vote, the Representatives will have a chance to discuss the bill further and ask any remaining questions. They might seek clarification on certain parts of the bill or raise concerns about how it will be implemented. This is the final stage before the vote, so it's crucial that everyone understands the bill inside out. Once everyone is satisfied, the vote can take place.
There are a few different ways to vote on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House might ask the Representatives to say "aye" if they support the bill and "no" if they oppose it. This is called a voice vote. Or, the Speaker might ask those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then do the same for those who oppose it. This is called a division. Finally, Representatives can also record their votes electronically, selecting "yes," "no," or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill.
If a majority of the Representatives vote "yes," the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives. But its journey is not over yet! The bill will then be sent to the U.S. Senate, where it will go through a similar process of committee review, debate, and voting. So, stay tuned to find out what happens next in the exciting journey of a bill becoming a law!
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The bill is voted on
So, the bill has been proposed, introduced, and debated. Now, it's time for the vote!
There are several methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The first is called Viva Voce, where the Speaker of the House asks Representatives to say "aye" if they support the bill and "no" if they don't. The second is called Division, where supporters of the bill are asked to stand up and be counted, and then the same is done for those who oppose it. The third method is a recorded vote, where Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their vote. They can vote yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote on the bill.
If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is certified by the Clerk of the House before being sent to the U.S. Senate. In the Senate, the bill is discussed and voted on, with Senators voting by voice. Those in support say "yea," and those against say "nay." If a majority say "yea," the bill passes in the Senate and is sent to the President.
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Frequently asked questions
A law is a set of rules that must be obeyed. They are created to protect people and property.
In the United States, the people elect lawmakers to create laws on their behalf. These lawmakers are limited by state and federal constitutions, which outline what they can and cannot do.
A bill must go through several steps before becoming a law. First, it is drafted by a member of Congress, either from the Senate or the House of Representatives. The bill is then introduced and referred to a committee for review. After that, it goes through a process of debate, amendment, and voting in both the House and the Senate. Finally, it is sent to the President for approval. If the President approves, the bill becomes a law.
If the President opposes a bill, they have the option to veto it. However, Congress can attempt to override the veto by passing the bill with a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House. If this happens, the bill becomes a law despite the President's veto.
