The American Lawmaking Process: From Bill To Law

The process of how a bill becomes a law in the United States is a long and complex one. It begins with the introduction of a bill, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. This idea can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups who petition their representative. Once introduced, the bill is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill then goes through a series of steps, including being put before the chamber for a vote, going through the other body for further research and voting, and, if passed, being presented to the President for approval. The President can approve the bill, veto it, or do nothing (a pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate, and the bill becomes a law.

A bill is proposed

The process of a bill becoming a law in the United States is a complex one, and the bill is proposed is just the first step.

The idea for a bill 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 Congress has an idea for a bill, they draft it. The member of Congress who drafts the bill is known as the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".

Once a bill has been drafted and has a sponsor, the sponsor will talk with other members of Congress to try and get their support. This is an important step because, once the bill has the support of some members of Congress, it will need to be introduced.

A bill is 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 members of the House of Representatives can introduce bills in this way. 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.

A bill is introduced

The process of a bill becoming a law in the United States is a lengthy one. Once a bill has been drafted, it must be introduced. This is done in the House of Representatives when a Representative places the bill in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. The bill is then given a number beginning with H.R. by a bill clerk, and a reading clerk reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The bill is then carefully examined by the committee members, who are groups of Representatives with expertise on specific topics. The committee members research and revise the bill, and vote on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee members require more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee, where it is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered. The subcommittee then sends the bill back to the committee for approval.

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor, where it is ready to be debated. Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and the Representatives recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

A bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee. Committees are groups of representatives who are experts on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members will review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor.

If the committee members would like more information before deciding on the bill, it 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.

In the House, the Speaker may refer a bill to multiple committees for consideration of those provisions of the bill within the jurisdiction of each committee. The Speaker may also set time limits on committees. The failure of a committee to act on a bill is equivalent to killing it.

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. Once reported, a bill is ready to be debated by the House.

A bill is reported

Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. This is when the bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and the Representatives recommend changes. When all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it say "no."
• Division: The Speaker of the House asks those Representatives who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to stand up and be counted.
• Recorded: Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. Representatives can vote "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. The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

A bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee will then vote on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor. 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. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor, where it is ready to be debated by the House.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House:

• Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it say "no."
• Division: The Speaker of the House asks those Representatives who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to stand up and be counted.
• Recorded: Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. Representatives can vote 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 House. The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the Senate.

Frequently asked questions