The Law-Making Process: From Bill To Law

The Annenberg Classroom provides educational resources on how a bill becomes a law in the United States. The process of turning a bill into federal law is a complex one, and Annenberg Classroom offers a video lesson on this topic, featuring interviews with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) and Rep. Pete Sessions (R., Texas). The video is accompanied by a downloadable lesson plan and handouts, as well as games that teach students about the legislative process and their rights under the Bill of Rights. The Annenberg Classroom resources are designed to help students understand the dynamic process of federal lawmaking and its relevance to their lives, empowering them to get involved in democracy and work through their elected officials to address their needs and solve problems.

The bill is proposed

The bill-writing process begins with an idea. This idea can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, be proposed during their election campaign, or come from citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.

When a Representative has written a bill, the bill needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes of getting their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

A bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk in the House of Representatives. 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.

The committee members—groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations—review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee members would like more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee to be closely examined and for expert opinions to be gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

The bill is introduced

The bill-making process starts with an idea. These ideas can come from a Representative or a citizen. Citizens with ideas for new laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree with the proposal, they research the ideas and write them into bills.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative discusses the bill with other Representatives to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

A bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk in the House of Representatives. 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.

The bill is then sent to a committee, whose members—groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics—review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. If the committee members need more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further examination and to gather expert opinions.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is sent to a committee. The committee is made up of groups of representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members 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 making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. While in the subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered. After this, the bill is sent back to the committee for approval.

The committee stage is crucial as it allows for a detailed examination of the bill by subject-matter experts. This helps to ensure that the bill is well-informed, feasible, and effective. The committee can also make amendments to the bill to improve it or address any concerns.

If the committee approves the bill, it is then sent or "reported" back to the House floor. At this point, the bill is ready to be debated by the full House of Representatives. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for supporting or opposing it. This debate allows for further scrutiny of the bill and provides an opportunity for any necessary changes to be made.

The committee process is an important part of the legislative journey of a bill. It involves a thorough review and discussion of the bill by experts and stakeholders, which helps to shape and refine the proposal before it moves forward in the law-making process.

The bill is reported

Once a bill has been 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. If the committee members require more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee to be closely examined and to gather expert opinions.

When 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 U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing 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), division, and recorded. In a viva voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say “aye” and those that oppose it to say “no.” In a division, the Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to do the same. In a recorded vote, Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, and can vote yes, no, or present if they don’t want to vote on the bill. If a majority of the Representatives vote or say 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.

The bill is voted on

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.

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 say or select 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.

When a bill reaches the U.S. Senate, it goes through many of the same steps it went through in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on. Senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say “yea,” and those who oppose it say “nay.” If a majority of the Senators say “yea,” the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.

If the bill 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.

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