Understanding The Legislative Process: Bill To Law Worksheet

The process of a bill becoming a law is a long and complex one. In the United States, the journey begins in the House of Representatives, where a bill is introduced by a sponsor and assigned to a committee. The committee reviews, researches, and revises the bill before it is voted on. If the bill passes in the House, it moves to the Senate, where it undergoes a similar process. Once a bill has passed both chambers of Congress, it is presented to the President for approval. The President can approve the bill, veto it, or do nothing. If the President vetoes, Congress can still override this decision with a two-thirds majority vote. The process is a key part of the US system of checks and balances, ensuring laws are thoroughly debated and considered.

The Bill Is Proposed

The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law is for the bill to be proposed. This can happen in a few different ways. Firstly, a citizen can propose an idea for a bill to their Representative. If the Representative agrees with the idea, they will research it and write it into a bill. Secondly, 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 during their election campaign. Lastly, bills can be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will talk with other Representatives about the bill, hoping to get their support. Once the bill has a sponsor and the support of some other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

The Bill Is Introduced

The next step is for the bill to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is done by placing the document in a special box called the hopper, which is located on the side of the clerk's desk. Only Representatives are able to introduce bills in the House of Representatives.

Once the bill has been introduced, a bill clerk will assign it a number that begins with H.R. A reading clerk will then read the bill to all the Representatives, after which the Speaker of the House will send the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The Bill Is Introduced

The process of turning a bill into a law begins with its introduction. This is a formal process that takes place in the U.S. House of Representatives. Only Representatives can introduce bills in this chamber of Congress. The sponsor, or initiator, of the bill places the document in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. At this point, the bill is officially introduced and is assigned a number that begins with H.R. by a bill clerk. A reading clerk then reads the bill aloud to all the Representatives, after which the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The process of introducing a bill typically begins with a citizen or a Representative proposing an idea for a new law or a change to an existing one. If a citizen proposes the idea, they must contact their Representative to discuss it. If the Representative agrees with the proposal, they will research the idea and write it into a bill. The Representative will then talk to other Representatives to try to get their support for the bill. Once the bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

The Bill Goes to Committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee for study.

The Bill Is Reported

Once a bill has been reviewed by a committee, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. This is when a bill is truly ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill, explaining why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk then 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. The first is viva voce, where the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it to say "no". The second is division, where the Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to do the same. The third is recorded, where Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, selecting "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 U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

The Bill Is Voted On

Once a bill has been introduced 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 the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no." In a Division vote, 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 do the same. In a Recorded vote, Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. They 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. In the Senate, 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 vote "yea," the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.

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