Gavin Howe
The process of passing and instituting a new law involves multiple steps and stakeholders. In the United States, the legislative branch, known as Congress, is responsible for enacting legislation. Congress consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. A bill, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law, can be introduced by members of Congress or petitioned by citizen groups. Once a bill is introduced, it goes through a committee process, research, discussion, and potential amendments before being put to a vote in both chambers of Congress. If a bill passes both houses, it is presented to the President for consideration. The President has the power to veto or approve bills, and Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers. This intricate process ensures a balance of power and careful consideration in the creation and implementation of new laws.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Branch that passes and institutes a new law | Congress, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Number of members in the House of Representatives | 435 elected members and 6 non-voting members |
| Frequency of choosing members of the House of Representatives | Every two years |
| Age requirement to be a member of the House of Representatives | 25 years or older |
| Citizenship requirement to be a member of the House of Representatives | US citizen for at least 7 years |
| Who can propose a bill | A sitting member of the Senate or House of Representatives, during their election campaign, or by petition from citizens or citizen groups |
| What happens after a bill is introduced | It is assigned to a committee that researches, discusses, and makes changes, before being voted on |
| What happens if a bill passes one body of Congress | It goes to the other body to undergo a similar process, and any differences between the two versions must be worked out |
| What happens if a bill passes both houses of Congress | It is presented to the President for consideration |
| Options for the President when receiving a bill | Sign it into law, veto it, or take no action |
| What happens if the President vetoes a bill | Congress may override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives |
| What happens if the President takes no action on a bill | If Congress is in session and the President takes no action within 10 days, the bill becomes law. If Congress adjourns before 10 days, the bill dies, and Congress must start the process again if they still want to pass it |
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What You'll Learn
Bills proposed by members of the House of Representatives or Senate
In the United States, Congress is the lawmaking branch of the federal government. 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 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 whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee will also seek input from relevant departments and agencies about the bill. The bill may also be submitted to the Government Accountability Office with a request for an official report on the necessity or desirability of enacting the bill into law. These reports are not binding on the committee, but they are given serious consideration.
After the committee has finished its work on the bill, it 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. While the House processes legislation through a majority vote, the Senate does so through deliberation and debate prior to voting.
Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. If the president chooses to veto a bill, Congress can usually 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".
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Bills petitioned by citizens or citizen groups
In the United States, Congress is the lawmaking branch of the federal government. 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 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 right to petition is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. Citizen groups can also spend money on advertising to promote their desired bills, and this is protected as free speech under the First Amendment.
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 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. 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.
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: members can move rules to be suspended (requiring a 2/3 vote), a discharge petition can be filed, or the House can use a Calendar Wednesday procedure.
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Bills researched, discussed, and amended by committees
In the US, Congress is the law-making branch of the federal government. 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, agencies, and the Government Accountability Office. They may request an official report on the necessity and desirability of enacting the bill into law. These reports are considered carefully, but they are not binding on the committee's decision to act on the bill.
The committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, during which it will make revisions and additions to the bill. If substantial amendments are made, a "clean bill" is introduced, including 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 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 the bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report. This report must include the committee's oversight findings and recommendations, a cost estimate, and a statement of general performance goals and objectives.
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. If the bill passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other body (the House or the Senate) to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting.
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Bills passed by both houses of Congress
Congress is the branch of the US federal government that passes new laws. Bills can be proposed by sitting members of the US Senate or House of Representatives, during election campaigns, or by citizen groups or individuals who petition their representatives. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to it. The bill is then put to a vote. If it passes one body of Congress, it goes through the same process in the other body. If it passes both, the two bodies must agree on a single version of the bill.
As of June 2025, there were 6,786 bills and resolutions before Congress. Of these, 187 had passed both chambers, and 14 had been enacted as law. Bills can be tracked on the website of the US Congress, which provides updates when they are introduced, scheduled for debate, or have major actions such as votes or enactments.
The process of passing a bill differs between the House of Representatives and the Senate. The current Congress, the 119th, which began on 3 January 2025, will run for two years. Any bills not enacted by the end of the session on 3 January 2027 will lapse, and the process will have to begin again.
Committees seek input from relevant departments and agencies about a bill. The bill may also be submitted to the Government Accountability Office, which provides an official report on the necessity or desirability of enacting the bill. Reports from executive branch departments and agencies are submitted first to the Office of Management and Budget to check they are consistent with the President's programme.
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Bills signed into law by the President
In the United States, Congress is the lawmaking branch of the federal government. 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 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 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. 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. Reports of the departments and agencies in the executive branch are submitted first to the Office of Management and Budget to determine whether they are consistent with the program of the President.
After a bill has been passed by both bodies of Congress, it is sent to the President, who may sign it into law or veto it. If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress, which can override the veto by passing the bill again with a two-thirds majority vote in both bodies. If Congress does not override the veto, the bill does not become law.
In addition to being signed by the President or enacted via a veto override, a bill can become law through the "10-day rule." If a bill is presented to the President within the last 10 days of a Congressional session and the President does not sign or veto it before the session ends, the bill will become law.
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Frequently asked questions
The legislative branch, also known as the United States Congress, is the law-making branch of the federal government. It consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which work together to pass and institute new laws.
A proposal for a new law, or a bill, can come from a sitting member of the US 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.
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 to the other body to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting.
A bill must pass both houses of Congress before it goes to the President for consideration. If the President agrees with the bill, they can sign it into law. If the President does not approve, they must return it to the House in which it originated, explaining their objections. The bill can then be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of both houses, it becomes a law.
