The Law-Making Process: How Bills Become Laws

In the United States, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. The process of how a bill becomes a law is a complex one, with many steps and procedures. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be proposed by citizens or advocacy groups. Once a bill is drafted, it must be introduced, assigned to a committee, and then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. Finally, the bill is presented to the President, who can approve it, veto it, or do nothing. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law. Understanding this process is crucial for effective advocacy and civic engagement. Additionally, the Maryland Governor's Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides resources on the legislative process in American Sign Language (ASL), ensuring that the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community can stay informed and engaged in the lawmaking process.

Bill is proposed and drafted

The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law is the creation of the bill. This can be done by any member of Congress, either from the Senate or the House of Representatives, and the ideas for these bills can come from the members of Congress themselves or from everyday citizens and advocacy groups. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other 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. A bill clerk then assigns it a number that begins with H.R. (e.g. H.R. 1001) 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 committees are groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They 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 before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee closely examines the bill and gathers expert opinions before sending it 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 their agreement or disagreement with it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and the Representatives recommend changes. When all the changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

Bill is introduced

The bill-making process begins with an idea. Ideas for bills 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 citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.

Once a bill has been drafted, it must be introduced. 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. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives. 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. A bill number is then assigned to the bill by the House clerk, beginning with H.R. A reading clerk then reads the bill aloud to all the Representatives, after which the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The bill is then assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. Committees are groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and gather the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

If the committee wishes to gather more information before deciding the fate of the bill, it is sent to a subcommittee. Subcommittees are organised under committees and have further specialisation on a certain topic. The subcommittee closely examines the bill and gathers expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.

Bill goes to committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned 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 require more information before making their decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. In the subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

The committee has the authority to refer measures to the appropriate subcommittee unless the full committee votes to retain the measure. The subcommittee may request reports from government agencies, hold hearings to allow experts and interested parties to offer testimony, revise the bill, or report the legislation to the full committee for consideration. The full committee may then make a recommendation to pass the bill, revise and release it, or lay it aside.

The committee plays a crucial role in the legislative process, providing intensive consideration of the proposed measure and a forum for public input. There are currently 20 standing committees in the House and 16 in the Senate, in addition to several select committees. Each committee's jurisdiction is defined by its subject matter, and all measures are referred accordingly. For example, the House Committee on the Judiciary has jurisdiction over matters relating to judicial proceedings, constitutional amendments, immigration policy, bankruptcy, and more.

The committee stage is a critical phase in the progression of a bill toward becoming a law. It involves thorough deliberation, input from relevant departments and agencies, and the opportunity for public hearings. The committee's actions shape the final form of the bill and its chances of success in the subsequent stages of the legislative process.

Bill is reported

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. This is known as "ordering a bill reported". When a bill is reported, it is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill and explain their agreement or disagreement 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.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: viva voce, division, and recorded. In the viva voce method, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it to say "no". In the division method, the Speaker of the House asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to do the same. In the recorded method, Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, selecting yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote on the bill.

If a majority of 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, where it will go through a similar process of debate and voting.

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.

The Bill Is 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 votes 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.

A bill must be approved by both Chambers of Congress. When the Senate amends and agrees to a bill or a version of a bill that the House has already passed or when the House amends and passes a Senate bill or a version of a Senate bill, the two Chambers may begin to resolve any legislative differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill by way of a conference committee.

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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