The Legislative Labyrinth: How A Bill Becomes Law

how a bill becomes a law maze

The process of how a bill becomes a law is a complex and lengthy journey. In the United States, the legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. This idea can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even be proposed by citizens or advocacy groups. Once introduced, the bill undergoes rigorous scrutiny and debate as it navigates through committees and chambers in both the House and the Senate. The bill must pass through multiple stages of research, discussion, and voting before it can be presented to the President for approval. If the President approves, the bill is signed into law. However, if the President vetoes the bill, Congress has the power to override that veto with a two-thirds majority vote, turning the bill into law despite the President's objection. This intricate process, filled with compromises and negotiations, is a testament to the relentless pursuit of a better society through lawmaking.

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The Bill is Proposed

The journey of a bill to becoming a law begins with an idea. Ideas 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 a member of Congress has an idea for a law, they can draft a bill. The member of Congress who drafts the bill is called the "sponsor". Other members of Congress who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".

When a bill has a sponsor and the support of other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. In the 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 House of Representatives. In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill during the morning hour. If any Senator objects, the introduction of the bill is postponed until the next day. Once introduced, a bill is assigned a number (e.g. HR 1 or S 1) and sent to the Government Printing Office, where copies are made.

After introduction, a bill is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of Representatives or Senators who are experts on particular topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. Committees review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House or Senate floor. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". If the committee approves a bill, it is sent back to the House or Senate floor, where it is ready to be debated.

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The Bill is Introduced

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with the introduction of the bill. This 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 has been formed, the bill must be drafted.

When a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will then talk with other Representatives to try and gain their support. 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. The bill is then assigned its legislative number by the Clerk and sent to the Government Printing Office, where copies are made.

The title of the bill is then entered in the Journal and printed in the Congressional Record. The bill is then sent to the document rooms of both Houses, where it is made available to officials and the public.

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The Bill Goes to Committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee members are groups of representatives who are experts on specific topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. This process involves rigorous scrutiny, with experts and stakeholders weighing in to shape and refine the proposal. Hearings may be held to better understand the bill's implications, and executive opinions may be gathered.

If the committee requires more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. Here, it is closely examined, and expert opinions are sought before returning it to the committee for approval. The committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, making revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, a "clean bill" with a new number is introduced, and the old bill is discarded.

The committee will vote, and if the bill is approved, it is sent back to the whole chamber and placed on the calendar. A written report is prepared, explaining why the committee favours the bill and wishes to see their amendments adopted. Committee members who oppose the bill may write a dissenting opinion to be included in the report.

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The Bill is Voted On

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, and reported back to the House, 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)

The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it to 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 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.

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 a bill has passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, it is sent to the President. The President then has three options: they can sign and pass the bill, refuse to sign or veto the bill, or do nothing (pocket veto). If the President chooses to veto a bill, in most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.

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The Bill is Sent to the President

Once a bill has been approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the President for review. The President has three options:

  • Sign and pass the bill, at which point it becomes a law.
  • Refuse to sign, or veto, the bill. In this case, the bill is sent back to the House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House 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.
  • 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 law.
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Frequently asked questions

A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. It can be introduced by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or be proposed during their election campaign. Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to their Congressional representative.

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The committee may also hold hearings and gather evidence before voting on whether to send the bill back to the House or Senate floor.

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, and if it passes, they present it to the President.

The President can approve the bill and sign it into law, or refuse to approve it by vetoing the bill. If the President chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. However, if the President does not sign off on a bill and Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default, which is called a "pocket veto."

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