Anaya Nolan
In the United States, laws are made by Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. A law starts as a bill, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. A bill can be drafted by a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives, or it can be proposed by citizens or advocacy groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee that researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill then goes through a process of voting and deliberation in both chambers of Congress. If the bill passes in both chambers, it is presented to the President for approval. The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can propose a bill? | 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. |
| What is a bill? | A proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. |
| What happens once a 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. |
| What happens once 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. |
| What does the committee do? | The committee examines the bill and determines its chances of passage by the entire Congress. The committee may also hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications. |
| What happens if the committee does not act on the bill? | The bill is considered "dead". |
| What happens once the committee approves a bill? | The committee staff writes a committee report describing the purpose, scope, and reasons for the bill's approval. All changes to existing laws must be indicated in the report, along with the text of any laws being repealed. |
| What happens after the committee report is published? | 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. |
| What happens if both houses of Congress approve the bill? | The bill is sent to the President. |
| What can the President do with the bill? | The President can choose to sign the bill, in which case it becomes a law. The President can also veto the bill, returning it to Congress. If the President takes no action for ten days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. If Congress has already adjourned, there is a "pocket veto," and the bill will be vetoed by default. |
| Can Congress override a presidential veto? | Yes, 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. |
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What You'll Learn
Propose a bill
Proposing a bill is a common way for people to get a law made. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. Anyone can propose a bill, including 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 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 committee will seek input from relevant departments and agencies, and frequently, the bill is also submitted to the Government Accountability Office for an official report on the necessity and desirability of enacting the bill into law. The committee staff will then write a committee report, describing the purpose and scope of the bill, and the reasons for its recommended approval. All changes to existing laws must be indicated in the report, along with the text of any laws being repealed.
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. Once both bodies (the House of Representatives and the Senate) 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 choose to veto a bill, in which case 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, and it cannot be overridden by Congress.
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Get a member of Congress to sponsor it
To get a law made, one of the steps is to get a member of Congress to sponsor it. This is because the idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law.
To get a member of Congress to sponsor a bill, you can start by identifying members of Congress who share your political beliefs and values. You can do this by researching their voting records, public statements, and policy positions. Look for members of Congress who have sponsored or co-sponsored bills similar to the one you are proposing or who have a track record of supporting issues that align with your bill.
Once you have identified potential sponsors, you can reach out to their offices to set up a meeting or send them a letter outlining your proposal. It is important to be clear and concise in your communication, providing a brief summary of the bill's purpose and how it will benefit their constituents. You should also highlight why the member of Congress's support is important and how it aligns with their political goals.
Building relationships with members of Congress and their staff is crucial. Attend town hall meetings, send letters, make phone calls, and participate in other constituent activities to make your voice heard and establish yourself as a concerned and engaged citizen. A strong relationship can increase the likelihood of your bill being considered.
You can also enlist the support of other citizens, community organizations, and advocacy groups who share your interests. By demonstrating broad support for your bill, members of Congress may be more inclined to sponsor it. This can be done through petitions, rallies, or other forms of collective action.
Finally, be prepared to negotiate and make compromises. Members of Congress may have their own ideas or suggestions for improving the bill. Show that you are open to collaboration and willing to work together to create the best possible legislation. Remember, getting a member of Congress to sponsor your bill is just the first step in the legislative process, and you will need to continue advocating for it to become law.
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Assign to a committee
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. The committee will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate refers the bill to the appropriate committee, and the actual referral decision is usually made by the House or Senate parliamentarian. Bills may be referred to more than one committee, and parts of a bill may be sent to different committees. The Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees.
Committees have rules that govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered. A "closed rule", for example, sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes. The Rules Committee can be bypassed in three ways: by suspending the rules (which requires a two-thirds vote), filing a discharge petition, or using a Calendar Wednesday procedure.
Committees may hold hearings and can seek input from relevant departments and agencies about a bill. 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. If the committee votes to report the bill, the committee staff writes a report describing the purpose and scope of the bill and the reasons for its recommended approval. A section-by-section analysis sets forth what each section is intended to accomplish, and all changes in existing law must be indicated in the report.
After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favor the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write a dissenting opinion in the report. The committee will hold a "mark-up" session during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" that includes the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded.
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Vote in both houses of Congress
The legislative process in the United States is a complex and lengthy procedure. The chief function of Congress is the making of laws, and a proposal cannot become a law without consideration and approval by both Houses of Congress.
The idea for a bill can come from 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 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 through a similar process in the other body, undergoing research, discussion, changes, and voting. After both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must reconcile any differences between the two versions. Then, both chambers vote on the same version of the bill, and if it passes, they present it to the president.
The Senate and the House have some procedural differences. While both are equal in how they function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. Additionally, the House of Representatives presents impeachment charges, while the Senate sits as a court to try the impeachment. The Senate also has the function of advising and consenting to treaties and certain presidential nominations.
In the case of a presidential election, both Houses meet in a joint session to count the electoral votes. If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives chooses the President from the three candidates with the largest number of electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote in this process.
It is important to note that if the president vetoes a bill, Congress can, in most cases, vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. However, if the president does not sign off on a bill and Congress is no longer in session, the bill is vetoed by default, known as a "pocket veto," which cannot be overridden by Congress.
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Seek presidential approval
In the United States, 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, or it can be proposed by people or citizen groups who petition their representative in Congress for a new or amended law. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee that researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. 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 for approval.
The president can choose to approve a bill and sign it into law within ten days, excluding Sundays. If the president does not sign the bill within ten days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law without their signature. This is different from when Congress is adjourned, in which case the bill does not become law. The president can also choose to veto a bill, which means refusing to approve it. If the president vetoes a bill, it is returned to the congressional chamber in which it originated. That chamber may then attempt to override the president's veto, but this requires the support of two-thirds of those voting. If this vote is successful, the other chamber then decides whether to attempt its own override vote, which also requires two-thirds approval. If both chambers vote to override the veto, the bill becomes a law. However, if Congress is no longer in session and the bill remains unsigned, it will be vetoed by default, and Congress cannot override this "pocket veto".
While both the Senate and the House of Representatives are equal in how they function, there are some procedural differences between them. Only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation, while 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 prior to voting.
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Frequently asked questions
Laws start in Congress. A bill is drafted, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. The bill is then introduced in the House or the Senate, depending on whether its sponsor is a Representative or a Senator. The bill is then carefully examined by a committee and, if it passes, voted on by both houses of Congress. If the bill passes in identical form, it is sent to the President. If the President approves, it becomes a law.
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 citizens or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress.
Once a bill is introduced, it is referred to a committee. Committees are composed of groups of Congress members who are particularly interested in different topics such as health or international affairs. The committee examines the bill and determines its chances of passage by the entire Congress. The committee may also hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill.
If the President decides not to sign off on a bill, it is called a veto. 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. This is called a "pocket veto" and it cannot be overridden by Congress.
Once a bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. If 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.
