Understanding Lawmaking: Steps For Elementary Students

The process of turning a bill into a law is a long and complex one. In the United States, it begins with a proposal, or bill, which can come from a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even be proposed by citizens and advocacy groups. Once a bill is drafted, it must be introduced, either in the House or the Senate, depending on who the sponsor is. From there, the bill goes through several stages of review and voting before it can become a law. It is first referred to a committee, which will research and revise the bill, and then to a subcommittee for further analysis. If the bill passes these stages, it goes back to the House or Senate for a vote, and then on to the other chamber for the same process. If the bill survives this, it is sent to the President, who can approve and pass the bill, or veto it. If the President takes no action for ten days and Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote.

How a bill is proposed

A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. Ideas for bills can come from anywhere, but they often originate from Members of Congress and their constituents. For example, a bill may stem from campaign promises made by Members, or constituents with ideas for laws may contact their Congressional Representatives. The Constitution guarantees a constituent's right to submit ideas for legislation to their Representative in Congress.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill to get 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 wooden box on the side of the clerk's desk. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. The title of the bill is entered in the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The bill is introduced

The process of introducing a bill is the same whether it is a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate who has drafted it. The member must place the bill in the "hopper", a wooden box on the side of the clerk's desk. The member who introduces the bill is known as its primary sponsor, and an unlimited number of members can cosponsor a bill. The title of the bill is then entered in the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record.

A bill clerk assigns the bill a number that begins with H.R. if it is introduced in the House, or S. if it is introduced in the Senate. 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 Speaker of the House assigns the bill to the appropriate committee.

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 during their election campaign. Bills can also be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.

The bill goes to committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of representatives who are experts on a particular topic, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committees review, research, and revise the bill, and may also hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill. Committees may also refer the bill to a subcommittee for further analysis and expert opinions.

The committee will then meet to "mark up" the bill, making changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor". If the committee votes against the bill, it is not reported to the floor and dies. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor, and is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The committee plays a vital role in the legislative process, providing intensive consideration of the bill and a forum for public input.

The 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 (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 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. It is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

If the bill is passed by the U.S. Senate, it is sent to the President. The President then has three options:

• Sign and pass the bill, and it becomes a law
• Refuse to sign or veto the bill. The bill is sent back to the U.S. House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote on the bill. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law.
• Do nothing (pocket veto). If Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days. If Congress is not in session, the bill does not become a law.

The bill is sent to the President

Once a bill has been approved by both the House of Representatives 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, and it becomes a law.

Refuse to sign or veto the bill

If the President does not approve of the bill, they can veto it. This means the bill is sent back to the House of Representatives, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House of Representatives and the Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote on the bill. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.

Do nothing (pocket veto)

If the President does nothing and Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill does not become law.

Frequently asked questions