Cecily Zamora
The process of a bill becoming a law is a long and complicated one. In the US, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill can come from anyone, but only members of Congress can introduce a bill in Congress. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. Then, both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, it is presented to the president. The president can approve the bill and sign it into law, or refuse to approve it, which is called a veto. If the president chooses to veto a bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | A bill is drafted by a member of Congress, who becomes the sponsor. Other members who support the bill are called co-sponsors. |
| Step 2 | The bill is introduced in the House or the Senate. |
| Step 3 | The bill goes to committee. |
| Step 4 | The bill goes to a subcommittee for review. |
| Step 5 | The committee marks up the bill. |
| Step 6 | The bill is voted on by the full chamber. |
| Step 7 | The bill is referred to the other chamber. |
| Step 8 | The bill goes to the President. |
| Step 9 | The President can sign the bill, veto it, or do nothing. If the President does nothing for 10 days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. |
What You'll Learn
A bill is proposed
A bill is a proposed law. The person who proposes the bill is called the "sponsor". The sponsor of the bill is usually a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, but ideas for bills can also come from citizens or citizen groups. Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their representatives to discuss their ideas. If the representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.
Once a bill has been drafted, it needs a sponsor. The representative talks with other representatives about the bill, hoping to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the representatives, it is ready to be introduced.
A Bill is 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.
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A bill is introduced
In the House of Representatives, a bill is introduced by placing it in a box called the hopper, which is located on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill can be introduced at any time the House is in session. In the Senate, a bill is introduced by placing it on the presiding officer's desk or by formally introducing it on the Senate Floor.
Once introduced, a bill is assigned a number. House bills begin with "H.R.", while Senate bills begin with "S.". A bill clerk will then read the bill to all the Representatives or Senators, and the bill is sent to a committee.
The process of introducing a bill is just the first step in the journey towards becoming a law. Following introduction, a bill will go through several more steps, including being reviewed by committees and subcommittees, voted on by the full chamber, and potentially sent to the President for approval.
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A bill goes to committee
Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee. The committee is made up of groups of representatives who are experts on the topics covered by the bill. These topics could include agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor.
If the committee members would like more information before deciding, 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 committee will hold a "mark-up" session during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can introduce a "clean bill" with a new number. This new bill will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded. The chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote.
In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes. The rules committee can be bypassed in three ways: members can move for rules to be suspended (requiring a two-thirds vote), a discharge petition can be filed, or the House can use a Calendar Wednesday procedure.
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A bill is voted on
Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before that chamber 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.
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A bill is sent to the President
Once a bill has been passed by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the President for approval. The President can take one of several actions:
- The President may take no action. If Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after ten days.
- A pocket veto occurs when the President takes no action and Congress has adjourned its session. In this case, the bill does not become law.
- The President may decide that the bill is unwise or unnecessary and veto the bill.
- The President may sign the bill, and the bill becomes law.
If the President chooses to veto a bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes law. However, if the President does not sign off on a bill and it remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default. This action is called a pocket veto, and it cannot be overridden by Congress.
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Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill can come from anyone, but only Members of Congress can introduce a bill in Congress. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. Then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, they present it to the president.
When a bill reaches the President, he has three choices. He can sign and pass the bill—the bill becomes a law. He can refuse to sign, or veto, the bill—the bill is sent back to the U.S. House of Representatives, along with the President’s reasons for the veto. If the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. 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. Or, the President can do nothing (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.
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may attempt to override the veto. If both the Senate and the House pass the bill by a two-thirds majority, the President's veto is overruled, and the bill becomes a law.
