Cecily Zamora
The process by which a bill becomes a law can be unpredictable and vary significantly from bill to bill. The legislative process is a critical aspect of the American democratic way of life, with its emphasis on minority protection and allowing all sides to be heard. A bill can be introduced by a single member of Congress or a group of members in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. Once introduced, it is assigned to a committee that will research, discuss, and make changes. The bill is then voted on, and if it passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. Once both bodies pass the bill, they must reconcile any differences, and the final bill is sent to the President for approval. The President can approve the bill, veto it, or do nothing. If vetoed, Congress can vote to override the veto, and the bill becomes law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can propose a bill? | Any sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or during their election campaign. |
| Citizens or citizen groups can also petition their representative or transmit their proposals. | |
| State legislatures can also request that Congress enact federal laws. | |
| The President can also propose legislation. | |
| Who drafts the bill? | Committees draft the bill, make revisions and additions, and propose amendments. |
| Who reviews the bill? | The bill is put before the chamber to be voted on. |
| What happens 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 the bill passes both bodies of Congress? | The two versions of the bill must be aligned, and then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. |
| What happens if the bill passes both chambers? | It is sent to the President for review. |
| What happens if the President approves of the bill? | The President signs it into law. |
| What happens if the President does not approve of the bill? | The President can veto the bill, sending it back to Congress with a note listing their reasons. |
| What happens if Congress receives a vetoed bill? | Congress can vote to override the veto, and if two-thirds of both chambers agree, the bill becomes a law. |
| What happens if Congress is not in session when receiving a vetoed bill? | The bill is vetoed by default, and this cannot be overridden. |
| What happens if the President does not sign off on a bill within 10 days and Congress is in session? | The bill becomes law. |
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What You'll Learn
- A bill is proposed by a member of Congress, or petitioned by citizens
- The bill is assigned to a committee, researched, discussed, and amended
- The bill is voted on in the House and Senate
- If passed, the bill is sent to the President to sign into law, or veto
- Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote
A bill is proposed by a member of Congress, or petitioned by citizens
The process of a bill becoming a law begins with its introduction. Any member of Congress can introduce a bill, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. This can be done by handing the legislation to the clerk of the House or placing it in the hopper. In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the introduction of a bill during the morning hour. If any senator objects, the introduction is postponed until the following day. The bill is then assigned a number.
Bills can also be petitioned by citizens or citizen groups, who can recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. The right to petition is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. State legislatures can also petition Congress to enact specified federal laws by passing resolutions to be transmitted to the House and Senate as memorials.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to the bill. The chairman or ranking minority member of the committee often introduces the bill, either in the form it was received or with desired changes. The committee will hold a "'mark-up' session to make revisions and additions, and if substantial amendments are made, a "clean bill" including these amendments is introduced, with the old bill discarded. The committee must approve, change, or reject all amendments before conducting a final passage vote. After this, 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 the bill may write a dissenting opinion. The report is then sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.
In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes.
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The bill is assigned to a committee, researched, discussed, and amended
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee may hold hearings and report their findings to the full committee. The committee will hold a "mark-up" session, where revisions, additions, and amendments are made to the bill. If substantial amendments are made, a "clean bill" is introduced, including the proposed amendments, and the old bill is discarded. The committee staff then prepares a written report explaining why they favour the bill and why they wish to see their amendments adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report.
The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. The chamber must approve, change, or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote. The bill is reported back to the House and is voted on. A quorum call is a vote to ensure that there are enough members present to have a final vote. 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.
In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee, which adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can significantly impact whether the bill passes. The Rules Committee can be bypassed in three ways: members can move to suspend the rules (requiring a two-thirds vote), a discharge petition can be filed, or the House can use a Calendar Wednesday procedure.
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The bill is voted on in the House and Senate
The legislative process is a matter of public knowledge, and every citizen should be well informed about it to understand and appreciate the work of Congress. The legislative process, with its emphasis on the protection of the minority, allows ample opportunity for all sides to be heard and make their views known.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule", for example, sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can significantly impact whether the bill passes. The bill is then put before that chamber to be voted on.
In the House, debate is limited by the rules formulated in the Rules Committee. The Committee of the Whole debates and amends the bill but cannot technically pass it. The committee decides how much time each person is given to speak. Amendments must be relevant to the subject of the bill, and no riders are allowed. The bill is reported back to the House and voted on. A quorum call is a vote to ensure that there are enough members present (218) to hold a final vote. If there is not a quorum, the House will adjourn or send the Sergeant-at-Arms to round up missing members.
In the Senate, debate is unlimited unless cloture is invoked. Senators can speak for as long as they want, and amendments need not be germane—riders are often offered. Entire bills can be offered as amendments to other bills. Unless cloture is invoked, Senators can use a filibuster to defeat a measure by "talking it to death." After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favour 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 report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.
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If passed, the bill is sent to the President to sign into law, or veto
The legislative process is a matter of public interest, and every citizen should be well informed to understand and appreciate the work of Congress. The legislative process is one of the foundations of the American democratic way of life, with its emphasis on the protection of the minority, allowing all sides to be heard and make their views known.
Once a bill is passed by both houses of Congress, it is sent to the President for review and consideration. The President has several options when receiving a bill from Congress. If the President agrees with the bill, they may sign it into law. This is the simplest way for a bill to become law.
However, if the President does not agree with the bill, they have the power to veto it. A veto sends the bill back to Congress, along with a note listing the President's reasons for rejecting it. Congress can then attempt to override the veto by holding a new vote. If two-thirds of both the Senate and the House of Representatives vote to override the veto, the bill becomes law even without the President's signature.
It is important to note that a bill can also become law without the President's signature in certain circumstances. If Congress is in session and the President does not sign or veto the bill within 10 days, the bill automatically becomes law. This is a rare occurrence, as it is unusual for a bill to remain unsigned for that long.
In summary, while the President has the power to veto bills passed by Congress, there are mechanisms in place for Congress to override a veto and enact the bill into law. This process highlights the system of checks and balances in the American legislative process, ensuring that no single branch of government holds absolute power.
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Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote
The United States Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and it has the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war. Congress's primary function is to create and modify laws. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the US Senate or House of Representatives, or it can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee that 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 has several options when receiving a bill from Congress. If the president agrees with the bill, they may sign it into law. If Congress is in session and the president takes no action within 10 days, the bill becomes law. However, if Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up and the president hasn't signed the bill, it does not become law, which is called a "pocket veto". The president may also choose to veto a bill, sending it back to Congress with a note listing their reasons.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step in the process of passing a law is the introduction of a bill. 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 people or citizen groups.
After a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee that will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The committee will hold a "mark-up" session during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, a "clean bill" including the proposed amendments may be introduced.
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.
If both bodies pass different versions of a bill, both bills are sent to a Conference Committee, which works to reconcile the differences and agree on a compromise bill. If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written report that must be approved by both the House and the Senate.
After the bill is passed by both bodies of Congress, it is sent to the President for review. The President can approve the bill and sign it into law, or refuse to approve it by issuing a veto. If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress, which can attempt to override the veto by a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
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