Keith Mack
Learning about how a bill becomes a law is an important part of understanding how governments work. In the United States, the process of turning a bill into a law is long and complex, and it can be confusing for students. Worksheets and educational resources are available to help break down the process and make it easier for third graders to understand. These resources cover topics such as the roles of elected officials, political jargon, and the differences between public and private bills. They also offer a range of activities, from reading and question worksheets to games and simulations, to help students engage with the material and critically think about the lawmaking process.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where do laws begin? | As ideas from citizens or Representatives. |
| Who can write a bill? | Anyone in the country. |
| What is a bill's sponsor? | The person who submits the bill. |
| What is the hopper? | A special box on the side of the clerk's desk where a bill is introduced. |
| Who can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives? | Only Representatives. |
| What happens when a bill is introduced? | A bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R., a reading clerk reads it to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends it to a House standing committee. |
| Who are committee members? | Groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics. |
| What is a subcommittee? | A smaller committee formed to closely examine a bill and gather expert opinions. |
| What is a roll call vote? | A vote where the clerk calls each member by name, and the member calls out their vote. |
| What is a model bill? | A proposed version of a bill meant to guide lawmakers as they draft the final version. |
| What is a veto? | When the President does not want a bill to become a law and sends it back to the chamber of Congress that originated it. |
| What is a filibuster? | A very long speech intended to delay the legislative process. |
| What is a pocket veto? | When the President does nothing, and if Congress is not in session, the bill does not become a law. |
What You'll Learn
The Bill Is Proposed
So, you want to know how a bill becomes a law? Well, it all starts with an idea. Anyone can have an idea for a new law, but for it to become a bill, it needs to be written up by a Representative. Citizens can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas, and if the Representative agrees, they will research and write it up as a bill.
Once a Representative has written a bill, they need to find a sponsor. They will talk to other Representatives about the bill, hoping to get their support. A bill needs the support of several Representatives before it can be introduced.
When a bill has a sponsor and enough support, it is ready to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The sponsor places the bill in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. From there, it will be assigned a number and read out to all the Representatives.
Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee for review. The committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on different topics. They will review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor for a full debate and vote.
If the committee needs more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee, where it is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered. If it passes this stage, it will be sent back to the committee for final approval before moving forward.
The Law-Making Process: From Bill to Law
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The Bill Is Introduced
Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. This is done by placing the document in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk in the U.S. House of Representatives. Only Representatives can introduce bills at this stage.
When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. This number is unique to the bill and helps identify it as it progresses. Following this, a reading clerk will read the bill aloud to all the Representatives. Finally, the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees for further review.
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The Bill Goes to Committee
So, the bill has been introduced and read out to the House of Representatives. Now, it's time for it to go to a committee. But what does that mean?
Committees are made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on certain topics, like farming, education, or international relations. They carefully review, research, and revise the bill. They might also invite experts to give their opinions. This process is called a committee hearing.
If the committee members want to make big changes to the bill, they might send it to a subcommittee. A subcommittee looks at the bill even more closely and makes sure that everyone agrees with the changes.
Once the committee is happy with the bill, they vote on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. If they do, it's called reporting the bill.
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The Bill Is Reported
So, the bill has been proposed, introduced, and gone to committee. Now, it's time for the committee to report back.
When 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 U.S. House of Representatives. This is where the bill starts to become a law, as it is discussed and explained by the Representatives.
The Representatives will discuss the bill, explaining why they agree or disagree with it. Then, a reading clerk will read the bill section by section, and the Representatives will recommend changes. When all the changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.
The process of a bill becoming a law is long and detailed, and this is a crucial step. The bill has been reviewed, researched, and revised by the committee, and now it is ready to be debated and voted on. This is an important part of the democratic process, as the Representatives are the voice of the people, and they are discussing and debating the bill before it becomes a law.
The next step is for the bill to be voted on, and there are several ways this can happen.
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The Bill Is Voted On
Once a bill has been debated and all changes have been made, it is ready to be voted on.
There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: viva voce, division, and recorded. In a viva voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks Representatives to say "aye" if they support the bill and "no" if they do not. In a division vote, the Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then does the same for those who oppose it. In a recorded vote, Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their vote. They can vote "yes", "no", or "present" if they do not want to vote on the bill.
If a majority of Representatives vote "yes", the bill passes in the House and is certified by the Clerk before being delivered to the U.S. Senate. If the majority vote "no", the bill does not pass.
The Legislative Process: How Bills Become Laws
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Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposed law. Anyone can write one, but only a member of Congress can introduce it to the House or the Senate for consideration.
The first step is for the bill to be proposed by a Representative or Senator in Congress. The person who submits the bill is known as the sponsor.
Once introduced, the bill is placed in a special box called the hopper. It is then assigned a number and read out to all the Representatives. It is then sent to a committee for review, research, and revisions.
If a bill passes in both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the President for approval. The President can choose to sign and pass the bill, veto it, or do nothing (a pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress, along with their reasons. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators still support the bill, the President's veto can be overridden, and the bill becomes a law.
