The Legislative Process: How A Bill Becomes Law

The process of a bill becoming a law is a complex one, and it differs slightly between the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, the general procedure is as follows: a bill is proposed, then introduced, then assigned to a committee, then voted on, and finally, if it passes, it is sent to the President for approval.

A bill is proposed

A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups. Once an idea for a bill has been established, the next step is to write the bill. When a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks 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. When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk 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 committee members—groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations—review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee would like more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. While in subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval. Once 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.

The bill is introduced

The process of introducing a bill is the first step in the journey of an idea becoming a law. The bill is the formal proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups. Once the bill is drafted, it must 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 House. When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk 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 bill is also sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made.

In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill during the morning hour. If any senator objects, the introduction is postponed until the next day. The bill is then assigned a number (e.g., S 1) and sent to the GPO for copying. Senate bills can be jointly sponsored, and members can cosponsor legislation.

The introduction of a bill is a critical step in the legislative process, as it marks the formal proposal and initiation of the journey towards becoming a law. Once introduced, the bill is assigned a number, sent for copying, and referred to the appropriate committees for further review and discussion.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of representatives who are experts on specific 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 want more information before deciding, 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. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported". If a committee votes not to report legislation to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies.

Committees provide the most intensive consideration of a proposed bill. They are also the forum where the public is given the opportunity to be heard. A committee may also submit the bill to the Government Accountability Office with a request for an official report on the necessity or desirability of enacting the bill into law.

The committees in the House of Representatives are divided into four types: standing committees, select committees, joint committees, and subcommittees. There are currently 20 standing committees in the House and 16 in the Senate. In addition, there are four standing joint committees of the two Houses, with oversight responsibilities but no legislative jurisdiction. The House may also create select committees or task forces to study specific issues and report on them.

The bill is reported

Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. This is when it is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and the Representatives recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say “aye” and those that oppose it to say “no."
• Division: 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 stand up and be counted.
• Recorded: Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. Representatives can vote 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.

The bill is voted on

Once a bill has been reported by a committee, it is sent to the floor of the chamber 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 the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it to say "no". In a division vote, the Speaker 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 an electronic voting system, and can vote "yes", "no", or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill. If a majority of Representatives vote "yes", the bill passes in the House and is then sent to the Senate.

In the Senate, Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators vote "yea", the bill passes in the Senate and is then sent to the President.

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