Keith Mack
In the United States, laws are passed at both the federal and state levels. At the federal level, laws are made by Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill, or proposal for a new law, can be introduced by a sitting member of Congress or petitioned by citizens and advocacy groups. Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee that researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill then goes through a process of voting and potential revisions in both chambers of Congress. If passed by both chambers, the bill is sent to the President, who can approve and sign it into law or veto it. If vetoed, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| 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. Can also be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. |
| Bill introduction | Once the bill is drafted, it is introduced in the House if a Representative is the sponsor, or in the Senate if a Senator is the sponsor. |
| Committee assignment | Once introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. |
| Committee vote | The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on. |
| Second chamber | If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, and voting. |
| Conference committee | Congress may form a conference committee to resolve or reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. |
| Conference committee report | If an agreement is reached, the committee members prepare a conference report with recommendations for the final bill. |
| Vote on conference committee report | Both the House and Senate must vote to approve the conference report. |
| Vote on identical bill | After both the House and Senate have approved a bill in identical form, the bill is sent to the President. |
| Presidential approval | The president can approve the bill and sign it into law. |
| Presidential veto | The president can refuse to approve a bill, called a veto, which can be overridden by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote. |
| Pocket veto | If the president does not sign off on a bill and it remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default, called a pocket veto, which cannot be overridden by Congress. |
| Presidential inaction | If the president takes no action for 10 days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. |
| Numbering | When the president signs a law, the law receives a number in the order in which it was signed. |
| Publication | Public and private laws are printed as slip laws, which are single sheets or pamphlets containing the text of the law. |
| Compilation | At the end of each session of Congress, slip laws are compiled into a single volume called U.S. Statutes at Large. |
| Code | Most laws are eventually incorporated into the U.S. Code. |
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What You'll Learn
- Bills are proposed by members of the US Senate or House of Representatives, or by citizens
- Bills are assigned to a committee for research, discussion, and changes
- Bills are voted on by both bodies of Congress
- If passed, the bill is presented to the president for approval
- The president can approve, veto, or pocket veto the bill
Bills are proposed by members of the US Senate or House of Representatives, or by citizens
Bills, or proposals for a new law or a change to an existing law, can be introduced by members of the US Senate or House of Representatives, or by citizens and advocacy groups. Once a bill is drafted, it must be introduced in the House if a Representative is the sponsor, or in the Senate if a Senator is the sponsor. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill, and other members who support the bill are called co-sponsors.
Citizens and advocacy groups can also propose bills by petitioning members of Congress who represent them. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. 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, and voting.
Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. This can be done by forming a conference committee to resolve or reconcile the differences. If the conference committee is unable to reach an agreement, the bill dies. If an agreement is reached, the committee members prepare a conference report with recommendations for the final bill. Both the House and Senate must then vote to approve the conference report. After both the House and Senate have approved a bill in identical form, the bill is sent to the President.
The President then considers the bill. The President can approve the bill and sign it into law. If the President takes no action for ten days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. Or, the President can refuse to approve a bill by vetoing it. If the President vetoes a bill, in most cases Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. However, if the President does not sign off on a bill and it remains unsigned when Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default, in what is called a "pocket veto", and this cannot be overridden by Congress.
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Bills are assigned to a committee for research, discussion, and changes
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee is responsible for researching, discussing, and making changes to the bill. This process involves considering the bill in detail, evaluating its potential impact, and proposing amendments to improve or clarify the legislation.
Committees are established for the specific purpose of considering legislation and conducting hearings. They are subsidiary organizations that play a crucial role in shaping the final form of a bill before it is presented to the full chamber for a vote. Committees can be permanent or temporary, and they can include members from both houses of Congress, depending on the nature and scope of the legislation.
The committee process allows for a thorough examination of the bill by subject-matter experts and stakeholders. It provides an opportunity for public input and participation, as most committee hearings and markup sessions are open to the public. During the hearings, witnesses may testify and provide valuable insights or expertise that can influence the committee's decision-making process.
