The Journey Of A Bill To Becoming Law

Laws are created to represent the best interests of the citizens within each legislative district. Proposals for new laws are called bills and can be introduced by any citizen or member of Congress. The process begins when someone persuades a Senator or Assembly Member to author a bill. The bill is then introduced and assigned a number. It is then read for the first time, sent to the Office of State Printing, and made available for public review for 30 calendar days. The bill is then sent to the Senate or Assembly Rules Committee, where it is assigned to the appropriate policy committee for its first hearing. If the committee approves the bill, it is sent to the House floor for debate and 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, changes, 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 it passes, they present it to the president. 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 chooses to veto a bill, Congress can vote to override that veto and the bill becomes a law.

How a bill is drafted

The process of drafting a bill begins with an idea. This idea 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 or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. 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.

Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes of getting 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 U.S. House of Representatives. A bill clerk then 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 study, review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. The committee may also refer the bill to one of its subcommittees. The subcommittee may request reports from government agencies, hold hearings so experts and interested parties have an opportunity to offer testimony regarding the issue, and then report their findings to the full committee.

The full committee may then make a recommendation to pass the bill, to revise and release the bill (also known as reporting the bill out of the committee), or to lay the bill aside (also known as tabling the bill). If the committee approves the bill, it is sent or reported to the House floor, where it is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The process of introducing a bill

Once the bill is drafted, it must be introduced. If a Representative is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the House. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate. 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. Once introduced, 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. Both the House and Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members who are particularly interested in different topics such as health, taxation, education, or international relations. When a bill is in the hands of the committee, it is carefully examined and its chances of passage by the entire Congress are determined. The committee may even choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill. Hearings allow the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation to be put on the record. If the committee does not act on a bill, the bill is considered to be "dead".

The role of committees in the legislative process

Committees play a crucial role in the legislative process, acting as gatekeepers for bills and shaping them through research, discussion, and revisions. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which serves as a forum for gathering information, evaluating proposals, and making amendments.

The committee system is essential to the effective operation of the Senate. Committees are tasked with investigating and holding hearings to draft, consider, and recommend legislation to the full Senate. They receive numerous bill referrals, and the committee chair sets the agenda, identifying the bills or issues that will be formally addressed through hearings or markups. Hearings provide an opportunity for feedback from invited witnesses, committee members, and the public, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of the proposal.

During the markup process, the committee considers possible changes to the bill by offering and voting on amendments. The committee may also send the bill to a subcommittee for closer examination and to gather expert opinions. After making revisions, the committee votes to report the bill back to the House or Senate floor for further debate and voting.

The House of Representatives has over twenty permanent committees, each with specific responsibilities and jurisdictions. These committees include standing committees, special or select committees, and joint committees comprising both senators and representatives. The committee system allows for thorough deliberation and input from experts and the public, ensuring that bills are carefully considered and refined before progressing through the legislative process.

Overall, committees are integral to the legislative process, providing a mechanism for detailed review, discussion, and amendment of proposed bills. They serve as a critical checkpoint, ensuring that only well-vetted and supported legislation advances to the next stages of debate and voting in the House and Senate.

Voting procedures

The voting procedures for a bill to become a law in the United States are as follows:

• A bill is introduced to Congress by a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives.
• The bill is then assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill.
• The bill is put before the 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, changes, and voting.
• Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions.
• Both chambers then vote on the same version of the bill. If it passes, they present it to the president.
• The president then has the option to approve the bill and sign it into law or refuse to approve it, which is called a veto.
• If the president chooses to veto the bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.

It is important to note that the House and Senate have some procedural differences in their voting processes. While both chambers are equal in how they function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. Additionally, the House processes legislation through a majority vote, while the Senate does so through deliberation and debate prior to voting.

The President's role in passing a bill

The President has several options when it comes to passing a bill. They can choose to approve the bill and pass it, in which case they will sign it into law. Or, they can refuse to approve it by vetoing the bill, which means it is sent back to the House of Representatives and the Senate, along with the President's reasons for the veto. If the House and the Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote on the bill, and if two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support it, the President's veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law.

The President can also choose to do nothing, which is called a pocket veto. If Congress is in session, the bill will automatically become law after 10 days. However, if Congress is not in session, the bill will not become a law. 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, and this type of veto cannot be overridden by Congress.

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