Cecily Zamora
The process of a bill becoming a law in the federal government is a long and complex one. It begins with an idea, which can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. Once an idea has been established, a bill is drafted and introduced by a sponsor. The bill is then assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. Once both bodies have voted to accept the bill, they must agree on the same version, which is then presented to the president. The president can approve the bill, or veto it. If the president chooses to veto, Congress can override this and the bill becomes law. However, if Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default, in what is known as a 'pocket veto'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Idea for 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 |
| Bill introduction | A bill is introduced by placing it in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk |
| Bill assignment | A bill is assigned to a committee |
| Committee research and discussion | Committee members research, discuss, and make changes to the bill |
| Committee vote | Committee votes on whether to send the bill back to the House floor |
| House vote | The bill is put before the chamber to be voted on |
| Second house vote | If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting |
| Bill differences | Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions |
| Final house votes | Then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill |
| President approval | If the bill passes, they present it to the president for approval or veto |
| Veto override | If the president chooses to veto a bill, in most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto and the bill becomes a law |
What You'll Learn
A bill is proposed by a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate
The process of a bill becoming a law begins with a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate proposing a bill. This can be an idea from the member themselves, or from citizens and advocacy groups. The member who proposes the bill is called the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".
Once a bill is proposed, it must be introduced. If a Representative is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the House. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate. In the House, 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 a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of members from the House or Senate with expertise in specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and gather expert opinions.
After the committee has finished reviewing the bill, they will meet to mark up the bill, making changes and amendments. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported".
The above process is the first few steps of how a bill becomes a law in the federal government.
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The bill is assigned to a committee
Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of members of the House of Representatives or the Senate who are experts on a particular topic, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee will review, research, and revise the bill, and vote on whether to send it back to the House floor.
Committees may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill. Hearings allow the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation to be put on the record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".
Committees can refer bills to a subcommittee for further study and hearings. The subcommittee may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer a bill back to the full committee. Once the hearings and subcommittee review are completed, the committee will meet to "mark up" the bill, making changes and amendments prior to recommending the bill to the "floor". If a committee votes not to report legislation to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies. If the committee votes in favor of the bill, it is reported to the floor. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported".
The Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees. Bills are placed on the calendar of the committee to which they have been assigned. Failure to act on a bill is equivalent to killing it. In the House, bills can only be released from committee without a proper committee vote by a discharge petition signed by a majority of the House membership (218 members).
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The bill is voted on by the House of Representatives
The process of a bill becoming a law in the United States is a lengthy one, and the House of Representatives plays a crucial role in this process. Once a bill has been introduced by a member of the House, it is assigned to a committee for study and review. If the committee approves the bill, it is then put on the House calendar to be voted on.
The House of Representatives uses three methods for voting on a bill:
- Viva Voce: The Speaker of the House asks representatives to voice their support or opposition to the bill.
- Division: Representatives who support the bill are asked to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill do the same.
- Recorded: Representatives record their vote using an electronic voting system, with options to vote "yes", "no", or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill.
For a bill to pass in the House, it requires a simple majority, which is 218 out of 435 votes. If the bill passes in the House, it then moves on to the Senate for further review and voting.
The process by which a bill becomes a law involves several steps, including introduction, committee review, voting, and potential approval by the President. The House of Representatives plays a vital role in this process, and its voting procedures are an essential aspect of law-making in the United States federal government.
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The bill is voted on by the Senate
Once a bill has been introduced and assigned to a committee, it is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting.
In the Senate, Senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say "yea," and those who oppose it say "nay." If a majority of Senators (51 out of 100) say "yea," the bill passes in the Senate and is ready to go to the President.
The process of voting in the Senate differs from that of the House of Representatives. While the Senate votes by voice, the House of Representatives has three methods for voting on a bill:
- Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those who oppose it to say "no."
- Division: The Speaker asks those who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then asks those who oppose the bill to do the same.
- Recorded: Representatives record their vote using an electronic voting system. They can vote "yes," "no," or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill.
If a majority of Representatives say or select "yes," the bill passes in the House of Representatives and is then sent to the Senate.
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The bill is sent to the President
Once a bill has been passed by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the President. The President has three options:
Sign and pass the bill
The President can sign the bill, at which point it becomes law.
Refuse to sign, or veto, the bill
The President can veto the bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives with their reasons for doing so. If the House and the Senate still believe the bill should become law, they can hold another vote on it. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes law.
Do nothing (pocket veto)
If the President does nothing and Congress is not in session, the bill will not become law. This is known as a pocket veto and cannot be overridden by Congress. However, if Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days.
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Frequently asked questions
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 is formed, a representative sponsors a bill.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended.
Once the bill passes the House of Representatives, it moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if released, debated and voted on. If the bill passes the Senate, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval.
