Understanding The Process: A Bill's Journey To Law

The process of how a bill becomes a law is a complex one, with many steps involved. In the United States, all laws begin as bills, and the creation of these bills can be initiated by a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate, or even by citizens and advocacy groups. Once a bill is introduced, it must go through several stages of review, research, discussion, and voting before it can become a law. This includes being assigned to a committee, going through subcommittees, being debated and amended, and finally, being voted on by both Houses of Congress. If a bill passes through both Houses, it is then presented to the President for approval or veto. Understanding this process is crucial for those seeking to advocate for policy changes, as it allows them to identify the key points of influence and maximize their impact.

Bill is drafted, sponsored and introduced

The first step in the legislative process is drafting a bill. Any member of Congress—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. Bills can also be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.

Once a bill is drafted, it needs a sponsor. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill. The sponsor will talk with other Representatives about the bill to get their support. The other members of Congress who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some other 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. In the Senate, bills are submitted to clerks on the Senate floor. Once introduced, the bill is assigned a designation (e.g. H.R. for House-originated bills) and a number, which is usually the next number in sequence during that two-year Congress.

After a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Both the House and the Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members who are particularly interested in different topics, such as health or international affairs. Most bills are assigned to a single committee, but if multiple committees are involved, each committee may only work on the portion of the bill under its jurisdiction. One of those committees will be designated the primary committee of jurisdiction and will lead on any action that may occur.

Bill goes to committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is sent to a committee. Committees are composed of groups of Congress members with a particular interest in a specific topic, such as health, agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee chair has the chief authority for setting the committee's agenda and identifying the bills the committee will act on.

The committee carefully examines the bill, discussing and making changes to it. They may hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and gather expert opinions. These hearings provide a forum for hearing from selected parties, such as relevant industries, executive branch agencies, and citizen groups. Witnesses provide oral and written feedback, and committee members ask questions. The committee may also engage in additional assessment through informal briefings.

If the committee requires further information or specialisation, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. Subcommittees are organised under committees and have a more specific focus on a particular topic. The subcommittee examines the bill in detail and may make changes before sending it back to the committee for approval.

After hearings and subcommittee review are completed, the committee meets to "mark up" the bill. They make changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor". This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported". If the committee votes against reporting the bill to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies. If they vote in favour, it is reported to the floor.

Bill is debated and voted on

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on.

The Bill Is Debated and Voted On

When a bill is debated, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. 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.

Bill is sent to the President

Once a bill has been approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the President for review. The President has three options: they can sign the bill into law, veto the bill, or do nothing (a "pocket veto").

If the President chooses to sign the bill, it becomes a law. This is the simplest route to a new law.

However, if the President decides to veto the bill, it will be 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 law, they can hold another vote on it. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law.

A pocket veto occurs if the President does nothing for 10 days while Congress is in session, in which case the bill automatically becomes law. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.

Bill is signed into law

Once a bill has been approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the President for their approval or signature. This is the final step in the process of a bill becoming a law.

The President has three options when a bill reaches their desk. They can choose to sign and pass the bill, which means the bill becomes a law. They can also refuse to sign or veto the bill, which will be 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, and if two-thirds of Representatives and Senators support it, the President's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law. The third option is for the President to do nothing, which is known as a pocket veto. If Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law.

If a bill has been passed by 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.

The Office of Federal Register then assigns the Public Law a number (e.g. P.L. 109-1) and the Government Printing Office prints a copy of it. Laws are first issued in slip form, a single publication containing one law. They are later organised in the order in which they were passed and then codified into subject order so that laws on the same topic are grouped together.

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