The Journey Of A Bill To Becoming A Law

In the United States, the process of a bill becoming a law involves several steps and the participation of various entities, including Congress, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President. The journey begins with an idea, which can come from a Representative or a citizen. This idea is then drafted into a bill, introduced, and assigned to a committee for review, discussion, and potential changes. After passing through one body of Congress, the bill goes through a similar process in the other body, undergoing research, discussion, amendments, and voting. Once both bodies approve, they must reconcile any differences, and both chambers vote on the final version. If the bill passes this stage, it is presented to the President for approval. The President can sign the bill into law or veto it. However, Congress has the power to override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate, turning the bill into law.

Bill proposal and sponsorship

The first step in the legislative process is the proposal and sponsorship of a bill. This is when a lawmaker in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives proposes a new law or a change to an existing one. The idea for a bill can also be proposed by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.

Once a bill has been drafted, it needs a sponsor. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill. Other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". The sponsor talks with other Representatives about the bill to get 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 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.

Introduction to the House or Senate

The legislative process is the most important function of the U.S. House of Representatives. All laws in the United States begin as bills, which can be proposed by 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 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. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on.

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.

The House of Representatives

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, 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.

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.

The Senate

The Senate is composed of 100 Members—two from each state, regardless of population or area—elected by the people. The term of office is six years and one-third of the total membership of the Senate is elected every second year.

In the Senate, a Senator usually introduces a bill or resolution by presenting it to one of the clerks at the Presiding Officer's desk, without commenting on it from the floor of the Senate. However, a Senator may use a more formal procedure by rising and introducing the bill or resolution from the floor, usually accompanied by a statement about the measure.

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.

Committee and subcommittee review

Once a bill is introduced, it is 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 will then vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee requires more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. A subcommittee will closely examine the bill and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.

Subcommittees are specialized groups that operate under committees. They study and hold hearings on the bill. The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. Once the hearings and subcommittee review are completed, the committee will meet to make changes and amendments to the bill. If the committee votes against reporting the legislation to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor.

Voting by the full chamber

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, and marked up, it will reach the floor for voting by the full chamber. In the U.S. House of Representatives, there are three methods for voting on a bill:

• 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. The process is similar in the Senate, with Senators voting by voice. Those who support the bill say “yea,” and those who oppose it say “nay.”. If a majority of the Senators vote in favour, the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.

Presidential approval or veto

Once a bill has been passed by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the President for approval. The President has three options: they can sign the bill into law, refuse to sign it and veto it, or do nothing. If the President chooses to sign the bill, it becomes law.

If the President chooses to veto the bill, it is sent back to the House and the Senate, along with the reasons for the veto. If two-thirds of the House and the Senate still support the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes law.

If the President does nothing, the outcome depends on whether Congress is in session. If Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill will not become law. This is known as a "pocket veto" and cannot be overridden by Congress.

Frequently asked questions