Keith Mack
The process of a bill becoming a law in the United States is a complex one, with many steps and procedures to be followed. The journey of a bill to a law involves several key players, including members of Congress, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President. The process is designed to be challenging, with careful consideration and debate at every stage, ensuring that only well-vetted and widely supported bills become laws. This process is a critical aspect of the legislative branch's role in the US government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of steps | 9 |
| First step | The bill is drafted |
| Who can draft a bill | Any member of Congress – either from the Senate or the House of Representatives |
| Who can propose ideas for a bill | Congress members, everyday citizens, and advocacy groups |
| Who is the sponsor | The primary Congress member supporting the bill |
| Who are the co-sponsors | The other members who support the bill |
| Where is the bill introduced | In the House if a Representative is the sponsor, or in the Senate if a Senator is the sponsor |
| Where can the bill be found once introduced | Congress.gov |
| What happens after the bill is introduced | It is referred to a committee |
| What is the committee | A group of Congress members who are particularly interested in different topics such as health or international affairs |
| What does the committee do | Carefully examine the bill, determine its chances of passage by the entire Congress, and choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill |
| What happens if the committee does not act on a bill | The bill is considered "dead" |
What You'll Learn
The bill is drafted
Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other 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. 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. for the House of Representatives, and S. for the Senate.
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The bill is introduced
The introduction of a bill is a crucial step in the legislative process, marking its official entry into the political arena. This step follows the drafting stage, where a member of Congress, be it a Representative or a Senator, sponsors and crafts the bill. The sponsor is the primary supporter of the bill and plays a pivotal role in championing it through the legislative journey.
Once the bill is introduced, it gains visibility and becomes accessible to the public on Congress.gov, the official government website dedicated to tracking federal legislation. This transparency allows citizens to stay informed and engage in the democratic process.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the introduction of a bill is a ceremonial affair. It is placed in the hopper, a special box located on the side of the clerk's desk. This physical act symbolises the bill's formal initiation. The House clerk, who oversees this process, assigns a legislative number to the bill, such as "H.R. 1001". This numbering system helps in identifying and tracking the bill as it progresses.
Following the introduction, a reading clerk reads the bill aloud to all the Representatives. This ensures that every legislator is informed about the content of the proposed legislation. Subsequently, the Speaker of the House, who presides over the House of Representatives, assigns the bill to one of the House standing committees. These committees are crucial in scrutinising, debating, and refining the bill before it advances further in the legislative process.
The introduction of a bill is a significant milestone, as it transforms an idea into a formal legislative proposal. It sets the stage for the subsequent steps, including committee review, subcommittee analysis, debates, amendments, and ultimately, voting. The introduction is the first step in a lengthy and complex process that shapes the laws governing the nation.
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The bill goes to committee
Once a bill is introduced, it is sent to a committee. Both the House and the Senate have committees composed of groups of Congress members with specific interests and expertise in different topics such as health, international affairs, agriculture, or education.
The committee's role is to make Congress more efficient. They can refer the bill to the appropriate committee, hold public hearings, conduct mark-up sessions (analyzing the bill), and take committee action. The committee will review, research, and revise the bill, and may even choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill. Hearings allow the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the bill to be put on record.
If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". Committees can also choose to kill a bill by ignoring it, or by getting a majority vote to kill it. If the committee members want more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee can play a significant role in the bill's survival, as it closely examines the bill and gathers expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.
Once the bill has been accepted by the committee, improvements are made. The subcommittee will host hearings, meeting with anyone related to the bill and gathering key facts. This is also when citizens can make an impact on the bill. After the hearings, there is a markup session, where it is decided if any changes or amendments are needed, and a majority vote is required to approve these changes.
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The bill is reported
Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. At this stage, the bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives will discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with it. A reading clerk will then read the bill section by section, and Representatives can recommend changes. Once 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. The first is viva voce, in which the Speaker of the House asks supporters of the bill to say "aye" and opponents to say "no". The second is division, where supporters of the bill are asked to stand up and be counted, and then the same is done for opponents of the bill. The third method is recorded, where Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, with options to 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 U.S. House of Representatives and is certified by the Clerk of the House before being delivered to the U.S. Senate.
If the bill is passed in the House, it will then go through many of the same steps in the U.S. Senate. It will be discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on. Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators vote "yea", the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.
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The bill is voted on
Once a bill has been debated and all changes have been made, it is ready to be voted on. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: viva voce, division, and recorded. In a viva voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks Representatives to voice their support or opposition to the bill by saying "aye" or "no", respectively. In a division vote, the Speaker of the House asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then does the same for those who oppose it. In a recorded vote, Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their vote as yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote.
If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is certified by the Clerk of the House before being delivered to the U.S. Senate. On the other hand, if a majority of Representatives vote no, the bill does not pass and does not continue on to the Senate.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step is the creation of a bill, which can be drafted by any member of Congress, either from the Senate or the House of Representatives. These ideas can come from Congress members themselves or everyday citizens.
The second step is the introduction of the bill. If a Representative is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the House. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate.
The third step is the bill going to a committee. Both the House and the Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members with specific interests and expertise. The committee reviews, researches, and revises the bill, and may send it to a subcommittee for further examination.
