The Legislative Process: How A Bill Becomes A Law

In the United States, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. The process of turning a bill into a law involves several steps, including proposal, introduction, committee review, voting, and approval by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. This journey from bill to law ensures that laws are thoroughly reviewed and debated before being enacted. In this project, we will delve into each step of this legislative process, exploring the intricacies of how a bill becomes a law in the United States.

A bill is proposed

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, or it can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.

When a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes of getting 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. A bill is then assigned a number that begins with H.R. and is labelled with the sponsor's name.

The bill is then sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made. Members can cosponsor the piece of legislation. The bill is then referred to the appropriate committee by the Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate. The Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees. Bills are placed on the calendar of the committee to which they have been assigned.

A sponsor is found

The first step in the process of turning a bill into a law is to find a sponsor. A sponsor is a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives who agrees to propose the bill for consideration by Congress. Citizens with ideas for new laws can contact their representatives to discuss their ideas, and if the representatives agree, they will research and write the ideas into bills.

Once a bill has been drafted, the sponsor will talk with other representatives to try to gain their support. This step is crucial, as a bill needs the support of at least some representatives to have a chance of becoming a law. The sponsor will discuss the bill with their colleagues, answer questions, and address any concerns or objections that may be raised. This process can involve a lot of negotiation and compromise to ensure that the bill has a strong chance of moving forward.

When a bill has a sponsor and sufficient support, it is ready to be introduced. In the House of Representatives, a bill is introduced by being placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Only representatives can introduce bills in the House, and the process is similar in the Senate, with members gaining recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill. If any senator objects, the introduction is postponed until the next day.

The bill is then assigned a legislative number, such as H.R. 1001 in the House or S. 1002 in the Senate, and it is labelled with the sponsor's name. At this stage, members can also cosponsor the legislation, showing their support for the bill. The bill is then sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for copying, and the process of turning a bill into a law moves on to the next stage.

The bill is introduced

The bill is then read out loud by a reading clerk to all the Representatives. At this stage, the Speaker of the House may also send the bill to a House standing committee. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee would like more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee to be closely examined and expert opinions gathered.

Once the bill has been introduced, it is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) where copies are made. Members can also cosponsor the bill.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee is usually chosen based on the bill's subject matter. For example, a bill about education would be reviewed by a committee of experts on education.

The committee will then review, research, and revise the bill. They may also refer the bill to a subcommittee, which will closely examine the bill and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee. The committee will then vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor.

If the committee approves a bill, it is sent or reported to the House floor for debate. Representatives will discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Amendments may also be proposed at this stage.

After all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on by the full House. If it passes this vote, the bill is then sent to the other chamber, where it will go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting.

The bill is reported

Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is reported to the House floor. At this stage, the bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives will discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with it. A reading clerk will then read the bill section by section, and the Representatives will recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The first is viva voce, where the Speaker of the House asks supporters of the bill to say "aye" and those against it to say "no". The second is division, where supporters and opponents of the bill are asked to stand up and be counted. The third is recorded, where Representatives record their vote using an electronic voting system, and can vote "yes", "no", or "present" if they do not want to vote on the bill. If a majority of Representatives vote "yes", the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives and is certified by the Clerk of the House before being delivered to the U.S. Senate.

When a bill reaches the U.S. Senate, it goes through similar steps to those 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, 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 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 for review. The President can choose to sign and pass the bill, in which case it becomes a law. Alternatively, the President can refuse to sign the bill, known as a veto, and send it back to the U.S. House of Representatives with their reasons for the veto. The President can also do nothing, known as a pocket veto, in which case the bill will automatically become law after 10 days if Congress is in session, but will not become law if Congress is not in session. If the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate still believe the bill should become a law after a veto, they can hold another vote on the bill, and if two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support it, the President's veto will be overridden and the bill will become a law.

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