Understanding The Legislative Process: Bill To Law

The process of a bill becoming a law is a complex one, and it's fascinating to see how an idea can become a binding rule. The journey begins with a bill, which is an idea for a new law, and can come from anyone, be it a citizen, a representative, or even the president. It's then introduced in either house, except for bills to raise money, which must originate in the House of Representatives. The bill is then assigned to a committee, and potentially a subcommittee, where it is reviewed, researched, and revised. If it passes the committee hearings, it goes through several steps, including being debated and voted upon, before reaching the President, who has the power to veto or sign it into law. This process, outlined in the How a Bill Becomes a Law EDpuzzle video, offers a glimpse into the intricate world of law-making.

Anyone can draft a bill

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. A bill is then 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.

Committees are composed of groups of Congress members with a particular interest in specific topics, such as health or international affairs. When a bill reaches a committee, it is carefully examined, and its chances of passage by the entire Congress are determined. The committee may hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and gather the views of experts, public officials, and supporters and opponents of the legislation. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

If a committee requires more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further study and hearings. The subcommittee can make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. Once the hearings are completed, the subcommittee may meet to "mark up" the bill, making changes and amendments before recommending it to the full committee.

Bills need a sponsor

The process of turning a bill into a law begins with an idea. This idea can come from a Representative or a citizen. Citizens with ideas for new laws can reach out to their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If a Representative agrees with a proposed idea, they will research it and write it up as a bill.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will talk to other Representatives to try to get their support for the bill. A bill sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill. The sponsor is often the Representative who wrote the bill. Other Representatives who support the bill are called co-sponsors. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of several Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

Only members of Congress can introduce a bill, and by doing so, they become the sponsor. The President, a member of the cabinet, or the head of a federal agency can also propose legislation, but a member of Congress must introduce it. A bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk in the House of Representatives.

The bill is introduced

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with the introduction of the bill, which can be initiated by anyone with an idea for a new law. This can include citizens, Representatives, the President, members of the cabinet, or the head of a federal agency. However, only members of Congress can introduce legislation and become sponsors of the bill. If the idea originates from someone other than a member of Congress, a member of Congress must introduce it.

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 by placing it 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." 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 introduction of a bill is a critical step in the legislative process, as it marks the official start of a bill's journey to becoming a law. It is during this stage that the bill is assigned a number, read aloud, and sent to the appropriate committee for further review and consideration.

It is worth noting that there is an exception regarding the origin of bills that aim to raise money. All such bills must originate in the 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 in specific areas, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill, and vote on whether to send it back to the House floor. This process involves carefully examining the bill and assessing its chances of passage. Committees may also hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and gather the opinions of experts, public officials, and supporters and opponents of the legislation.

If the committee requires additional information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. Subcommittees are specialised groups organised under committees. They conduct further studies, hearings, and examinations of the bill. Once the subcommittee has completed its work, it may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. If the subcommittee does not support the bill, it can vote against reporting it to the full committee, effectively killing the bill.

After receiving the subcommittee's report, the full committee votes on its recommendation to the House or Senate. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported." The committee may make changes and amendments to the bill before recommending it to the full chamber of Congress. If the committee does not act on the bill or votes against reporting it, the bill dies. However, if the committee supports the bill, it is sent back to the House floor for further debate and voting.

The committee plays a crucial role in shaping the bill and determining its chances of becoming a law. Their review, research, and revisions help ensure that the bill is thoroughly vetted and considered before progressing further in the legislative process.

The bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, passed out of subcommittee and committee hearings, and debated, 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), Division, and Recorded. In a voice vote, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it to say "no." In a Division vote, 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 do the same. In a Recorded vote, 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 the 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.

The process is similar in the U.S. Senate, where 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.

It is important to note that if the second house passes a different version of the bill, members of both houses meet as a conference committee to work out disagreements. Once they reach an agreement, both floors vote on the new bill, and it may be approved by a majority vote or rejected.

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