Cameron Miranda
The process of how a bill becomes a law is a complex one, with many steps and procedures to be followed. It is the primary function of Congress to create and modify laws, and any member of Congress can introduce a bill. The bill is then assigned a number and referred to a committee, which will review, research, and revise it. If the committee approves, the bill is reported to the House floor, where it is debated and voted on. If it passes, the bill is sent to the other chamber, where it goes through a similar process. Once both chambers have approved the bill, it is sent to the President for review. The President can choose to sign the bill into law, veto it, or do nothing (a pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers, and the bill becomes a law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can propose a bill? | Any member of Congress, either from the Senate or the House of Representatives, or everyday citizens and advocacy groups |
| Who drafts the bill? | The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor" |
| What is the first step? | The bill is drafted |
| What is the second step? | The bill is introduced |
| What is the third step? | The bill goes to committee |
| What is the fourth step? | Subcommittee review of the bill |
| What is the fifth step? | Committee mark-up of the bill |
| What is the sixth step? | Voting by the full chamber on the bill |
| What is the seventh step? | Referral of the bill to the other chamber |
| What is the eighth step? | The bill goes to the president |
| What is the ninth step? | Overriding a veto |
What You'll Learn
The Bill Is Proposed
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 petitioned by citizens or citizen groups. Once 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.
The process of proposing a bill is similar in the House and the Senate. In the House, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk’s desk. 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. HR 1 or S 1) and the name of the sponsor. It is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) where copies are made. Members can also cosponsor the bill.
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The Bill Is Introduced
The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law is the introduction of the bill. Any member of Congress – either from the Senate or the House of Representatives – who has an idea for a law can draft a bill. These ideas can come from the members of Congress themselves or from everyday citizens and advocacy groups. Once a 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.
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 then assigned a number (e.g. HR 1 or S 1) and labeled with the sponsor's name. It is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) where copies are made. Members can cosponsor the bill. Senate bills can be jointly sponsored.
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The Bill Goes to Committee
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. Committees may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill by hearing the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the bill.
If the committee requires more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee examines the bill in detail and gathers expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.
Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent back to the House floor, where it is ready to be debated.
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The Bill Is Voted On
Once the bill is debated, 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. When 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 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.
The Bill Is Referred to the Senate
When a bill reaches the U.S. Senate, it goes through many of the same steps it went through 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. 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.
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The Bill Is Sent to the President
Once a bill has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the President. The President has three options:
- Sign and pass the bill: The bill becomes a law.
- Refuse to sign or veto the bill: The bill 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 (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 a law.
If a bill has passed in both the House and the Senate and has been approved by the President, or if a presidential veto has been overridden, the bill becomes a law and is enforced by the government.
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Frequently asked questions
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 be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions, and then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, they present it to the president for approval.
If the president chooses to veto a bill, in most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. However, if the president does not sign off on a bill and it remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default. This action is called a pocket veto, and it cannot be overridden by Congress.
Once a bill is signed by the president or their veto is overridden by both houses, it becomes a law and is assigned an official number.
A public bill is one that affects the general public if enacted into law. A private bill is introduced on behalf of a specific individual and, if enacted, only affects the particular person or organization the bill concerns.
