Who Owns The Bills Becoming Laws?

The process of a bill becoming a law is a long and complex one. In the United States, a bill can be proposed by any member of the Senate or House of Representatives, or by citizens and advocacy groups. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will research, discuss and make changes to it. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes one body of Congress, it goes to the other to go through the same process. Once both bodies vote to accept a bill, they must work out any differences between the two versions. The bill is then presented to the President, who can either approve it or veto it. If the President chooses to veto it, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.

Who can draft a bill?

The process of a bill becoming a law can be initiated by any member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. These individuals are known as sponsors, and they can propose a bill during their election campaign or after taking office. The idea for a bill can also come from citizens or advocacy groups, who can petition their representatives to propose a bill. In the U.S. House of Representatives, only representatives can introduce bills.

Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of other representatives, it is ready to be introduced. The process of introducing a bill involves placing it in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill number is then assigned, beginning with "H.R." to indicate that it originated in the House of Representatives.

After introduction, the bill is sent to a committee for review, research, discussion, and potential changes. The committee will then vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered dead.

If the bill passes the committee stage, it is reported to the House floor for debate and further amendments. The bill is then voted on, and if it passes, it is sent to the other body (Senate or House of Representatives) to go through a similar process.

Once a bill has passed both bodies of Congress, it is presented to the President for approval. The President can sign the bill into law or veto it. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House.

How is a bill introduced?

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 committee will then vote on whether to pass the bill. If the bill passes, it is sent to the House floor to be debated by 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. 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 committee members—groups of Representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations—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, 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.

Once the committee has approved a bill, it is sent or reported to the House floor. Once reported, a bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives. When a bill is debated, 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. When all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

What happens in a committee?

Committees are an essential part of the legislative process. They are made up of groups of representatives who are experts on specific topics, such as agriculture, education, or international relations.

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee, which will then review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. Committees also monitor ongoing government operations, identify issues suitable for legislative review, gather and evaluate information, and recommend courses of action to the Senate.

If the committee members want 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.

Committees have the authority to hold hearings on presidential nominations to executive and judicial positions within their jurisdiction. They also have the power to issue subpoenas, requiring both testimonial and documentary evidence to be furnished.

Standing committees are permanent committees that specialize in the consideration of particular subject areas. There are also select committees, which are established for a limited time to perform a particular study or investigation.

What is a subcommittee?

A subcommittee is a subdivision of a United States congressional committee that considers specified matters and reports back to the full committee. Subcommittees are formed by most committees to share specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committee. They are responsible for, and work within the guidelines established by, their parent committees.

Subcommittees are generally independent, autonomous units with written jurisdictions. They are responsible for measures or matters within the Rules Committee's jurisdiction, such as the process and procedures of the House, relations between the two Houses of Congress, and relations between the Congress and the Judiciary.

Subcommittees are also responsible for the initial consideration of measures and oversight of laws and programs in their areas. Service on subcommittees enables members to develop expertise in specialized fields.

Subcommittees are formed by most committees to share and distribute the workload. They are granted a certain degree of independence and autonomy, with their own written jurisdictions. The specifics of their assignments and jurisdictions are determined by the parent committees.

In the case of the House of Representatives, the general requirements for establishing subcommittees are outlined in the House Rules. The Rules also limit committees to five subcommittees each, with an exception for committees with an oversight subcommittee, which are permitted six.

The formation and operation of subcommittees are governed by specific rules and procedures, which ensure that the legislative process is efficient, focused, and effective.

What happens when a bill is reported and debated?

When a bill is reported and debated, it is sent to the House floor to be discussed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Representatives discuss the bill, explaining why they agree or disagree with it. A reading clerk then 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.

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