The Legislative Process: How A Bill Becomes Law

In the United States, the process of turning a bill into a law involves several steps and the participation of Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The journey of a bill begins with its proposal, where it can be introduced by a member of Congress or a citizen. Once introduced, the bill undergoes review and discussion by committees and subcommittees, who may suggest changes. The bill is then voted on, and if it passes, it moves to the other chamber, repeating the process. Once both chambers approve, they reconcile any differences, and the bill is presented to the President for approval. The President can sign it into law or veto it. However, Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote, turning the bill into law.

A bill is proposed

A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. 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 suggested by citizens or advocacy groups. 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 sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill, hoping to get their support. The other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

A bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk in the House of Representatives. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced, it is given a number: bills introduced in the House of Representatives are given numbers that begin with H.R., while those introduced in the Senate begin with S. 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 committees reviewing the bills are composed of groups of Representatives or Senators who are experts on specific topics, such as agriculture, health, education, or international relations and affairs. The committee carefully examines the bill, determines its chances of passage by Congress, and may hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill. Hearings allow the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation to be put on record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

The main committee may then assign the bill to a subcommittee for further study and hearings. Subcommittees have further specialisation on a certain topic. The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee.

The bill is introduced

Once a bill has been drafted, it must be introduced. This is done by placing the bill in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill number is then assigned to it, beginning with H.R. if it is a House bill, and S. if it is a Senate bill. 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 sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill. The other members who support the bill are called co-sponsors. Any member of the same body (House or Senate) can add their name as a co-sponsor after the day of introduction. Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

The bill is then referred to a committee. Both the House and the Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members with particular interests and expertise in different topics, such as health or international affairs. Sometimes a bill will be referred to multiple committees, or a subcommittee first.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of Representatives or Congress members with expertise in a particular area, such as agriculture, health, or international affairs. The committee's job is to review, research, and revise the bill. They may also hold hearings to gather input from experts and stakeholders, and to better understand the implications of the bill. If the committee needs more detailed information or further specialisation, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee will study the bill, make changes, and vote to refer it back to the full committee.

After hearings and subcommittee review, the committee will meet to "mark up" the bill. They will make changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor". If the committee votes against reporting the bill to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor. This is called "ordering a bill reported". The committee chair's staff will also write a report on the bill, describing the intent of the legislation, its legislative history, its impact on existing laws, and the position of the committee members.

The bill is reported

When a bill is reported, it is sent to the House floor, where it is debated and voted on. This is also known as the "floor debate and votes" stage. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate determine if and when a bill is debated and amended before its final passage.

In the House, a representative must obtain permission from the Rules Committee to offer an amendment to a bill. In the Senate, a senator may offer an amendment without warning, as long as it is relevant to the bill. In both chambers, a majority vote is required for an amendment to be accepted and for the final bill to pass. Amendments are sometimes accepted by a voice vote, where individuals say "Yea" or "Nay", and the loudest side wins. The names or numbers of individuals voting on each side are not recorded.

Once the bill has been debated and amended, it is ready to be voted on. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House: viva voce, division, and recorded. In viva voce, the Speaker of the House asks supporters of the bill to say "aye" and opponents to say "no". In division, supporters of the bill are asked to stand up and be counted, and then the same is done for opponents of the bill. 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 certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the Senate.

If the bill is passed in the House, it is then referred to the Senate, where it goes through a similar process of committee review, debate, and voting.

The bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, and debated, 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, Division, and Recorded.

In a Viva Voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks Representatives to voice their support or opposition to the bill by saying "aye" or "no". In a Division vote, Representatives physically count themselves by standing up—first those in support, then those against. In a Recorded vote, Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their vote as "yes", "no", or "present".

If a majority of Representatives vote "yes", the bill passes in the House and is sent to the U.S. Senate. If the majority vote "no", the bill fails, and the process ends.

The process is similar in the Senate, with Senators voting by voice. Supporters of the bill say "yea", while opponents say "nay". If a majority say "yea", the bill passes in the Senate and is sent to the President. If a majority say "nay", the bill fails, and the process ends.

Frequently asked questions