The Journey Of A Bill To Becoming Law

Creating laws is the most important job of the U.S. House of Representatives. All laws in the United States begin as bills, which are proposals for a new law or a change to an existing one. The process of turning a bill into a law involves multiple steps, including drafting, introduction, committee review, voting, referral to the other chamber, presidential approval, and potential veto overrides. This journey from bill to law ensures that laws are thoroughly considered and represent the interests of citizens.

Drafting and proposing a bill

Step 1: Idea Generation

The process of creating a new law begins with an idea. Ideas for bills can come from sitting members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, known as Representatives, or they can be proposed by citizens or advocacy groups. Citizens with ideas for new laws can reach out to their Representatives to discuss their suggestions. If a Representative supports the idea, they will conduct research and begin drafting the bill.

Step 2: Finding a Sponsor

Once a Representative has drafted a bill, they must find a sponsor. The sponsor is the primary Congress member who supports the bill. The Representative discusses the bill with their colleagues, seeking their support. The bill is then introduced in the House of Representatives.

Step 3: Introduction of the Bill

The introduction of a bill is a formal process. In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced by placing it in a special box called the hopper, located on the side of the clerk's desk. Representatives are the only ones who can introduce bills in this chamber. The bill is then assigned a number starting with "H.R." and read aloud by a reading clerk to all Representatives.

Step 4: Committee Assignment

After introduction, the bill is assigned to a committee for review. Committees are composed of groups of Representatives with expertise in specific areas such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee carefully examines the bill, discussing and making changes to it. They may also hold hearings to understand the bill's implications and gather expert opinions. If the committee approves the bill, it moves forward in the legislative process.

Step 5: Subcommittee Review

Often, committees will refer bills to subcommittees for further specialised study and hearings. Subcommittees can make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. This step ensures that the bill undergoes a thorough review by experts in the relevant field.

By following these steps, a bill can be carefully drafted, proposed, and introduced in the legislative process. It is important to note that these steps may vary slightly depending on the specific chamber and context, but they form the foundation for turning an idea into a proposed law.

Introducing the bill

The process of a bill becoming a law begins with an idea. Anyone can have an idea for a bill, but it must be introduced by a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. Bills can also be proposed by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. Citizens can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas, and if the Representatives agree, they will research the ideas and write them into bills.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will discuss the bill with other Representatives to gain 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 House of Representatives. 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 then 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. The committee may also choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and gather expert opinions. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

Committee and sub-committee review

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. Committee members are groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They carefully examine the bill, assess its chances of passage by Congress, and may hold hearings to better understand its implications by gathering expert opinions and recording the views of the executive branch, other public officials, and supporters and opponents of the bill. Hearings are not always necessary, and if the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

If the committee members require more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further examination and hearings. Subcommittees are specialised groups that operate under committees. They may make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee. Once the subcommittee review is completed, the committee will meet to "mark up" the bill, making changes and amendments before recommending it to the "floor".

After the committee has approved a bill, it is sent or "reported" to the House floor, where it is debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their agreement or disagreement, and recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

Voting on the bill

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, and reported to the House floor, it is ready to be voted on. In the U.S. House of Representatives, there are three methods for voting on a bill: viva voce, division, and recorded. In a viva voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks Representatives to say "aye" if they support the bill and "no" if they oppose it. In a division vote, the Speaker asks those in support of the bill to stand up and be counted, and then does the same for those who oppose it. In a recorded vote, Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their votes as yes, no, or present if they don't want to vote. If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

The bill then goes through many of the same steps in the Senate, including being discussed in a Senate committee and reported to the Senate floor for a vote. Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the Senate and is ready to be sent to the President.

If a bill has passed in both the House and the Senate, it is then presented to the President, who can choose to approve and sign the bill into law, veto it, or do nothing (pocket veto). If the President chooses to veto a bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate, and the bill will then become a law.

Presidential approval

Once a bill has been approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the President. The President then has three options: they can sign and pass the bill, making it a law; they can veto the bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives with their reasons for the veto; or they can do nothing, in what is known as a "pocket veto".

If the President chooses to sign and pass the bill, it becomes a law. If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to the House of Representatives, where another vote can be held. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.

A pocket veto occurs when the President does nothing, neither signing nor vetoing the bill, while Congress is not in session. In this case, the bill will be vetoed by default, and this cannot be overridden by Congress. However, if Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days of inaction by the President.

Frequently asked questions