Understanding The Lawmaking Process: Worksheet Explainer

The process of turning a bill into a law is a long and complex one. It involves multiple stages and requires approval from various officials. The journey begins with a representative who drafts the bill and seeks support from other representatives. Once there is sufficient backing, the bill is introduced to the House of Representatives. It is then assigned to a committee for further review, research, and potential revisions. If the committee approves, the bill returns to the House floor for debate and any final changes. It is then voted on by the House of Representatives. If it passes, the bill moves to the Senate, where it undergoes similar steps. If the Senate approves, the bill goes to the President, who can sign it into law, veto it, or take no action. This process ensures that laws are thoroughly debated and carefully considered before being enacted.

The role of the committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee. The committee is a group of representatives who are experts on the topic of the bill, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee's job is to discuss, research, and revise the bill to get it into shape to become a law. They may also invite technical experts, lawyers, and policy analysts to provide additional insights and opinions.

If the committee decides to take no action on a bill, or if they choose to stop working on it, it is said to have "died in committee," meaning it will not become a law. On the other hand, if the committee approves a bill, it is then sent back to the House floor, where it is debated and voted on by the full House of Representatives.

In some cases, the committee may send the bill to a subcommittee for further examination and to gather expert opinions before bringing it back for final approval. The committee plays a crucial role in shaping the bill and determining whether it advances in the legislative process.

The committee has the power to make necessary revisions to the bill. This can include making changes to the wording, adding or removing provisions, or addressing any ambiguities or concerns that were identified during their review. The committee's expertise ensures that the bill is thoroughly vetted and aligns with the relevant policies and areas of interest.

Additionally, the committee's discussions and research help to inform the broader debate on the bill. By providing insights and analysis, they enable other representatives to make more informed decisions when the bill returns to the House floor. The committee's work is a critical step in ensuring that the bill is well-considered and has a chance of becoming a law.

The conference committee

A conference committee is a joint committee of the United States Congress, composed of members from both the House and the Senate. These individuals are typically senior members of the standing committees that originally considered the bill. The committee is established to resolve differences between two versions of a bill, and to create a single, identical bill that can be passed by both the House and the Senate.

What is a veto?

A veto is the power to unilaterally stop an official action, most commonly a bill becoming a law. The word "veto" comes from the Latin for "I forbid". In the context of a bill becoming a law, a veto is when the president refuses to pass a bill, returning it to the chamber of Congress that originated it. This can happen when the president disagrees with a bill, thinks it is unnecessary, or feels it does not align with their agenda for the country.

The veto power is defined in Article 1, Section 7 of the US Constitution. If the president does not veto or sign a bill within 10 days (excluding Sundays), it automatically becomes law. This is to prevent the president from killing legislation through inaction. However, if Congress has adjourned before the 10 days are up, the legislation does not become law. This is called a "pocket veto".

A presidential veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress. This is known as overriding the veto. In some cases, vetoes are absolute and cannot be overridden. For example, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US) have an absolute veto over any Security Council resolution.

Creating laws at the state level

The bill is then proposed, and the Representative will talk with other Representatives to gain their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and support from other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced by placing it in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the House.

Once introduced, a bill is assigned a number and read by a clerk to all Representatives. It is then sent to one of the House standing committees. 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 before being sent back to the committee for approval.

When the committee has approved a bill, it is sent back to the House floor for debate. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their agreement or disagreement. A reading clerk reads the bill section by section, and Representatives recommend changes. After all the changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the House: viva voce (voice vote), division, and recorded. In a voice vote, the Speaker of the House asks those who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no." In a division vote, supporters are asked to stand up and be counted, and then the same is done for opponents. In a recorded vote, Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their vote as yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote. If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

The process in the Senate is similar. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor for a vote. Senators vote by voice, with supporters saying "yea" and opponents "nay." If a majority of Senators support the bill, it passes in the Senate and is sent to the President.

When a bill reaches the President, they have three choices: they can sign and pass the bill, making it a law; they can veto the bill, sending it back to the House with their reasons for the veto; or they can do nothing (a pocket veto), in which case, 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.

Sponsors and cosponsors

Before a bill can be introduced, it needs a sponsor. A sponsor is the person who submits the bill. Typically, the sponsor will be a representative who has written the bill, and they will talk with other representatives to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the representatives, it is placed in the hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk's desk—and is then introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives. Only representatives can introduce bills in the House of Representatives.

Anyone in the country can write a bill. Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their representatives to discuss their ideas. If the representatives agree, they will research the ideas and write them into bills. The representative who has written the bill will then become the sponsor.

Before a sponsor introduces a bill, they will want to ensure that other members of Congress will support it. Once the sponsor knows that the bill has some support, they will introduce it into the House of Representatives for consideration.

Frequently asked questions