The President's Role In Passing A Bill

The process of a bill becoming a law in the United States involves several steps and the participation of both chambers of Congress and the President. It begins with the proposal of a bill, which can be done by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. Once introduced, the bill is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes. The bill then goes through a process of research, discussion, changes, and voting in both chambers of Congress. If the bill passes both chambers, any differences between the two versions are worked out, and the final bill is presented to the President. The President can choose to approve and sign the bill into law or veto it. If the President vetoes, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law.

The Bill Is Proposed

The legislative process begins with an idea for a bill, which 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 Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives to 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, 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 Introduced

Once the 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. Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

The Bill Is Introduced

Any member of the US Congress can introduce a bill. 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. Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

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. 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, 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. The bill is then assigned a number (e.g. S 1) and sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO), where copies are made.

Senate bills can be jointly sponsored, and members can cosponsor legislation.

The Bill Goes to Committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is sent to a committee. Both the House and the Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members with specific interests and expertise in different topics such as health, agriculture, education, or international affairs. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill, and vote on whether to send it back to the House floor. The committee may also hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and gather expert opinions. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

If the committee members want more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further specialisation and study. The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. Once the hearings and subcommittee review are completed, the committee will meet to make changes and amendments to the bill. If the committee votes against reporting the legislation to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies. If they vote in favour of it, it is reported to the floor.

The committee plays a crucial role in the legislative process. It provides intensive consideration of the proposed measure and serves as a forum for public input. The committee's actions include seeking input from relevant departments and agencies, submitting the bill to the Government Accountability Office for an official report, and holding public hearings. The committee may also authorise subpoenas and issue them to require both testimonial and documentary evidence.

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 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.

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 the Senators say “yea,” the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.

The 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 review. The President has three options:

• Sign and pass the bill, which becomes a law.
• Refuse to sign or veto the bill, which 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 automatically becomes law after 10 days. If Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.

Frequently asked questions