The Journey Of A Bill To Law Via The House

The process of a bill becoming a law through the House of Representatives is a long and complex one. It begins with an idea, which can come from a sitting member of the House of Representatives or be proposed during their election campaign. The bill is then introduced and assigned a number, before being sent to a committee for research, discussion, and potential changes. Once the committee has approved the bill, it is sent back to the House floor, where it is debated and voted on. If the bill passes in the House, it is then sent to the Senate, where it goes through a similar process. If the bill passes in the Senate, it is sent to the President, who can choose to sign and pass the bill, veto it, or do nothing (pocket veto). If the President chooses to veto the bill, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill will become a law.

A bill is proposed by a member of the House of Representatives

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

In the 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 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 introduced to the House of Representatives

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with its introduction to the House of Representatives. This can be done by any member of the House, who will act as the bill's sponsor. The sponsor will discuss the bill with other members, in the hopes of gaining their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other members, it is ready to be introduced.

In the 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 members of the House of Representatives can introduce bills. Once 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, and the Speaker of the House will send the bill to one of the House's standing committees.

The bill is then assigned to a committee, whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. If the committee members would like more information before deciding whether to send the bill back to the House floor, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. In a subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. Once reported, a bill is ready to be debated by the House of Representatives. During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk will then read the bill section by section, and the Representatives will recommend changes. When all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

The bill is assigned to a committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee members 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 members want more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. In the subcommittee, the bill is closely examined, and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

The committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, where they will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" that includes the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor, while the old bill is discarded.

The committee staff will then prepare a written report explaining why they favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill may also write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is then sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.

In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes.

The Rules Committee can be bypassed in three ways:

• Members can move to suspend the rules (requires a two-thirds vote).
• A discharge petition can be filed.
• The House can use a Calendar Wednesday procedure.

The bill is voted on by the House of Representatives

Once a bill has been introduced and assigned to a committee, it is then put on a calendar to be voted on. In the House of Representatives, there are three methods for voting on a bill:

• 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 (218 out of 435) vote yes, the bill passes in the House of Representatives and is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the Senate.

The bill is sent to the Senate

Once a bill has passed the House of Representatives, it is sent to the Senate, where it goes through a similar process. The bill is first assigned to a committee, which will review, research, and revise the bill. The committee may also choose to send the bill to a subcommittee for further examination and expert opinions. The bill is then sent back to the committee for approval. Once the committee has approved the bill, it is sent to the Senate floor to be debated and voted on. Senators discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and senators recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

Senators can vote in three ways: viva voce, division, or recorded. In a viva voce vote, the senators who support the bill say "yea," and those who oppose it say "nay." In a division vote, senators who support the bill stand up and are counted, and then those who oppose the bill do the same. In a recorded vote, senators record their vote using the electronic voting system, where they can vote "yes," "no," or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill. If a majority of senators vote "yea" or select "yes," the bill passes in the Senate and is ready to be sent to the President.

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