The Intricate Journey Of A Bill To Law

The process of how a bill becomes a law is a complex and lengthy one. It involves multiple stages and stakeholders, from the initial idea to the final enforcement. This webquest will take you on a journey through the various steps a bill must go through to become a law, from its proposal and introduction to committee hearings, markups, floor consideration, and, ultimately, presidential action. Along the way, you will discover the important roles played by representatives, senators, and the president in shaping the laws that govern the country. This webquest is designed to deepen your understanding of the legislative process and empower you to actively engage in the democratic process.

How a bill becomes a law

Anyone can come up with ideas for bills, but only Representatives can introduce them to Congress. A Representative will discuss an idea with its proponent, and if they agree, they will research and write it into a bill. The bill then needs a sponsor and the support of other Representatives before it can be introduced. In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, a box on the side of the clerk's desk.

Referral to Committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is usually referred to a committee, which may send it to a subcommittee for further consideration. Committees and subcommittees review, research, and revise the bill. They may also gather expert opinions before voting on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. A bill rarely reaches the full House or Senate floor without committee approval.

Hearings

Bills often have committee or subcommittee hearings, which are usually open to the public. Supporters and opponents of a bill will testify to try to sway the committee members to their point of view. Hearings also allow committee members to learn more about the bill. Testimony can come from the bill's sponsors, federal and public officials, representatives of special interest groups, and ordinary citizens who would be affected by the bill.

Markups

After hearings, the bill goes through the markup process, where its exact phrasing is decided line by line. Markups are crucial as they determine the specific features of a bill.

Floor Consideration

Once a bill passes out of committee and back to the whole House or Senate floor, it is ready for floor consideration. This involves debating the bill, potentially amending it, and voting on it. A bill must pass floor consideration in both the House and the Senate to go to the next step.

Presidential Action

After passing in both the House and the Senate, a bill is sent to the President. The President can sign and pass the bill, veto it, or do nothing (pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress, which can hold another vote. If two-thirds of Congress supports the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law. If the President does nothing and Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days.

The role of the House of Representatives

The U.S. House of Representatives plays a crucial role in the process of a bill becoming a law. All laws in the United States originate as bills, and before they can become laws, they must be approved by the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. This multi-step journey begins with a bill being proposed and introduced in the House of Representatives.

When a Representative has written a bill, they seek a sponsor and the support of other Representatives. Once a bill has a sponsor and sufficient backing, it is introduced in the House of Representatives by being placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Only Representatives are authorised to introduce bills in this chamber. Following the introduction, a bill clerk assigns the bill a number starting with H.R., and a reading clerk reads the bill aloud to all Representatives. The Speaker of the House then refers the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The committee stage involves groups of Representatives with expertise in relevant areas, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They review, research, and revise the bill, and they may vote to send it back to the House floor. If the committee requires additional information, the bill is referred to a subcommittee for closer examination and to gather expert opinions. After the committee approves the bill, it is reported to the House floor, where it is debated and discussed by the Representatives.

During the debate, Representatives explain their positions on the bill, and a reading clerk reads the bill section by section, allowing Representatives to recommend changes. Once all modifications are incorporated, the bill is ready for a vote. The House of Representatives employs three methods for voting: viva voce, division, and recorded votes. In the viva voce method, the Speaker asks supporters to say "aye" and opponents to say "no." In the division method, supporters and opponents are counted after being asked to stand up. In a recorded vote, Representatives use an electronic system to record their votes as yes, no, or present if they choose not to vote. If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill is certified by the Clerk of the House and sent to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

The role of the US Senate

The US Senate plays a crucial role in the process of a bill becoming a law. Once a bill has passed the House of Representatives, it is delivered to the US Senate. Here, it goes through many of the same steps as it did in the House of Representatives.

First, the bill is discussed in a Senate committee. The US Senate has its own separate standing committees to consider proposed legislation. These committees are made up of groups of Senators who are experts on particular topics. They review, research, and revise the bill, and vote on whether to send it back to the Senate floor. If the committee members require more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee, where it is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered.

Once the bill has been approved by the committee, it is reported to the Senate floor, where it is debated by the Senators. During this floor consideration, the bill is discussed, and Senators explain their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with it. The bill can also be amended during this stage.

After the floor consideration, the bill is voted on. Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill, and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the US Senate and is sent to the President.

The President can then choose to sign and pass the bill, making it a law; veto the bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives with their reasons for the veto; or do nothing, which is called a pocket veto. If a bill passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and is approved by the President, or if a presidential veto is overridden, the bill becomes a law.

The role of the President

The President has the final say on whether a bill becomes a law. Once a bill has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, it is sent to the President. At this point, the President has three options:

• Sign and pass the bill, which becomes a law.
• Refuse to sign, or veto, the bill. The bill is then sent back to the House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House of Representatives and the Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote. 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 a law.

Public lobbying

During hearings, supporters and opponents of a bill present their arguments to the committee members. These hearings are often open to the public and can be used by committee chairs to build support for or opposition to a bill. Testimonies are heard from various parties, including the bill's sponsors, federal and public officials, representatives of special interest groups, and ordinary citizens impacted by the bill.

The next step, markups, involves deciding on the exact phrasing of the bill, line by line. This process is crucial as it determines the specific features of the bill and can be very time-consuming.

Once a bill has passed the markup stage, it moves to floor consideration, where it is debated, amended if needed, and voted on by the full House or Senate floor. After passing floor consideration in one chamber, the bill is sent to the other chamber to undergo the same process.

Throughout these steps, public lobbying plays a significant role. Members of the public with a stake in the bill can contact their congressional representatives, voice their opinions, and provide input that may shape the bill. This input can influence the committee's decision-making process and the amendments made during floor consideration.

Additionally, public lobbying can take the form of testifying during hearings, where individuals or groups present their case for or against the bill. This allows the public to have a direct impact on the bill's progression and provides lawmakers with valuable insights into how the bill may affect different constituents.

The process of public lobbying is essential for ensuring that laws are made with the input and consent of those they will impact. It provides a channel for citizens to engage with the legislative process and hold their representatives accountable.

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