The Process Of Lawmaking: A Bill's Journey

Visualising the process of how a bill becomes a law is a complex task. The legislative process is a long one, with many steps and legal procedures to follow. However, the creation of a flow map can help to simplify and explain the journey of a bill to becoming a law. A flow map can show how a bill moves through the House and Senate, and eventually becomes a law. This is particularly useful for understanding the political process, and can be a helpful tool for suggesting amendments.

Drafting and proposing the bill

The legislative process is complex, and there are many steps involved in turning a bill into a law. Here is a detailed overview of the steps involved in drafting and proposing a bill:

Drafting the Bill

The legislative process begins when a senator or assembly member writes a bill. This is often based on an idea proposed by a citizen. Citizens with ideas for new laws can contact their representatives, who will research the idea and, if they agree, write it into a bill. The representative will then discuss the bill with their peers to gain support and find a sponsor. A bill's sponsor is usually the one to introduce it to the House.

Introducing the Bill

Once a bill has a sponsor and support from other representatives, it is ready to be introduced. A member of Congress will submit a copy of the bill, assign it an official number, and include the sponsor's name. Bills sponsored by a Representative are introduced to the House of Representatives, while bills sponsored by a Senator go to the Senate. There is a 30-day waiting period before any action can be taken on a newly introduced bill.

Sending the Bill to Committee

After being introduced, the bill is sent to the relevant committees in the House or Senate. The parliamentarian for the House or Senate decides on the referral, usually based on the subject expertise of each committee. The committees review, research, and revise the bill, and they may also hold hearings and votes. Committees are made up of members from both major parties, and they make recommendations to their respective chambers.

Subcommittee Assessment

The bill is then sent to a subcommittee, which reviews and discusses it in more detail. Both Houses of Congress can amend and change the bill before voting on it. Amendments can significantly alter the content of a bill.

Full Committee Hearing

The full committee then receives the results from the subcommittee and makes any necessary changes or additions. If there are significant changes, the full committee may require a clean bill, containing only the changes, to be submitted. The committee may also attach amendments to the bill, which the chamber must accept, alter, or reject before voting. The bill must receive a majority vote in the committee to proceed. If the committee does not recommend the bill to Congress, it expires.

Introduction of the bill

The introduction of a bill is the second step in the legislative process, following the drafting of the bill by a senator or assembly member. This is when a member of Congress introduces the bill, giving it an official number and including the sponsor's name. If a Representative sponsors the bill, it is introduced to the House of Representatives, whereas a bill must be sponsored by a senator to be introduced to the Senate.

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned a number and given to a bill clerk. In the House of Representatives, the bill number will begin with "H.R.". The bill is then read by a reading clerk to all the Representatives, after which the Speaker of the House sends it to one of the House standing committees.

Before a bill is introduced, its sponsor (the Representative) will talk with other Representatives to try and garner support for it. This is an important step, as a bill needs the support of other Representatives to pass. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

There is a 30-day waiting period after the introduction of a bill before any action can be taken on it. This gives Representatives time to consider the bill and decide whether or not to support it.

The introduction of a bill is a crucial step in the legislative process, as it is when the bill is first presented to the House of Representatives or the Senate. This is when the bill is given an official number and assigned to a committee for further consideration.

Review by committees and subcommittees

Once a bill is introduced into one house, it must pass through that house's committees and subcommittees. Committees are groups of representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The parliamentarian for the House or Senate usually makes the final decision about the referral. Policy committees review bills based on their subject expertise. Each of these committees has members from both parties and does research, holds hearings, and votes. They also make recommendations to their respective chambers on critical issues.

If the committee members would like more information before deciding if the bill should be sent to the House floor, 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 subcommittee assigned by the chairperson reviews and discusses the bill. Both Houses of Congress can amend and change it before voting on it. Bills in both chambers may have amendments attached to them, which can significantly change their content.

The full committee then receives the results from the subcommittees. In a markup session, the committee will make changes and additions. If there are significant changes to the bill, the committee might require a clean bill containing the changes. If there are any committee amendments, the chamber must accept, alter, or reject them before voting. A bill has to get a majority vote in the committee. Unless a committee recommends a bill to Congress, it expires.

Review by Committees

After the review by subcommittees, the bill is sent back to the committee. The committee will then forward it to the Senate or the House of Representatives. The chairman of the people's committee will write a detailed report on the bill, exploring its purpose, national legislature history, and its impact. If committee members disagree with the views on the bill, now is the time to speak up. Be it an individual or a group, they have the right to object in case the bill is not suitable for the economic or political situation of the country.

Approval by the House of Representatives and the Senate

The legislative process is complex, with many steps and legal procedures to be followed. Once a bill is introduced into one house, it must pass through that house's committees and be voted on before going to the other house for the same process. The bill is introduced in the House of Representatives when placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill number beginning with H.R is assigned, and a reading clerk reads the bill to all Representatives before the Speaker of the House sends it to one of the House standing committees.

The committees are made up of groups of Representatives with expertise in various topics. They review, research, and revise the bill, and can send it to a subcommittee for further examination and expert opinions. The committee can then approve the bill, sending it to the House floor for debate. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their agreement or disagreement, and recommend changes. Once all changes are made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House: viva voce, division, and recorded. In the viva voce method, the Speaker asks those who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no". In the division method, the Speaker asks supporters to stand up and be counted, and then does the same for opponents. In the recorded method, Representatives record their votes using an electronic system, selecting yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote. If a majority of Representatives support the bill, it passes in the House and is sent to the Senate.

In the Senate, the bill goes through similar steps. It is discussed in a Senate committee and reported to the Senate floor for a vote. Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" to support the bill and "nay" to oppose it. If a majority of Senators support the bill, it passes in the Senate and is ready to go to the President.

Presidential approval or veto

Once a bill has successfully navigated its way through both Houses of Congress, it is sent to the President for approval or veto. This is the final step in the legislative process. The President has three options: they can sign the bill into law, refuse to sign it, or do nothing.

If the President chooses to sign the bill, it becomes law. If they refuse to sign it, they can veto it, sending it back to Congress with their reasons for doing so. Congress can then attempt to override the veto by holding another vote on the bill. If two-thirds of both the House and the Senate support the bill, the President's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes law.

If Congress is in session and the President does nothing (a "pocket veto"), the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session and the President does nothing, the bill will not become law.

Frequently asked questions