The Journey Of A Bill To Law In Dw

The process of a bill becoming a law is a lengthy and complex one. It begins with an idea for a new law or a change to an existing law, which can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, be proposed during an election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill then goes through a process of research, discussion, changes, and voting in both bodies of Congress. If the bill passes both bodies, they must work out any differences between the two versions and vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, it is presented to the president, who can approve and sign it into law or veto it. If the president chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law.

How a bill is proposed

A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill 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.

When a Representative has written a bill, it 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. 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.

In the Australian system, a Minister who wants to introduce a bill typically gives written notice of their intention to do so. This notice is usually given for the next sitting day. In the House of Representatives, the Minister lodges their written notice with the Clerk of the House, who arranges for the bill to be listed on the Notice Paper (the House's agenda of business). Notice is not necessary for bills that appropriate money or deal with taxation.

When the notice is reached during the following day's business, the Minister presents the bill, and the Clerk reads out its title. This is known as the first reading. In the House, the first reading is strictly a formality, and no vote is taken. The bill is introduced to Parliament.

How a bill is introduced

A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill 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 bill has been proposed, it 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.

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.

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. While in subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

Once 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.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of representatives with expertise on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee reviews, researches, and revises the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee requires 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.

The committee may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and put the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents on the record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". If the committee approves a bill, it is sent to the House floor for debate.

The committee plays a crucial role in the legislative process, providing intensive consideration of the proposed measure and a forum for public input. The committee's actions help shape the final version of the bill and determine its chances of passage by the entire Congress.

The bill is reported

Once the bill has been approved by the committee, it is sent to the House floor, where it is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. This is when a bill is reported.

When a bill is debated, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, a reading clerk 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 (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 bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, and reported, 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 (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.

Frequently asked questions