The Journey Of A Bill To Becoming A Law

The process of how a bill becomes a law involves several steps and can be influenced by various actors. In the United States, the federal legislative powers to consider bills and enact laws lie with Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one, and it can be introduced by members of Congress or even petitioned by citizens or advocacy groups. Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee, discussed, and potentially amended before being put to a vote. If a bill passes in one body of Congress, it moves to the other, undergoing a similar process. Once both bodies approve, they must reconcile any differences, and the bill is then presented to the President for approval, who can sign it into law or veto it. However, Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote, turning the bill into law. This intricate journey from an idea to a law ensures a robust and democratic legislative process.

A bill is proposed and drafted

The first step in the legislative process is for a bill to be drafted. 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.

Any member of Congress – either from the Senate or the House of Representatives – who has an idea for a law can draft a bill. These ideas come from the Congress members themselves or from everyday citizens and advocacy groups. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor". The other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". Members may circulate the bill and ask others in the chamber to sign on as original co-sponsors of a bill to demonstrate a solid base of support for the idea.

When a Representative has written a bill, the bill needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes of getting their support for it. 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 Senate, the bill is submitted to clerks on the Senate floor. Upon introduction, the bill will receive a designation based on the chamber of introduction, for example, H.R. or H.J.Res. for House-originated bills or joint resolutions and S. or S.J.Res. for Senate-originated measures. It will also receive a number, which is typically the next number available in sequence during that two-year Congress.

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. Once an idea for a bill has been formulated, it must be drafted. If a Representative is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the House. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate.

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, it is given a number: "H.R." signifies a House bill and "S." signifies a Senate bill. A bill clerk assigns it this number before a reading clerk reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. Both the House and the Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members with particular interests and areas of expertise. Committees may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and gather expert opinions. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

A bill is assigned to a committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. This committee is made up of groups of representatives who are experts on the topic of the bill. For example, a bill about agriculture will be reviewed by representatives who are knowledgeable about this subject.

The committee will review, research, and revise the bill. They will also determine its chances of passage by Congress. Committees may also hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill. These hearings allow the views of experts, public officials, supporters, and opponents of the bill to be put on record.

If the committee requires more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. Here, 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. A written report is prepared by committee staff, explaining why they favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose the bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is then sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.

A bill is sent to the floor for debate and voting

Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to the floor for debate and voting. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate determine if and when a bill comes before the full body for debate and amendment and then final passage. There are very different rules of procedure governing debate in the House and Senate. In the House, a representative may offer an amendment to a bill only if they have obtained permission from the Rules Committee. In the Senate, a senator may offer an amendment without warning, as long as the amendment is relevant to the bill. In both chambers, a majority vote is required for an amendment to be accepted and for the final bill to pass. Amendments are sometimes accepted by a voice vote (individuals say "Yea" or "Nay," and the loudest side wins).

When a bill reaches the floor, there is additional debate and members of the full chamber vote to approve any amendments. The bill is then passed or defeated by the members voting. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House: viva voce (voice vote), division, and recorded. In the case of viva voce, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no." For division, the Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to do the same. For recorded votes, 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 Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is then sent to the Senate.

A bill is sent to the President for approval

Once a bill has been approved by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the President for review and approval. The President has three options: they can sign and pass the bill, which becomes a law; they can veto the bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives with their reasons for the veto; or they can do nothing, which is called a "pocket veto".

If the President chooses to veto a bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto. 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 and Congress is not in session, the bill will not become law.

If the President approves the bill, they sign it, and it becomes a law. If the President does nothing for 10 days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law.

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