Understanding The Journey Of A Bill To A Law

The process of a bill becoming a law is a complex one, and differs slightly depending on the country and type of bill. In the US, a bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one. The idea for a bill can come from a sitting member of the US 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 will research, discuss, and make changes to it. It is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes through a similar process in the other body. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions, and both chambers vote on the same version. If it passes, it is presented to the president, who can approve and sign it into law, or veto it. If the president chooses to veto, Congress can vote to override this and the bill becomes law.

The bill is proposed

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 who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them. Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.

Once a bill is written, it needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill in the hopes of getting their support for it. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor", and the other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

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. Only Representatives can introduce bills in the U.S. House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R. A reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

The bill is introduced

The bill-making process begins with an idea for a new law or a change to an existing one. This idea 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 groups of citizens. Once a bill is drafted, it must 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 can be introduced by any member of Congress. In the House, legislation is handed to the clerk of the House or placed 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.

Once introduced, a bill is assigned a number that begins with H.R. in the House. It is then read by a reading clerk to all the Representatives, after which the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees. The bill is also sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO), where copies are made.

The bill is then assigned to a committee, whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it. These committees are composed of groups of Representatives or Senators who are experts on particular topics, 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 also hold hearings to better understand the bill's implications and gather the views of experts, public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead".

The bill is then reported to the House floor, where it is debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their reasons for supporting or opposing it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and Representatives recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

The bill goes to committee

The Committee Stage:

The committee stage is where the bill is assigned to specific committees, each with its own area of expertise. These committees are typically divided into subcommittees, allowing for a more focused examination of the bill. The committees are comprised of knowledgeable Representatives who scrutinize, debate, and make amendments to the bill. This process is designed to strengthen the bill and ensure it is well-considered before proceeding.

Review, Research, and Revise:

Committee members meticulously review the bill, researching its potential impact and implications. They may seek additional information or expert opinions to make informed decisions. This stage involves revising the bill to address any concerns or shortcomings identified during the review process. Committees may also hold hearings, providing a forum for feedback and discussion with relevant parties, including government agencies, industries, and citizen groups.

Voting Within the Committee:

After the review and revision process, the committee members vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. This vote is crucial, as it determines whether the bill advances further in the legislative process. If the committee members are in favor, the bill moves forward; if not, the bill may be discarded or require substantial revisions before reconsideration.

Subcommittee Examination:

In some cases, the bill may be sent to a subcommittee for an even more detailed examination. Subcommittees delve deeper into specific aspects of the bill, gathering expert opinions and conducting additional analysis. Once the subcommittee completes its review, the bill is sent back to the committee for approval.

Finalizing the Committee's Work:

The committee may hold a "mark-up" session, where they make further revisions and additions to the bill. If significant amendments are made, the committee may introduce a "clean bill," starting the process anew with the proposed amendments. The committee then votes to report the bill, sending it back to the House floor for further debate and voting.

Moving Towards a Vote:

Once the committee has completed its work, the bill is reported and ready for debate by the entire legislative body. This stage involves discussing the merits and shortcomings of the bill, proposing additional changes, and ultimately, voting on its passage. The bill must pass through both bodies of Congress, each with its own voting procedures, before moving on to the next stage.

The bill is reported

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent, or reported, to the House floor. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported". 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.

In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The committee 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 have a major impact on whether the bill passes. The Rules Committee can be bypassed in three ways: 1) members can move rules to be suspended (this requires a two-thirds vote); 2) a discharge petition can be filed; or 3) the House can use a Calendar Wednesday procedure.

Legislation is placed on the Calendar:

House

Bills are placed on one of four House Calendars. They are usually placed on the calendars in the order they are reported, yet they don't usually come to the floor in this order—some bills never reach the floor at all. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader decide what will reach the floor and when. (Legislation can also be brought to the floor by a discharge petition.)

Senate

Legislation is placed on the Legislative Calendar. There is also an Executive Calendar to deal with treaties and nominations. Scheduling of legislation is the job of the Majority Leader. Bills can be brought to the floor whenever a majority of the Senate chooses.

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. Debate is guided by the Sponsoring Committee, and time is divided equally between proponents and opponents. The Committee decides how much time to allot to each person. Amendments must be germane to the subject of a bill—no riders are allowed. The bill is reported back to the House (to itself) and is voted on. A quorum call is a vote to make sure that there are enough members present (218) to have a final vote. If there is not a quorum, the House will adjourn or will send the Sergeant at Arms out to round up missing members.

Senate

Debate is unlimited unless cloture is invoked. Members can speak as long as they want, and amendments need not be germane—riders are often offered. Entire bills can therefore 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".

The bill is voted on

Once a bill has been introduced, assigned to a committee, and reported, it is ready to be voted on. In the US House of Representatives, there are three methods for voting on a bill: Viva Voce, Division, and Recorded. For a Viva Voce vote, the Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say “aye” and those that oppose it to say “no.”. For 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. For a Recorded vote, Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system, selecting 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 US House of Representatives and is then certified by the Clerk of the House before being delivered to the US Senate.

In the US Senate, Senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say “yea,” and those who oppose it say “nay.”. If a majority of Senators support the bill, it passes in the US Senate and is ready to go to the President. If the bill is passed by both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, it is then presented to the President.

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