Cecily Zamora
The process of how a bill becomes a law is a topic that is important for every citizen to understand. In the United States, the creation and modification of laws is the primary function of Congress, with the House of Representatives playing the most important role. All laws in the United States begin as bills, which can be proposed by a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even by citizens. Once a bill is introduced, it goes through several stages, including being assigned to a committee, undergoing revisions, and being voted on. If the bill passes both houses of Congress, it is then presented to the President for approval. The President can approve the bill, veto it, or do nothing, which results in different outcomes. Understanding this process is crucial for citizens to effectively engage in the democratic process and influence the laws that govern them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | The bill is drafted |
| Step 2 | The bill is introduced |
| Step 3 | The bill goes to committee |
| Step 4 | Subcommittee review of the bill |
| Step 5 | Committee mark up of the bill |
| Step 6 | Voting by the full chamber on the bill |
| Step 7 | Referral of the bill to the other chamber |
| Step 8 | The bill goes to the president |
| Step 9 | Overriding a veto |
What You'll Learn
The Bill Is Proposed
The process of a bill becoming a law 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 come from citizens or advocacy groups. Citizens can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas, and if the Representatives agree, they will research the ideas and write them into bills.
Once a Representative has written a bill, it needs a sponsor. The Representative will then discuss the bill with other Representatives to try and get their support. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill, and the other members who support it are called co-sponsors. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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. A bill clerk then assigns it a number that begins with H.R., and a reading clerk reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
Committees are composed of groups of Representatives with expertise on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations. The committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether to send it back to the House floor. If the committee members require more information before making a decision, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for further examination and to gather expert opinions.
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The Bill Is Introduced
To memorise the process of how a bill becomes a law, it can be helpful to break down the steps and focus on one at a time. Let's take a detailed look at the second step: "The Bill Is Introduced".
This step involves the formal presentation of the bill, which occurs differently in the House and the Senate. In the 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 House. Once a bill is in the hopper, the following steps occur:
- A bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with "H.R."
- A reading clerk reads the bill aloud to all the Representatives.
- The Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
In the Senate, on the other hand, the bill is submitted to clerks on the Senate floor. It receives a designation based on whether it originated in the House or the Senate (e.g., "H.R." for House-originated bills, "S." for Senate-originated bills). It also receives a number, typically the next available number in sequence during that two-year Congress.
Once a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official government website that tracks federal legislation. This step is crucial as it marks the official start of the legislative process and sets the bill on its path towards becoming a law.
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The Bill Goes to Committee
Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee. In the House, the Speaker of the House or the Senate's presiding officer will refer the bill to the appropriate committee. In the Senate, the presiding officer will usually be the Senate parliamentarian.
Committees are composed of groups of Congress members who have a particular interest in specific topics, such as health, agriculture, education, or international affairs. The bill is carefully examined by the committee, and its potential for passage by Congress is determined. The committee may also hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications, allowing the views of experts, other officials, supporters, and opponents to be recorded.
If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". However, if the committee votes in favour of the bill, it is reported to the floor. This is called "ordering a bill reported". The committee staff will then prepare a written report explaining why they support the bill and why they wish to see their amendments (if any) adopted. Committee members who oppose the bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report.
The bill may also be assigned to a subcommittee by the Chairman. Subcommittees are more specialised on a certain topic and often make changes to the bill. They must vote to refer the bill back to the full committee.
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The Bill Is Voted On
Once a bill has been introduced, 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, Division, and Recorded.
In a Viva Voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it say "no." In a Division vote, 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. In a Recorded vote, Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, and 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. If the bill is rejected by the House, it does not pass, and it cannot become a law.
The bill then goes through many of the same steps in the U.S. Senate. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on. Senators vote by voice, saying "yea" if they support the bill and "nay" if they oppose it. If a majority of Senators vote "yea", the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President. If the Senate rejects the bill, it does not pass, and cannot become a law.
Once both bodies of Congress have voted 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.
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The Bill Is Sent to the President
When a bill reaches the President's desk, there are several things that can happen.
Firstly, the President can choose to sign the bill and pass it into law. This is the simplest outcome, and the bill is then printed in the Statutes at Large.
Secondly, the President may refuse to sign the bill, or veto it. In this case, the bill is sent back to Congress, along with the President's reasons for the veto. Congress can then attempt to override the veto by holding another vote on the bill. If two-thirds of the members of both the House and the Senate support the bill, the President's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.
Thirdly, the President can choose to do nothing, which is known as 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 law, and if Congress still wants to pass the legislation, they must start the entire process again.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step in turning a bill into a law is to draft the bill. Any member of Congress – either from the Senate or the House of Representatives – who has an idea for a law can draft a bill. These ideas can come from the Congress members themselves or from everyday citizens and advocacy groups.
The second step is to introduce the bill. 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 a bill is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, which is the official government website that tracks federal legislation.
The third step is to send the bill to a committee. As soon as a bill is introduced, it is referred to a 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.
