Der Weg Eines Gesetzesentwurfs Zum Gesetz In Den Usa

In the United States, the process of turning a bill into a law is a complex one. It involves the US Senate, the House of Representatives, and the President. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the US Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to it. It 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 have voted to accept a bill, they must reconcile any differences between the two versions. The bill then goes back to both chambers for a final vote. If it passes, it is presented to the President, who can approve it, veto it, or do nothing. If the President chooses to veto the bill, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law.

The Bill Is Proposed

The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law in the USA is the proposal of the bill. This can happen in several ways. Ideas for bills can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or they can be proposed during their election campaigns. Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.

Once a member of Congress has an idea for a law, they can draft a bill. The member of Congress who is the primary supporter of the bill is called the "sponsor". Other members of Congress who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".

When a bill has been drafted, it needs to be introduced. If the sponsor is a Representative, the bill is introduced in the House. If the sponsor is a Senator, the bill is introduced in the Senate. Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

After a bill is introduced, it is assigned a number (e.g. HR 1 or S 1) and given the name of the sponsor. It is then sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) where copies are made.

The Bill Is Introduced

The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law in the USA is the introduction of the bill. 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, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups. Once the 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. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill, and any other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".

In the House, legislation is handed to the clerk of the House or placed in the hopper. 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 labeled with the sponsor's name. It is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made. Senate bills can be jointly sponsored, and members can cosponsor the piece of legislation. Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.

Committees and Subcommittees

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. Committees provide the most intensive consideration of a proposed measure, as well as a forum for public input. Both the House and Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members with particular interests. For example, there may be committees focused on health or international affairs. The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate refers the bill to the appropriate committee. Bills may be referred to more than one committee and can be split so that parts are sent to different committees. The Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees.

Committees may hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and put the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents on the record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". Committees can also refer bills to a subcommittee for further study and hearings. Subcommittees are organized under committees and have further specialization on a certain topic. The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee.

The Bill Goes to Committee

Sobald ein Gesetzentwurf (engl. "bill") eingebracht wurde, wird er an einen Ausschuss (engl. "committee") überwiesen. Sowohl das Repräsentantenhaus (engl. "House") als auch der Senat (engl. "Senate") verfügen über verschiedene Ausschüsse, die sich aus Gruppen von Kongressmitgliedern zusammensetzen, die sich für bestimmte Themen wie Gesundheit oder internationale Angelegenheiten interessieren. Wenn ein Gesetzentwurf an einen Ausschuss überwiesen wird, wird er sorgfältig geprüft und seine Chancen auf eine Verabschiedung durch den gesamten Kongress werden eingeschätzt. Der Ausschuss kann Anhörungen abhalten, um die Auswirkungen des Gesetzentwurfs besser zu verstehen und die Ansichten der Exekutive, von Experten, anderen Regierungsbeamten sowie Befürwortern und Gegnern der Gesetzgebung zu hören. Wenn der Ausschuss nicht aktiv wird, gilt der Gesetzentwurf als "gestorben".

Unterkomitees (engl. "subcommittees") sind unter den Ausschüssen organisiert und verfügen über weitere Spezialisierungen in bestimmten Themenbereichen. Oftmals werden Gesetzentwürfe an Unterkomitees verwiesen, die sich mit der Prüfung und eigenen Anhörungen befassen. Das Unterkomitee kann Änderungen am Gesetzentwurf vornehmen und muss darüber abstimmen, ob der Gesetzentwurf an den vollen Ausschuss zurückverwiesen wird.

Wenn die Anhörungen und die Überprüfung durch das Unterkomitee abgeschlossen sind, kommt der Ausschuss zusammen, um den Gesetzentwurf zu bearbeiten ("mark-up"). Dabei werden Änderungen und Ergänzungen vorgenommen, bevor der Gesetzentwurf dem Plenum empfohlen wird. Wenn der Ausschuss gegen die Vorlage eines Gesetzentwurfs an die gesamte Kammer des Kongresses stimmt, scheitert der Gesetzentwurf. Wenn der Ausschuss für den Gesetzentwurf stimmt, wird er dem Plenum vorgelegt. Dieses Verfahren wird als "Ordering a Bill Reported" bezeichnet.

Der Ausschuss hält dann eine "Mark-up"-Sitzung ab, in der er Änderungen und Ergänzungen vornimmt. Werden wesentliche Änderungen vorgenommen, kann der Ausschuss die Vorlage eines "Clean Bill" anordnen, der die vorgeschlagenen Änderungen enthält. Dieser neue Gesetzentwurf erhält eine neue Nummer und wird dem Plenum vorgelegt, während der alte Gesetzentwurf verworfen wird. Die Kammer muss alle Änderungen des Ausschusses genehmigen, ändern oder ablehnen, bevor sie eine endgültige Abstimmung durchführt.

Nach der Vorlage des Gesetzentwurfs erstellt der Ausschuss einen schriftlichen Bericht, in dem er darlegt, warum er den Gesetzentwurf befürwortet und warum er seine Änderungen, falls vorhanden, übernommen sehen möchte. Ausschussmitglieder, die gegen einen Gesetzentwurf sind, verfassen manchmal eine abweichende Meinung in dem Bericht. Der Bericht wird dann an die gesamte Kammer zurückgesandt und in den Kalender aufgenommen.

The Bill Is Voted On

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned a number, and sent to the Government Printing Office to be copied, it is placed on a calendar and voted on by the full chamber. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Viva Voce: 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.

In the U.S. Senate, 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.

The Bill Is Sent to the President

Once a bill has been passed by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the President for review. The President has three options:

• Sign and pass the bill, which becomes a law.
• Refuse to sign or veto the bill, which is then 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, also known as a 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 law.

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