Keith Mack
In the United States, the process of a bill becoming a law involves several steps and the participation of different entities, including the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. This complex journey can be effectively illustrated through a diagram, providing a visual representation of the legislative process. By following the diagram, one can gain a comprehensive understanding of how a bill navigates through proposal, committee review, voting, and, ultimately, passage into law. This visual guide simplifies the intricate world of lawmaking, making it accessible to those curious about the inner workings of the U.S. government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of steps | 9 |
| Who can draft a bill? | Any member of Congress – either from the Senate or the House of Representatives |
| Where is the bill 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. |
| What happens after the bill is introduced? | It is referred to a committee. |
| What is a committee? | Both the House and Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members who are particularly interested in different topics such as health or international affairs. |
| What happens after the committee reviews the bill? | The committee may even choose to 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 the record. |
| What is a subcommittee? | Subcommittees are organized under committees and have further specialization on a certain topic. |
| What happens after the subcommittee reviews the bill? | The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer a bill back to the full committee. |
| What is committee mark up? | The committee will meet to "mark up" the bill. They make changes and amendments prior to recommending the bill to the "floor". |
| What happens after the bill reaches the floor? | There is additional debate and members of the full chamber vote to approve any amendments. The bill is then passed or defeated by the members voting. |
| What happens after the bill is passed by one chamber? | When the House or Senate passes a bill, it is referred to the other chamber, where it usually follows the same route through committees and finally to the floor. |
| What happens after the bill is passed by both chambers? | The bill is sent to the President. |
| What can the President do? | The President can approve the bill and sign it into law, or refuse to approve a bill (veto). |
| What happens if the President vetoes the bill? | Congress may attempt to override the veto. If both the Senate and the House pass the bill by a two-thirds majority, the President's veto is overruled, and the bill becomes a law. |
What You'll Learn
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 their member of Congress.
Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks to other Representatives about the bill, hoping to get their support. The sponsor and the other Representatives 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 U.S. House of Representatives. 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.
Committees 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. If the committee would like more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further examination and to gather expert opinions.
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The bill is introduced
The bill-making process begins with an idea, which can come from a Representative, citizen, or advocacy group. Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor and the support of other Representatives before it can be introduced. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The introduction of a bill is a formal process. It is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill clerk then assigns it a number that begins with H.R. This is followed by a reading clerk reading the bill to all the Representatives. Finally, the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
The introduction of a bill marks its official entry into the legislative process. It is given a unique identifier and made public, allowing citizens to track its progress and understand the law-making process. The introduction is a critical step, as it sets the bill on its journey towards becoming a law and ensures transparency in governance.
The introduction of a bill is a significant milestone, as it represents the transformation of an idea into a formal proposal. It is the first step in a lengthy and complex process, requiring careful consideration, debate, and revision. The introduction also serves as a call to action, inviting collaboration and input from various stakeholders, including citizens, experts, and policymakers.
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The bill goes to committee
Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. This committee is made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee will review, research, and revise the bill. They may also request comments on the bill's merit from government agencies. The bill is placed on the calendar of the committee, and failure to act on it is equivalent to killing it.
The committee may also assign the bill to a subcommittee, which will closely examine it 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 the bill, it is sent or reported to the House floor, where it can be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Before reaching the floor, most bills in the House go to the Rules Committee, which governs the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. The Rules Committee can be bypassed in three ways: suspending the rules with a two-thirds vote, filing a discharge petition, or using a Calendar Wednesday procedure.
In the House, bills are then referred by the Speaker to all committees with jurisdiction over the provisions in the bill. Most bills fall under the jurisdiction of one committee, and if multiple committees are involved, each committee will only work on the portion of the bill under its jurisdiction. One committee will be designated the primary committee of jurisdiction and will lead on any action.
In the Senate, the bill is usually referred only to the committee with jurisdiction over the predominant issue in the bill. In rare cases, a bill might not be referred to a committee and instead be placed directly on the Senate Calendar of Business.
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The bill is reported
Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. This is when the bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.
During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, a reading clerk reads the bill section by section, and the Representatives 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:
- 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 the 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.
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The bill is voted on
Once a bill has been introduced, gone through the necessary committees, and been 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 (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, where it will go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting.
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. If it passes, they present it to the president.
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Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law.
Ideas for bills can come from sitting members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens or groups of citizens.
Once a bill is drafted, it must be introduced by a sponsor and gain the support of other Representatives. It then goes through several stages of review, research, revision, and voting in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. If the bill passes in both chambers, it is presented to the President for approval.
If the President chooses to veto a bill, Congress can hold another vote. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law.
