The Legislative Process: A Visual Guide To Lawmaking

In the United States, the process of how a bill becomes a law involves several steps and can be effectively communicated through graphic organizers and infographics. These visuals help students and educators understand and track the journey of a bill, from its proposal to its potential enactment as a law. The process begins with the drafting of a bill, which can be initiated by members of Congress or everyday citizens. After introduction, the bill undergoes committee and subcommittee reviews, followed by voting and referral to the other chamber. With approval from both chambers, the bill reaches the President, who can sign it into law or veto it. The visual representations of this process enhance comprehension and provide a clear overview of the legislative journey.

The bill is proposed and introduced

The bill-making process begins with an idea. These ideas 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. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor", and the other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". 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. Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

The bill is assigned to a committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are made up of groups of representatives who are experts on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. This process involves careful examination, and the committee may even hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications, putting the views of experts, public officials, and supporters and opponents of the bill on record.

If the committee requires more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. A subcommittee has a narrower focus than a committee and will closely examine the bill and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor, where it is ready to be debated. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for supporting or opposing it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and representatives recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

The process of assigning a bill to a committee is an important step in the journey of a bill becoming a law. It ensures that the bill is thoroughly reviewed and revised by subject-matter experts before progressing further in the legislative process.

The bill is reported

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

When a bill is debated, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk will then read 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. The first 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 is division, where 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. The third is recorded, where Representatives record their vote 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 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 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, division, and recorded. In the viva voce method, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no". In the division 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 do the same. In the recorded method, Representatives record their vote using the 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 and is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

In the U.S. Senate, Senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say "yea", and those who oppose it say "nay". If a majority of Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President. If the bill passes in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, it is then presented to the President.

The President then considers the bill and has three options. They can choose to 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 a law.

The bill is sent to the president

Once a bill has been approved by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, it is sent to the President. The President has three options: they can sign and pass the bill, refuse to sign or veto the bill, or do nothing.

If the President chooses to sign the bill, it becomes a law. If the President refuses to sign the bill, it is sent back to the House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House of Representatives and the Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote on the bill. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law.

If the President does nothing, this is known as a 'pocket veto'. If Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become a law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law. If the President does not sign off on the bill and it remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default and cannot be overridden by Congress.

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