Brainstorming Laws: How Ideas Become Reality

Laws are the rules that govern a country, and they are not just picked and made by one person. In the United States, laws begin as ideas, which can come from anyone, including citizens and their Representatives. The process of turning an idea into a law is a long one and involves many steps, but it ensures that a law is well-debated and thoroughly thought through by many people before it is enforced. This process is called lawmaking, and it is important for students to learn about it as it is the most important job of the U.S. House of Representatives.

How laws are created

Laws are created to govern a country, state, or city. They are rules that everyone must follow. In the United States, laws are made by the government, and the process of creating them is long and detailed. This process is important because it ensures that laws are well thought out and debated before they are enforced.

An idea for a law can come from anyone. It could be a citizen, a congressperson, or a representative. Once someone has an idea, they need to share it with the right people. If it's a good idea, it will gain support and a representative will sponsor it. A sponsor is like a supporter—they will talk about the idea with other representatives and try to get them on board too.

When a representative decides to sponsor an idea, they write it into a bill. A bill is a document that describes the idea and how it could become a law. The representative who writes the bill is called the initiator. The initiator then introduces the bill to the House of Representatives or the Senate, depending on the idea. The person who introduces the bill is called the sponsor. The bill is placed in a special box called the hopper, and a clerk reads it out loud to all the representatives.

Once the bill has been introduced, it goes to a committee. Committees are groups of representatives who are experts on different topics, like education or health. They review the bill, discuss it, and make changes if they think it's necessary. If the committee needs more information, they might send the bill to a subcommittee, which is a smaller group of people who look at the bill in more detail.

After the committee has finished its work, the bill goes back to the House of Representatives or the Senate, where it is debated and voted on. If it passes the vote, the bill moves on to the other group (either the House of Representatives or the Senate) and goes through the same process again. If it passes the vote there too, it is sent to the President.

The President has the final say on whether a bill becomes a law. They can choose to sign the bill and pass it, making it into a law. Or, they might decide to veto the bill, which means they don't want it to become a law. If the President vetoes the bill, it goes back to the House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for not liking it. The House of Representatives and the Senate can then vote again, and if two-thirds of them still support the bill, it becomes a law even without the President's signature.

The bill is proposed

So, you might have a great idea for a new law, but how do you get it from just being an idea to an actual law? Well, the first step is to tell the right people about it. If you have a great idea for a new law, you need to tell a congressperson about it. If they like your idea, they will sponsor it. This means that they will tell other congresspeople and lawmakers about it.

A bill is a document that describes an idea for a new law. Anyone in the country can write a bill, but before it can become a law, it needs to be introduced to the House of Representatives. This is done by a sponsor, who is usually a congressperson or a representative. The sponsor will talk to other representatives about the bill to try and get their support. Once the sponsor has the support of some of the representatives, the bill is ready to be introduced.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper, which is a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Only representatives can introduce bills in the House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. Then, a reading clerk reads the bill out loud to all the representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The bill is introduced

So, you've had a great idea and you want it to become a law. You've spoken to a congressperson about it, and they like it. Now what? Well, the next step is for your idea to be written into a bill. A bill is a document that describes an idea for a law. Anyone in the country can write one, but only a Representative can introduce a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs to be introduced. This is when the bill is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill clerk will then give the bill a number that begins with H.R. Next, a reading clerk will read the bill out loud to all the Representatives, so everyone knows what the bill is about. Finally, the Speaker of the House will send the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The committees are groups of Representatives who are experts on certain topics, like agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members will review, research, and revise the bill, and then they'll vote on whether to send it back to the House floor. If they need more information, they might send the bill to a subcommittee first. The subcommittee will take a closer look at the bill and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.

Once the committee has approved the bill, it's ready to be reported to the House floor for a debate. This is when the Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, the bill is read section by section, and the Representatives can suggest changes. Once all the changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee. The committee is made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics related to the bill, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee's job is to talk about the bill, review and research it, and get it into shape to become a law. They might also make revisions to the bill.

If the committee decides they need more information before deciding what to do with the bill, they will send it to a subcommittee. A subcommittee will take a closer look at the bill and gather expert opinions before sending it back to the committee for approval.

If the committee likes the bill, they will vote to send it back to the House floor for further discussion and a vote. However, if the committee doesn't 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 bill is voted on

So, the bill has been proposed, introduced, and debated on, but now it's time for the big moment: the vote! Remember, a bill is a proposal for a new law that people are discussing and deciding on.

There are three ways that the U.S. House of Representatives can vote on a bill:

• Viva Voce: This is a voice vote. The Speaker of the House asks everyone to say "aye" if they agree with the bill, and "no" if they don't.
• Division: This time, the Speaker of the House asks people to stand up and be counted. Those who support the bill stand up, and then those who don't support it stand up.
• Recorded: For this method, Representatives use an electronic voting system to record their vote. They can vote "yes," "no," or "present" if they don't want to vote on the bill.

If most people say "yes" or select "yes" on the electronic voting system, the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives. This means it moves forward to the next step. But if most people say "no" or select "no," the bill doesn't pass, and it won't become a law. So, this vote is very important!

Now, let's imagine the bill got enough votes and passed in the House of Representatives. Where does it go next? It's off to the U.S. Senate! In the Senate, Senators will also discuss and vote on the bill. They vote by saying "yea" if they support the bill, and "nay" if they don't. Just like in the House of Representatives, most of the Senators have to say "yea" or vote "yes" for the bill to pass.

If the bill passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it's almost a law! But not so fast—it still needs one more very important person to agree: the President. The President can choose to sign the bill and pass it, making it into a law. Or, the President might not like the bill and decide to veto it, which means it doesn't become a law. If the President vetoes the bill, it goes back to the House of Representatives, and they can try to vote on it again. But this time, the bill will only become a law if two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support it.

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