The Quiet Passage: Laws Without Signatures

The process of a bill becoming a law is a lengthy one, and in the US, it involves the President. Once a bill has been passed by both chambers of Congress, it is enrolled and presented to the President, who has ten days to either sign or veto it. If the President does not act on the bill within the ten-day period, it becomes law without their signature. This is distinct from a pocket veto, which occurs when Congress adjourns before the ten days are up and the President has not signed the bill, in which case it does not become law.

The bill is introduced and assigned to a committee

The full committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, where they will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" that includes the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor, while the old bill is discarded. The chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote.

After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.

In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The Rules Committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule", for example, sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes.

The bill is then put before that 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.

The committee reviews, discusses, and makes changes to the bill

The committee stage is a crucial part of the legislative process, where members of the committee will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. This stage involves several steps and can be complex, so here's a detailed breakdown:

Committee Assignment and Referral:

The bill is referred to the appropriate committee by the Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate. The referral decision is often made by the House or Senate parliamentarian. Bills may be referred to multiple committees and split into different parts sent to different committees. The Speaker can also set time limits for committees to act on the bill.

Committee Hearings and Subcommittee Action:

The committee will often send the bill to a specialized subcommittee for further study, hearings, revisions, and approval. The first step is usually a public hearing where members hear from witnesses with diverse viewpoints on the bill. After hearings, the bill moves to the "mark-up" session, where amendments are offered, and members vote to accept or reject them. The subcommittee then votes on what action to take on the bill.

Full Committee Action:

After the subcommittee stage, the bill returns to the full committee for further consideration. The full committee will also hold a "mark-up" session to make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee may introduce a "clean bill" with the proposed amendments, which gets a new number and is sent to the floor. The committee staff then prepares a written report explaining their support for the bill and any amendments they wish to see adopted.

Reporting the Bill:

Once the committee has finished its work, the bill is reported out and placed on the calendar for further action. The bill is then sent back to the full chamber and is ready for the next steps in the legislative process, including debate and voting.

The committee stage is a critical part of the law-making process, where the bill is scrutinized, discussed, and amended before it moves forward. This stage ensures that the bill is thoroughly reviewed and revised by subject-matter experts before progressing further in the legislative process.

The bill is put before the chamber to be voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee

The bill passes one body of Congress and goes to the other

The legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill to Congress. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. Anyone can write a bill, but only members of Congress can introduce legislation. A bill is usually sponsored by a Representative, but it can also be sponsored by a Senator.

Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee for review. There are 17 Senate committees and 23 House committees, each with numerous subcommittees. The committees and subcommittees will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. They will also call hearings to investigate the merits and flaws of the bill, inviting experts, advocates, and opponents to provide testimony. If the bill is released by the committee, it is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended.

If the bill passes by a simple majority (218 out of 435 in the House), it moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is subjected to a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. It is assigned to another committee, and if released, it is debated and voted on. A simple majority in the Senate is 51 out of 100.

If the Senate makes changes to the bill, it must return to the House for concurrence. A conference committee, consisting of members from both the House and the Senate, will be appointed to resolve any differences between the two versions of the bill. The committee will produce a conference report, which is intended as the final version of the bill.

The bill is presented to the President

Once a bill has been passed by both chambers of Congress, it is then presented to the President for review. The President has 10 days to sign the bill into law or veto it. If the President does not sign or veto the bill within 10 days and Congress is still in session, the bill will become law without the President's signature. This is known as a "pocket veto" if Congress has adjourned before the 10-day period is up, and the bill will not become law.

If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to the chamber where it originated, which can then attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority. If this happens, the bill is sent to the other chamber, which can then vote to override the veto with a two-thirds majority. If both chambers successfully override the veto, the bill becomes law.

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