The Journey Of A Bill To Become A Law

In the United States, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The process of turning a bill into a law involves several stages and requires approval from the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President. 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 groups who recommend a new or amended law to their Congressional representative. This article will outline the steps a bill must go through to become a law, from its proposal to its enactment or veto.

Bills are proposed by a representative or citizen

Once an idea for a bill has been pitched, the next step is to draft the bill. If the idea comes from a citizen, a member of Congress will draft the bill if they agree with the idea. The member of Congress who drafts the bill is known as the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".

Once the bill has been drafted, it must be introduced. If the sponsor is a Representative, the bill is introduced in the House. If the sponsor is a Senator, the bill is introduced in the Senate. The bill is then placed in the hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk's desk—and assigned a number. For example, a bill introduced in the House might be assigned the number "H.R. 1".

After the bill has been introduced, it is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO), where copies are made. The bill is then referred to the appropriate committee by the Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate. Committees are composed of groups of Congress members with expertise in specific topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor.

If the committee requires more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee will closely examine the bill and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval. Once the committee has approved the bill, it is sent back to the House floor, where it is debated and voted on.

Bills are introduced to the House or Senate

Bills can be introduced by any member of Congress, either from the Senate or the House of Representatives. 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 a bill is drafted, it must be introduced. 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 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. 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.

In the Senate, a Senator usually introduces a bill or resolution by presenting it to one of the clerks at the Presiding Officer's desk, without commenting on it from the floor of the Senate. However, a Senator may use a more formal procedure by rising and introducing the bill or resolution from the floor, usually accompanied by a statement about the measure.

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. Committees are composed of groups of Congress members with particular interests in different topics such as health or international affairs. The committee may choose to hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and gather expert opinions. If the committee does not act on a bill, the bill is considered "dead".

The process for a bill to be introduced in the House or the Senate is very similar, with only minor differences in the specific procedures followed by each chamber.

Bills are assigned to a committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and gather expert opinions. If the committee requires further information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee will then 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. A bill is ready to be debated by the House of Representatives, where representatives will discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk will then read the bill section by section, and representatives will recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

Bills are voted on by the House or Senate

Once a bill has been introduced and assigned to a committee, it is then put before the chamber to be voted on. The bill is debated, and members of the House or Senate discuss the bill, explaining why they agree or disagree with it.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House: viva voce, division, and recorded. In a viva voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks members to say "aye" if they support the bill and "no" if they oppose it. In a division vote, the Speaker asks supporters of the bill to stand up and be counted, and then asks opponents to do the same. In a recorded vote, Representatives record their vote using an 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 vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is then sent to the Senate.

In the Senate, members vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the Senate and is sent to the President.

Bills are 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, which is known as a "pocket veto". If Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.

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