Kara Sears
The process of a bill becoming a law is a long and complex one. In the United States, all laws begin as bills, which can be proposed by a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even by citizens and advocacy groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The bill then goes through several stages of voting and amendments before being presented to the President, who can approve it or veto it. If the President chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes a law.
| Characteristics | Values | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A bill is drafted | |
| 2 | The bill is 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. |
| 3 | The bill goes to committee | Both the House and Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members who are particularly interested in different topics such as health or international affairs. |
| 4 | Subcommittee review of the bill | Subcommittees are organized under committees and have further specialization on a certain topic. |
| 5 | Committee mark up of the bill | The committee will meet to "mark up" the bill. They make changes and amendments prior to recommending the bill to the "floor". |
| 6 | Voting by the full chamber on the bill | Once the bill reaches the floor, there is additional debate and members of the full chamber vote to approve any amendments. The bill is then passed or defeated by the members voting. |
| 7 | Referral of the bill to the other chamber | When the House or Senate passes a bill, it is referred to the other chamber, where it usually follows the same route through committees and finally to the floor. |
| 8 | The bill goes to the president | After both the House and Senate have approved a bill in identical form, the bill is sent to the President. |
| 9 | Overriding a veto | If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may attempt to override the veto. If both the Senate and the House pass the bill by a two-thirds majority, the President's veto is overruled, and the bill becomes a law. |
What You'll Learn
A bill is proposed and drafted
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 or citizen groups. Once a member of Congress has an idea for a law, they can draft a bill. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".
When 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. 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. Once introduced, a bill can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation.
Once a bill is drafted and introduced, it must be assigned to a committee. Committees are composed of groups of Congress members with a particular interest in a certain topic, such as health or international affairs. The committee carefully examines the bill and determines its chances of passage by the entire Congress. The committee may choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill, allowing the views of experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents to be put on the record. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".
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The bill is introduced
The bill is then sent to the Senate, where it is introduced by being placed in a similar hopper. The Senate clerk assigns it a number that begins with S. A reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Senators, and the Speaker of the Senate sends the bill to one of the Senate standing committees.
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The bill goes to committee
Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committees are groups of representatives or senators who are experts on a particular topic, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee reviews, researches, and revises the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. Committees may also hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and gather expert opinions. If the committee requires more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee.
Subcommittees are specialised groups that operate under committees. They study the bill, hold hearings, and make changes to it before voting on whether to refer it back to the full committee. If the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the House floor, where it can be debated by the House of Representatives.
The committee plays a crucial role in the legislative process, providing intensive consideration of the proposed bill and serving as a forum for public input. The committee's actions can make or break a bill, as they have the power to recommend passing, revising, or tabling (postponing) it.
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The bill is reported
Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent to the House floor to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. This is when a bill is reported.
When a bill is debated, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, a reading clerk 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 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 say or select 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.
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The bill is voted on
Once a bill has been debated and amended, it is ready to be voted on. In the U.S. House of Representatives, there are three methods for voting on a bill:
- 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. 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 and is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.
The process is similar in the Senate, where Senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say "yea," and those who oppose it say "nay." If a majority of the Senators vote "yea," the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is then sent to the President.
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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 or citizen groups.
Once a bill is proposed, it must be introduced by a member of Congress. If introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill.
After being introduced, a bill is referred to the appropriate committee for review. The committee will then decide whether to accept, amend, or reject the bill. If the committee accepts the bill, it is reported to the House floor for debate and voting.