After the committee has concluded its work, it produces a report that accompanies the bill when it is reported to the full chamber. This report provides a detailed account of the committee's activities, investigations, and any changes made to the bill. The report is an essential document that helps inform the chamber members' understanding of the bill and its potential impact before they cast their votes.
The committee stage is a critical step in the law-making process, as it allows for a comprehensive review and refinement of the bill. It ensures that the legislation has been carefully considered and amended as necessary before moving forward in the legislative process. The committee's work helps to shape the final version of the bill, which will ultimately be presented to the president for approval and signature if passed by both chambers of Congress.
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Bills are voted on by both bodies of Congress
Congress is the branch of the US federal government responsible for making laws. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. Anyone can propose a bill, but only a member of Congress can draft and introduce one. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on.
If a bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to undergo a similar process of research, discussion, and voting. This is where both bodies of Congress vote on the bill. The two bodies of Congress are the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill is referred to the other chamber, where it usually follows the same route through committees and finally to the floor. This chamber may approve the bill as received, reject it, ignore it, or change it.
If the bill passes both bodies of Congress, they must work out any differences between the two versions. This is done through a conference committee, which is formed to resolve or reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. If the conference committee is unable to reach an agreement, the bill dies. If an agreement is reached, the committee members prepare a conference report with recommendations for the final bill.
Both the House and Senate must then vote to approve the conference report. After both bodies of Congress have approved a bill in identical form, the bill is sent to the President.
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If passed, the bill is presented to the president for approval
The process of passing a bill into law in the United States involves several steps, and if a bill successfully passes through these steps, it is then presented to the president for approval. The president can approve the bill and sign it into law. However, the president also has the power to veto the bill, refusing to approve it. If the president chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill can still become a law. Nevertheless, if the president does not sign off on the bill, and Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be pocket vetoed, meaning it cannot be overridden.
The process begins with the introduction of a bill, which can be proposed by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even be petitioned by citizen groups. Once introduced, the bill is assigned to a committee for research, discussion, and potential amendments. It then goes before the chamber for a vote. If it passes one body of Congress, it moves to the other body, where it undergoes a similar process.
After a bill has passed through both bodies of Congress, the two versions must be reconciled. This involves working out any differences between the two versions, and then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes this stage, it is then presented to the president for approval.
The president's role in this process is significant. If the president approves, the bill becomes law with their signature. However, if the president opposes the bill, they have the power to veto it. A veto can be overridden by Congress if both the Senate and the House pass the bill with a two-thirds majority. On the other hand, if the president takes no action while Congress is in session for ten days, the bill automatically becomes law.
The process of passing a bill into law in the United States involves careful consideration and collaboration between Congress and the president, ensuring that new laws undergo rigorous scrutiny before being enacted.
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The president can approve, veto, or pocket veto the bill
The president has a significant role in the passing of a bill into law. They can approve a bill and sign it into law. Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution grants the president the authority to veto legislation passed by Congress. This authority is one of the most significant tools the president can employ to prevent the passage of legislation. The president has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to act on legislation, or it automatically becomes law.
The president has two types of vetoes at their disposal: the "regular veto" and the "pocket veto". The regular veto is a qualified negative veto, where the president returns the unsigned legislation to the originating house of Congress within 10 days, usually with a memorandum of disapproval or a "veto message". Congress can override the president's decision if it musters a two-thirds vote of each house.
The pocket veto is an absolute veto that cannot be overridden. It occurs when a bill fails to become law because the president does not sign it within the 10-day period and cannot return the bill to Congress because it is no longer in session. This action is called a pocket veto, and it cannot be overridden by Congress. The pocket veto is derived from Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution, which states: "If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a Law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a Law."
The president's threat of a veto can bring about changes to the content of a bill long before it reaches their desk. The president can also indirectly veto a bill by simply not acting on it within the 10-day period, known as a "pocket veto".
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Frequently asked questions
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, be proposed during their election campaign, or be petitioned by citizens.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on.
If a bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, and voting. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. Then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill.
If the bill passes both chambers, it is presented to the president for consideration. The president can approve the bill and sign it into law, or they can refuse to approve it, which is called a veto. If the president vetoes a bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.
