How Laws Are Proposed And Passed

The process of turning a bill into a law can be initiated by a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or by citizens and advocacy groups who can petition their representatives. Once a bill has been drafted, it is introduced in the House of Representatives or the Senate, depending on the sponsor. The bill is then sent to a committee, which will research and discuss it, and make changes. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it 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 then both chambers vote on the same version of the bill. 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 the bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.

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, 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. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors". Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

The Bill Is Introduced

Once a bill has been drafted and a sponsor has been found, 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, 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 then printed in its introduced form, which can be read on the Bill Status Today. An important phase of the legislative process is the action taken by committees. It is during committee action that the most intense consideration is given to the proposed measures; this is also the time when the people are given their opportunity to be heard. Each piece of legislation is referred to the committee that has jurisdiction over the area affected by the measure.

The first step in this process is usually a public hearing, where the committee members hear witnesses representing various viewpoints on the measure. Each committee makes public the date, place, and subject of any hearing it conducts. Public announcements are also published in the Daily Digest portion of the Congressional Record. A transcript of the testimony taken at a hearing is made available for inspection in the committee office, and frequently the complete transcript is printed and distributed by the committee.

The Bill Goes to Committee

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee members are groups of representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor.

If the committee members would like more information before deciding if the bill should be sent to the House floor, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. While in subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

The committee can hold hearings on the bill, and government agencies are asked to comment on the bill's merit. The committee chairman can also assign the bill to a subcommittee. Subcommittees report their findings to the full committee.

Finally, there is a vote by the full committee – the bill is "ordered to be reported". 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" which will include the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded.

The Bill Is Reported

Once a bill has been approved by a committee, it is sent to the House floor to be debated. This is when a bill is said to be "reported".

When a bill is reported, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, a reading clerk reads the bill section by section and the Representatives recommend changes. Once all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it say "no".
• Division: 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.
• Recorded: Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. Representatives 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.

The Bill Is Voted On

Once a bill has been introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The committee will then vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee members would like more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. Here, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval. Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent back to the House floor, where it is debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say "aye" and those that oppose it say "no."
• Division: 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.
• Recorded: Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. Representatives 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.

Frequently asked questions