Understanding The Lawmaking Process: Bills To Laws

The process of turning a bill into a law is a complex one, but it can be broken down into several steps. First, a bill is proposed, usually by a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, but sometimes by citizens or advocacy groups. The bill then needs a sponsor and the support of other Representatives before it can be introduced. Once introduced, the bill is 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 work out any differences between the two versions before presenting it to the President. The President then has the choice to approve the bill and sign it into law, or to veto it. If the President chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law.

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, or be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. If the idea comes from citizens, they can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they will research the idea and write it into a bill.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will talk to other Representatives about the bill, in the hope of getting their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

When a bill is introduced, it is placed in the hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill clerk assigns it a number, and a reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The committees are made up of groups of Representatives who are experts on specific topics. They review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee would like more information before making their decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee.

A bill is introduced

The process of introducing a bill is the same in the Senate. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate. Once introduced, it is given a number that begins with S.

Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills. The Representative then talks with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes of getting their support. Once a bill has the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

A bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to a committee. Both the House and the Senate have committees composed of groups of Congress members with a particular interest in specific topics, such as health, agriculture, education, or international affairs and relations.

In the House, the Speaker refers the bill to all committees with jurisdiction over the provisions in the bill. Most bills fall under the jurisdiction of one committee, but if multiple committees are involved, each committee will only work on the portion of the bill under its jurisdiction. One of these committees will be designated the primary committee and will lead on any action. In the Senate, bills are usually referred to just one committee, the committee with jurisdiction over the predominant issue in the bill.

When a bill reaches the committee, the committee members review, research, and revise the bill. Committees may hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill, allowing the views of experts, public officials, supporters, and opponents to be put on record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

If the committee members want more information before deciding on the bill, it is sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee closely examines the bill and gathers expert opinions before sending it back to the committee. The subcommittee may also make changes to the bill and must vote to refer it back to the full committee.

Once the hearings and subcommittee review are complete, the committee will meet to make any changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor". If the committee votes against the bill, it dies. If they vote in favour, it is reported to the floor.

A bill is reported

Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent to the House floor to be debated. This is known as "reporting" the bill. Once reported, a bill 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.

A bill is voted on

Once a bill has been debated, it is ready to be voted on. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

Viva Voce

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. They 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.

In the U.S. Senate, senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say "yea", and those who oppose it say "nay". If a majority of the Senators say "yea", the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.

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