Gavin Howe
The process of turning an idea into a law is a complex one, and it is important for citizens to understand this process in order to appreciate the work of Congress. Ideas for bills can come from sitting members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill is then voted on by both bodies of Congress, and if it passes, it is presented to the president. The president can then approve the bill and sign it into law. However, the president can also veto the bill, in which case it must be passed by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress to become a law. This legislative process is an important safeguard in a democratic system, ensuring that all sides are heard and that Congress acts within the limitations of the Constitution.
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What You'll Learn
- Bills proposed by US Senate/House members, or during election campaigns
- Bills petitioned by citizens or groups, recommending new laws to Congress
- Bills amended by committees, who research, discuss, and make changes
- Bills passed by both bodies of Congress, then presented to the president
- Bills signed by the president, becoming laws, or Acts of Congress
Bills proposed by US Senate/House members, or during election campaigns
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. 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 undergo 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 then considers the bill. The president can approve the bill and sign it into law. If the president chooses to veto a bill, in most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. But 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. This action is called a "pocket veto" and cannot be overridden by Congress.
- H.R. 23: Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
- S. 9: Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025
- S.J.Res. 10: A joint resolution to terminate the national emergency declared with respect to energy
The legislative process is a matter about which every person should be well informed to understand and appreciate the work of Congress. It is a practical safeguard of the American democratic way of life, with its emphasis on the protection of the minority, allowing ample opportunity for all sides to be heard and make their views known.
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Bills petitioned by citizens or groups, recommending new laws to Congress
In the United States, citizens and citizen groups have the right to petition bills and recommend new or amended laws to a member of Congress that represents them. This right is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
One example of a bill petitioned by citizens that was enacted into law is the RECOVER Act. In 2020, citizens and animal welfare organizations petitioned Congress to enact legislation to protect and improve animal cruelty investigations and prosecutions. The bill was introduced by Congressman Ted Deutch and Senator Richard Blumenthal and was signed into law by President Biden in 2022.
Another example is the First Step Act, which was enacted into law in 2018. This bill was the result of a bipartisan effort led by the Coalition for Public Safety, a group of conservative, liberal, and moderate organizations. The group advocated for criminal justice reform and worked with members of Congress to draft and introduce the bill. The First Step Act included provisions for prison reform, sentencing reform, and programs to reduce recidivism rates.
In addition to citizens and citizen groups, state legislatures can also petition Congress to enact specific federal laws by passing resolutions to be transmitted to the House and Senate as memorials. This process is known as "memorializing" Congress.
It's important to note that the legislative process in the United States emphasizes protection of the minority and allows all sides to be heard and make their views known. This ensures that a proposal cannot become a law without consideration and approval by both Houses of Congress. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee that researches, discusses, and makes changes to the bill. It then goes through a process of voting, reconsideration, and potential veto before becoming a law.
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Bills amended by committees, who research, discuss, and make changes
In the United States, bills can be proposed by sitting members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or during their election campaign. They can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee will seek input from relevant departments and agencies, and frequently, the bill is also submitted to the Government Accountability Office with a request for an official report on the necessity or desirability of enacting the bill into law. The committee staff are selected by a majority vote, with two-thirds selected by majority committee members and one-third selected by minority committee members. All appointments are made without regard to race, creed, sex, or age.
After the committee stage, 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. The Senate and the House have some procedural differences. While both are equal in function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, and only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties. The House processes legislation through a majority vote, while the Senate does so through deliberation and debate before 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 for approval. The president can approve the bill and sign it into law. If the president chooses to veto the bill, Congress can vote to override the 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, which is called a pocket veto.
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Bills passed by both bodies of Congress, then presented to the president
In the United States, a bill can be proposed by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be proposed during their election campaign. Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through the same process in the other body. 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 then choose to 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. 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, which is called a pocket veto, and cannot be overridden by Congress.
It is important to note that not all types of legislation require approval from both bodies of Congress and the president to become law. Simple resolutions, for example, address matters within the prerogative of one house and do not require approval from the other house or the president. Joint resolutions are generally used for continuing or emergency appropriations and proposing amendments to the Constitution. They require approval from two-thirds of both Chambers and three-fourths of the states but do not need the president's signature. Concurrent resolutions must be passed in the same form by both houses but do not carry the force of law and do not require the president's signature.
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Bills signed by the president, becoming laws, or Acts of Congress
Bills are the most common form of legislative proposal in the United States. They can be introduced by any sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or even be proposed during their election campaign. Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned a number and referred to the appropriate committee by the Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate. The committee 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, 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 then considers the bill and can choose to veto it. If the president vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress with a note listing their reasons. The chamber that originated the legislation can attempt to override the veto by a vote of two-thirds of those present. If the veto of the bill is overridden in both chambers, it becomes law. If the president approves the bill, they will sign it into law.
If the president does not sign off on a bill within 10 days and Congress is no longer in session, the bill will be vetoed by default, in what is called a "pocket veto". This action cannot be overridden by Congress.
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Frequently asked questions
A bill can be proposed by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be petitioned by citizens who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. Once introduced, a committee will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill before putting it before that chamber for a vote. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to repeat the process. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must reconcile any differences between the two versions, and then both chambers vote on the same version. If it passes, it is presented to the president, who can approve the bill and sign it into law.
A bill is a proposed law that has not yet been approved by both chambers of Congress and signed by the president. Once a bill is passed by one body, it technically becomes an Act, but it is still referred to as a bill. A law, also known as an Act of Congress or a statute, is a bill that has been approved by both chambers of Congress and signed by the president.
After a bill becomes a law, it is assigned a number and published in the United States Statutes at Large. Laws of a general and permanent nature are then incorporated into the United States Code. Federal agencies are responsible for determining how the law will be implemented and may create new regulations, which are also considered laws.
Yes, treaties can become laws through a process called ratification. Ratification is the formal act by which a nation agrees to be bound by an international agreement. The procedure for ratifying treaties is a matter of domestic law. In the United States, the Constitution grants the President the power to make treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Reconciliation is a process designed to bring existing laws into conformity with the most recently adopted concurrent resolution on the budget. It involves House and Senate committees recommending changes to laws or bills to achieve the constraints established in the resolution. The subsequent steps involve combining the committees' recommendations into an omnibus reconciliation bill, which is then reported by the Committee on the Budget or a single instructed committee.
