Gavin Howe
The process of how a bill becomes a law is a long and complex one. In the United States, all laws begin as bills, and before they can become laws, they must be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. The journey of a bill to becoming a law involves several steps, including proposal, introduction, committee review, debate, voting, and approval by the President. This process ensures that laws are well-debated and thoroughly considered before being enacted.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of steps | 6-9 |
| First step | Ideation and creation |
| Second step | Presented to the legislature |
| Third step | Transfer for committee analysis |
| Fourth step | Analysis, debate, and voting of bills by Congress |
| Fifth step | Second Congress group analysis |
| Sixth step | Submission for Presidential approval |
| Seventh step | The bill becomes a law |
| Eighth step | Overriding a veto |
| Ninth step | N/A |
What You'll Learn
The Bill Is Proposed
The process of a bill becoming a law begins with an idea. This idea can come from anyone, but to become a bill, it must be proposed by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. Citizens can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas, and if the Representatives agree, they will research and write the ideas into a bill.
Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will talk with other Representatives to get their support for the bill. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill, and other members who support it are called co-sponsors. The Representative will discuss the bill with other Representatives in the hopes of getting their support for it. 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 can be lengthy, as it is important to get support from other Representatives. This can involve discussions, negotiations, and amendments to the bill. It is crucial to have a strong backing before introducing the bill to increase its chances of success in the next stages of the process.
After the bill is proposed and has sufficient support, it is then introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is a crucial step, as it marks the official start of the bill's journey to becoming a law. The sponsor plays a significant role in this stage, as they are responsible for introducing the bill for consideration by Congress.
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The Bill Is Introduced
Once the bill is introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number. In the House of Representatives, this number begins with H.R. The bill is then read by a reading clerk to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
At this point, the bill can be found on the official government website, Congress.gov, which tracks federal legislation.
The bill is then assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee is chosen based on its subject matter. For example, a bill might be sent to a committee specialising in agriculture, education, or international relations.
The committee will carefully examine the bill and determine its chances of passage by Congress. They may hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill, allowing the views of experts, public officials, supporters, and opponents to be put on record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".
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The Bill Goes to Committee
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will review, research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They carefully examine the bill and determine its chances of passage by the entire Congress. The committee may also hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications, allowing for the views of experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents to be heard.
If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". If the committee wishes to further examine the bill and gather expert opinions before making a decision, it is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee may request reports from government agencies, hold hearings, "mark up" or revise the bill, or refer it back to the full committee for consideration.
The full committee may then make a recommendation to pass the bill, revise and release it (reporting it out of the committee), or lay it aside (tabling the bill). If the committee votes in favor of the bill, it is reported to the House floor, and it is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.
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The Bill Is Voted On
Once a bill has been debated and is ready to be voted on, there are several methods of voting that can be used. The Speaker of the House can ask Representatives to say "aye" or "no", or to stand up and be counted. Alternatively, Representatives can record their vote electronically, selecting "yes", "no", or "present" if they do not wish to vote. If a majority of Representatives vote "yes", the bill passes in the House and is sent to the U.S. Senate.
In the Senate, the process is similar, but voting is done by voice. Senators who support the bill say "yea", and those who oppose it say "nay". If a majority of Senators support the bill, it passes and is sent to the President.
If a bill is passed by both the House and the Senate, it is then sent to the President, who has three options. They can sign the bill and pass it, making it a law. They can refuse to sign or veto the bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives, along with their reasons for the veto. Or, they can do nothing, in which case, if Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. If Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law.
If the President vetoes a bill, it can still become a law if two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support it in another vote, which will override the President's veto.
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The Bill Is Sent to the President
Once a bill has been approved by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, it is sent to the President. At this stage, the President has three options:
Sign and pass the bill
The President can choose to sign the bill, at which point it becomes a law.
Refuse to sign, or veto, the bill
If the President does not support the bill, they can veto it, sending it back to the House of Representatives, along with their reasons for the veto. If the House and the Senate still believe the bill should become a 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.
Do nothing (pocket veto)
If the President does nothing, and 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.
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Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law.
The process for a bill to become a law involves multiple steps, including drafting, introduction, committee review, voting, and approval by the President.
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto by holding another vote. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.
