The Journey Of A Bill To Law: Chutes And Ladders

The process of a bill becoming a law in the United States involves several steps and can be likened to a game of chutes and ladders. The journey begins with an idea, which can come from a Representative or citizen, and is then written into a bill. This bill is introduced and assigned a number, after which it goes through a committee review process, including potential revisions and additions. Once the bill is reported, it is ready for debate and voting. If it passes the vote in the House, it moves to the Senate, where it undergoes similar procedures. If both chambers approve, the bill goes to the President for review. The President can approve, veto, or do nothing (pocket veto). If vetoed, Congress can attempt to override it, and if the veto is overridden by both chambers, the bill becomes a law.

The bill is proposed and introduced

The bill-making process begins with an idea for a bill. This idea 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. Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill, hoping to gain their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the 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 U.S. House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, 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.

In the Senate, the process is slightly different. 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. The bill is then assigned a number (e.g. S 1) and labelled with the sponsor's name. The bill is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO), where copies are made. Senate bills can be jointly sponsored, and members can cosponsor the piece of legislation.

Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate refers the bill to the appropriate committee. Most often, the actual referral decision is made by the House or Senate parliamentarian. Bills may be referred to more than one committee and may be split so that parts are sent to different committees. The Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees. Bills are placed on the calendar of the committee to which they have been assigned. Failure to act on a bill is equivalent to killing it. Bills in the House can only be released from the committee without a proper committee vote by a discharge petition signed by a majority of the House membership (218 members).

The bill is assigned a number and a sponsor

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned a number. Bills that originate in the House are assigned the prefix "H.R.", while those that originate in the Senate are assigned the prefix "S." For example, a bill could be assigned the number "H.R. 1" or "S. 1". This numbering system helps to identify and track the bill as it moves through the legislative process.

The bill is also labelled with the name of its sponsor. A sponsor is typically the original member who introduces the bill and can be a Representative or a Senator. The sponsor is responsible for championing the bill, gathering support from other members, and guiding it through the legislative process.

In the House of Representatives, only Representatives can introduce bills. They do so by placing the bill in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. The sponsor will talk to other Representatives about the bill, seeking their support before introducing it.

In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill during the morning hour. If no senator objects, the bill is introduced. However, if there is an objection, the introduction is postponed until the following day. Senate bills can also be jointly sponsored by multiple members. Additionally, members can cosponsor a piece of legislation, formally adding their name in support.

After a bill is introduced and assigned a number and a sponsor, it is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) where copies are made.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They 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 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. The committee will hold a "mark-up" session during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" which will include the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded. The chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote.

After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar. In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes.

The bill is reported

Once a bill has been approved by the 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 why they agree or disagree 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, where the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no". The second is Division, where the Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then does the same for those who oppose it. The third is Recorded, where Representatives record their vote using an electronic voting system, and can vote 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.

When a bill reaches the U.S. Senate, it goes through many of the same steps as 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, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.

If a bill has passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, it is then sent to the President. When a bill reaches the President, they have three choices. They can sign and pass the bill, in which case it becomes a law. They can refuse to sign, or veto, the bill, in which case it is sent back to the U.S. House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. Or, the President can do nothing, which is called a "pocket veto". If Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days. If Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.

The bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned a number, labelled with the sponsor's name, sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies have been made, it is then put before the chamber to be voted on. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The first method is Viva Voce, where the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it to say "no". The second method is called Division. In this method, 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. The third method is Recorded, where Representatives record their votes using the electronic voting system. They 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 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.

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