Understanding Lawmaking: Junior Scholastic Worksheet Guide

Teaching students about how a bill becomes a law is a great way to promote engaged citizenship and strengthen their civics literacy. Junior Scholastic offers a variety of resources, including worksheets, to help students understand the complex process of law-making in the United States. The resources cover topics such as the roles of elected officials, political jargon, and the differences between public and private bills. By following the journey of a bill as it progresses through the House of Representatives, the Senate, committees, and finally, the President, students can gain a deeper understanding of the system of checks and balances in place to ensure that laws are well-debated and thoroughly considered before being enacted.

The role of sponsors and committees

Before a bill can be introduced, it needs a sponsor. The sponsor is usually the person who came up with the idea for the bill, and they will talk to other members of Congress or Representatives to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some members of Congress or Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

The sponsor introduces the bill by placing it in a special box on the side of the clerk's desk, called the hopper. A bill clerk then assigns it a number and reads it to all the members of Congress or Representatives. The Speaker of the House or the head of Congress then sends the bill to a committee.

Committees are groups of members of Congress or Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. If the committee members would like more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee, where it is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before being sent back to the committee for approval.

If a committee does not take any action on a bill, or decides to stop working on it, the bill is said to have "died in committee" and will not become a law.

The committee process

If the committee members require more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. In the subcommittee, the bill is closely examined, and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

The committee may decide to pigeonhole, table, amend, or vote on the bill. If the committee takes no action on a bill, or decides to stop working on it, the bill is said to have died in committee and will not become a law. On the other hand, if the committee approves the bill, it is sent to the Rules Committee, which decides the rules for debate and when the bill will be debated.

Congress and the Legislative branch

The Legislative Branch of the US government is responsible for creating laws. The US Constitution grants this power to the Legislative Branch. However, Congress does not write all the laws it passes. A bill, or proposed law, can be drafted by members of Congress, the Executive Branch, or even outside groups.

The Legislative Branch is made up of two parts: the US House of Representatives and the US Senate. Both parts must approve a bill before it can become a law.

The House of Representatives is the first chamber a bill is introduced to. Only members of the House of Representatives, or Representatives, can introduce a bill. The bill is placed in a special box called the hopper, which is located next to the clerk's desk. Once introduced, a bill is assigned a number that begins with H.R. and is read aloud to all Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to a committee.

Committees are groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics. They 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 further examination. If the committee approves the bill, it is sent back to the House floor for debate and a vote.

After the House of Representatives, the bill is sent to the second chamber, the US Senate, where it goes through a similar process. A Senator introduces the bill, and it is sent to a committee. If the committee approves, the bill goes to the whole Senate for a vote. If a majority of Senators support the bill, it is returned to the House of Representatives.

If any changes are made to the bill in the Senate, a conference committee with members from both chambers works out a compromise. Both chambers must then approve the changes made by the conference committee. If approved, the bill goes to the President.

In conclusion, the Legislative Branch plays a crucial role in the law-making process. While Congress may not write every law it passes, it carefully reviews, debates, and votes on bills before they can become laws.

Presidential approval

Once a bill has been approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is then sent to the President for approval. This is the final step in the process of a bill becoming a law.

The President has three options when it comes to approving a bill. Firstly, they can sign the bill, at which point it becomes a law. Secondly, they can veto the bill, which means it is sent back to the House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House and the Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can override the veto by holding another vote. If two-thirds of Representatives and Senators support the bill, it will become a law. Finally, the President can do nothing, which is known as a pocket veto. If Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law.

Public vs private bills

There are two main categories of bills: public and private. Public bills deal with matters of national interest, while private bills are about granting special powers, benefits, or exemptions to specific individuals or organisations.

Public Bills

Public bills are proposed laws that would apply to everyone within their jurisdiction. They are the most common type of bill introduced in the UK Parliament and the US. They can be initiated by a Minister (in which case they are called "government bills") or by a private member of the legislature (in which case they are called "private member's bills"). Government bills are usually introduced in the House of Commons and often include financial provisions.

Private Bills

Private bills are proposals for laws affecting only a single person, group, or area. They provide benefits to specified individuals or organisations, including corporate bodies. They can be used to grant citizenship, deal with immigration issues, or grant tax relief. Private bills are much less common than public bills, especially in the US, where federal agencies now deal with many of the issues that were previously addressed through private bills.

The Process for Public and Private Bills

For both public and private bills, the process of becoming a law is the same. It begins when a member of Congress introduces the bill to the House or the Senate. Bills can be drafted by members of Congress, the Executive Branch, or even outside groups, but only members of Congress can introduce them. Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee, which reviews, researches, and revises it before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee approves the bill, it is sent back to the House for debate and a vote. If a majority of members vote in favour, the bill is sent to the Senate, where it goes through the same process. If the Senate also approves, the bill is sent to the President for approval. The President can approve the bill, veto it, or do nothing. If the President approves, the bill becomes a law. If not, it can still become a law if two-thirds of both houses of Congress vote to override the veto.

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