The Legislative Process: Word Search Answers Explained

The process of how a bill becomes a law is a lengthy one, with many steps and procedures. Anyone can draft a bill, but only members of Congress can introduce legislation and become sponsors. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes, it goes to the other body to go through the same process. Once both bodies vote to accept the bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. The bill is then presented to the President, who can approve it, veto it, or do nothing. If the bill has passed both the House and the Senate and has been approved by the President, or if a presidential veto has been overridden, the bill becomes a law.

Anyone can draft a bill

In the UK, most draft bills are government bills, produced by government departments and issued to interested parties. However, MPs and Lords can also consider them in committees. Draft bills are issued for consultation before being formally introduced to Parliament, allowing for proposed changes to be made.

In the US, there are two types of bills: private and public. Private bills affect a specific individual, while public bills affect the general public. Any bill that deals with revenue always begins in the House of Representatives.

In the US 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. A bill needs a sponsor, and the Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. When introduced, the title of the bill is put into the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record. The Clerk then assigns the bill a legislative number and the Speaker of the House allots it to the appropriate committee.

Bills need a sponsor

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with an idea, which may come from a Representative or citizen. Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills. The Representative will then talk with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes 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 U.S. 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 U.S. House of Representatives. A bill can have only one sponsor, but there is no limit on the number of cosponsors it may have. Cosponsors are senators or representatives who add their names as supporters of the bill. An unlimited number of cosponsors of a bill is permitted.

Bills are introduced to the House of Representatives

Bills are the starting point for all laws in the United States. They can originate from a Representative, citizen, or citizen group. However, only members of Congress can introduce legislation. A bill is introduced to the House of Representatives 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.

Once a bill has been introduced, it is given a number that begins with H.R. and is 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. These committees are made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committees review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee requires more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for closer examination and to gather expert opinions.

If the committee approves the bill, it is sent or reported back to the House floor for debate. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and Representatives can recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready for a vote.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House of Representatives: Viva Voce (voice vote), Division, and Recorded. In the Viva Voce method, the Speaker of the House asks supporters of the bill to say "aye" and opponents to say "no." In Division, supporters and opponents of the bill are asked to stand up and be counted. In the Recorded method, Representatives record their votes using an electronic voting system, with options to vote yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote. If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House of Representatives and is certified by the Clerk of the House before being delivered to the Senate.

Bills are assigned to a committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. This is where the bill will be studied, discussed, and changed. The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate refers the bill to the appropriate committee. The referral decision is often made by the House or Senate parliamentarian.

In the House, bills are referred to all committees that have jurisdiction over the provisions in the bill. This is determined by the chamber's standing rules and past referral decisions. Most bills fall under the jurisdiction of one committee. If multiple committees are involved, each committee will only work on the portion of the bill that falls under its jurisdiction. One of the committees will be designated as the primary committee of jurisdiction and will lead on any action. In the Senate, bills are usually referred to only one committee with jurisdiction over the predominant issue in the bill.

Committees are made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on the topics covered by the bill. They will 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, the bill is sent to a subcommittee to be closely examined and expert opinions gathered. Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent to the House floor to be debated.

The bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: Viva Voce (voice vote), Division, and Recorded. In a voice vote, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no". In a Division vote, 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 do the same. In a Recorded vote, Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, selecting "yes," "no," or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill.

If a majority of the Representatives vote "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.

If the bill passes in one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. 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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