Understanding Lawmaking: A Guide To Gcu Worksheet

The process of a bill becoming a law is a long and complex one, and it's a topic that's often heard about but not always understood. Laws in the United States begin as bills, and the journey from bill to law involves multiple stages and stakeholders. The process starts with an idea, which could come from a citizen or a representative, and it's then drafted into a bill by a representative. This bill then needs a sponsor and the support of other representatives before it can be introduced to the House of Representatives. Once introduced, it goes through various committees, subcommittees, and revisions before being voted on. If it passes the vote, it moves to the Senate, and then to the President, who has the power to veto it. Understanding how a bill becomes a law is an important part of civic education, and it's a process that ensures laws are well-debated and thoroughly considered before being enacted.

The role of the committee

The committee plays a crucial role in the process of a bill becoming a law. Once a bill has been introduced by a sponsor and placed in the hopper, it is then assigned to a committee. These committees are groups of representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations.

Committees may also create subcommittees to further examine and gather expert opinions on the bill before sending it back to the committee for approval. Once the committee has approved a bill, it is then reported to the House floor for debate and voting.

The committee's work is an important step in shaping the bill and preparing it for further consideration by the House of Representatives and, later, the Senate.

The conference committee

The work of the Conference Committee is meticulous and complex. They must navigate the nuances of the bill, identifying areas of agreement and compromise. This process involves careful consideration of the bill's implications and how it will impact various stakeholders. The committee members engage in discussions, negotiations, and, at times, compromise to reach a unified position.

Once the Conference Committee has finalised a version of the bill that harmonises the differences between the House and Senate versions, their work concludes. The reconciled bill is then presented to both chambers for a vote. This stage of the process underscores the importance of consensus-building and ensuring that the legislation has broad support before it can advance further in the law-making process.

What is a veto?

A veto is a powerful tool that the President of the United States can use to reject a bill and prevent it from becoming a law. When a bill reaches the President's desk, they have three options: they can sign and pass the bill, making it a law; they can choose to do nothing, which is called a pocket veto, and if Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law; or they can veto it.

The President may choose to veto a bill if they disagree with it, think it is unnecessary, or feel it does not align with their agenda for the country. When the President vetoes a bill, it is sent back to the chamber of Congress from which it originated, along with the President's reasons for the veto. The bill is not dead at this point, however. The chamber that receives the vetoed bill can debate it again, and if enough members of Congress still support it, 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.

The veto power of the President is an important part of the system of checks and balances built into the US Constitution, ensuring that laws are thoroughly debated and considered by all branches of government before they are passed.

Creating laws at the state level

Firstly, a Representative must draft the bill, outlining the finer points of the proposed law. The Representative will then seek out other like-minded Representatives to gain support for the bill, which is known as sponsorship. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

The bill is then introduced to the 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. Once introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number, and a reading clerk reads the bill to all Representatives before sending it to a House standing committee.

The committee then reviews, researches, and revises the bill. 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. If the committee does not take any action on the bill, it is said to have "died in committee" and will not become a law.

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent back to the House floor for debate. Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk reads the bill section by section, and Representatives recommend any final changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

If the bill passes in the House with a majority vote, it moves to the Senate, where it goes through the same process. If it passes in the Senate, it is sent to the President. The President can then choose to sign and pass the bill, veto the bill, or do nothing (pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to the House, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House and Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote, and if two-thirds of Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.

Sponsors and cosponsors

Before a bill is introduced, it needs a sponsor. A sponsor is the person who submits the bill. Typically, a sponsor will want to ensure that other members of Congress will support the bill before they introduce it. The sponsor talks with other Representatives about the bill to garner their support. Citizens with ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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. A bill clerk then assigns it a number that begins with H.R. A reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The sponsor of a bill can be thought of as its initiator. Sometimes, the initiator may not have a clear solution to the problem that the bill addresses. In this case, they work with other senators to create a solution. For example, Tom Carper, a senator from Delaware, collaborated with George V. Voinovich from Ohio to create an energy bill.

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