Anaya Nolan
Once a bill has been through the subcommittee review stage, it is sent back to the full committee for a mark-up session, where further revisions and additions are made. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a clean bill which will include 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 chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What happens after a subcommittee review? | The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. The full committee will then hold a "mark-up" session to make revisions and additions. |
| What is a "mark-up" session? | A session where the committee makes revisions and additions to the bill. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" which will include the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded. |
| What happens after the "mark-up" session? | The chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote. |
| What happens after the final passage vote? | After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar. |
What You'll Learn
- The bill is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made
- The bill is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it
- The bill is 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
- If both bodies vote to accept the bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions
The bill is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made
Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made. This is a crucial step in the legislative process, as it ensures that the bill is accessible to the relevant parties and the wider public. The GPO is the Federal Government's official printer, and it plays a vital role in keeping citizens informed about the workings of their government.
The GPO is responsible for printing and distributing copies of the bill to various locations. Firstly, copies are sent to the document rooms of both the House and the Senate, where they are made available to officials and the public. This ensures that members of Congress and their staff have access to the bill as it moves through the legislative process. Additionally, printed and electronic versions of the bill are made available to the public. This step is essential for maintaining government transparency and allowing citizens to stay informed about proposed legislation.
The GPO also prints copies of the bill for the members of the relevant committees. These copies are sent to the office of the chairman of each committee to which the bill has been referred. The clerk of the committee then enters it on the committee's Legislative Calendar. This calendar helps to organise and track the progress of the bill as it undergoes review and discussion within the committee.
The GPO's role in this stage of the legislative process is critical for facilitating the smooth progression of the bill. By providing copies of the bill to the necessary parties, the GPO helps to ensure that the legislative process runs efficiently and effectively. It allows members of Congress and the public to stay informed and engaged, which is essential for a functioning democracy.
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The bill is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it
Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee is chosen by the Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate, though the referral decision is usually made by the House or Senate parliamentarian. The committee will be made up of members who will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill may be split so that different parts are sent to different committees, and the Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees.
The bill is placed on the calendar of the committee and, if the committee does not act on it, the bill is considered "dead". Bills can be released from committee without a proper committee vote by a discharge petition signed by a majority of the House membership (218 members). The committee chairman may also assign the bill to a subcommittee, which will report its findings to the full committee. The committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" which will include 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 favour the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.
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The bill is put before the chamber to be voted on
Once a bill has been through the subcommittee review process, it is put before the chamber to be voted on. This is when members of the full committee vote to determine the bill's future. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported". The bill then reaches the floor, where there is additional debate and members of the full chamber vote to approve any amendments. The bill is then passed or defeated by the members' voting.
The bill is then sent to the other chamber, where it will usually follow the same route through committees and, finally, to the floor. This chamber may approve the bill as received, reject it, ignore it, or change it. Congress may form a conference committee to resolve or reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. If the conference committee is unable to reach an agreement, the bill dies. If an agreement is reached, the committee members prepare a conference report with recommendations for the final bill. Both the House and Senate must vote to approve the conference report.
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If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body
If a bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. This means that the bill is put before the other body of Congress to be voted on. Before the vote, the bill will go through a process of research, discussion, and changes. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. Then, both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, they present it to the president.
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If both bodies vote to accept the bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions
Once both bodies have voted to accept a bill, they must appoint members to a conference committee to work out any differences between the two versions. This committee is usually made up of senior members who are appointed by the presiding officers of the committee that originally dealt with the bill. The representatives from each house will work to maintain their version of the bill.
If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written conference report, which is submitted to each chamber. The conference report must be approved by both the House and the Senate. If the conference committee is unable to reach an agreement, the bill dies.
Once the conference report has been approved by both chambers, the bill is sent to the President for review.
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Frequently asked questions
After the subcommittee stage, the bill is sent back to the full committee, which will hold a "mark-up" session to make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" which will include 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 chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote.
After the committee stage, the bill is placed on the Calendar. In the House, there are four House Calendars, while in the Senate, there is a Legislative Calendar and an Executive Calendar. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader decide what will reach the floor and when. Scheduling of legislation in the Senate is the job of the Majority Leader.
After the Calendar stage, the bill is voted on. If passed, it is then sent to the other chamber unless that chamber already has a similar measure under consideration. If either chamber does not pass the bill then it dies. If the House and Senate pass the same bill then it is sent to the President. If the House and Senate pass different bills they are sent to Conference Committee.
After the Conference Committee stage, the bill is sent to the President for review. The President can choose to sign the bill, in which case it becomes law, or veto it. If the President chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes law.
