Keith Mack
The process of a bill becoming a law is complex and rarely predictable. In the US, the idea for a bill can be proposed by a sitting member of the Senate or House of Representatives, during an election campaign, or by petition from a citizen group. Bills can originate in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, except for those related to revenue, which must originate in the House of Representatives. Once introduced, a bill is assigned to a committee, which researches, discusses, and makes changes to the bill. The bill is then put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes, 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, who can approve the bill and sign it into law or veto it. If the president chooses to veto a bill, in most cases, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where do bills originate? | Bills may originate in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. |
| Exception | All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives. |
| Types of bills | Public and private. |
| Who decides the time allotment for debate? | The Committee of the Whole decides how much time to allot to each person. |
| Who prepares a written report explaining the committee's preference for the bill? | The committee staff. |
| Who reviews the bill? | The President. |
| When does a bill become a law? | When signed by the President or if not signed within 10 days and Congress is in session. |
| What happens if the President vetoes the bill? | It is sent back to Congress with a note listing the reasons. |
| What happens if the veto of the bill is overridden in both chambers? | It becomes law. |
| What are the prefixes for bills introduced in the House and Senate? | H.R. and S. respectively. |
| What are joint resolutions designated as? | H.J. Res. or S.J. Res. |
| What are simple resolutions designated as? | H.Res. and S.Res. |
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What You'll Learn
Bills can originate in the House of Representatives or the Senate
Bills are proposals for new laws or changes to existing laws. They can be called by a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or be proposed during their election campaign. Bills can also be petitioned by people or citizen groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress that represents them.
A bill can originate from either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate and is the most common form of legislation. To become a law, a bill must be approved by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and requires the President's approval.
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. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded.
In the House, the majority party controls two-thirds of the funding, which means that they select two-thirds of the staff. The minority party has one-third of the funding and selects one-third of the staff. Committees are in both the House and the Senate and play a vital role in the legislative process.
While both the House and the Senate have equal legislative functions and powers, there are certain exceptions. For example, the Constitution provides that only the House of Representatives may originate revenue bills. By tradition, the House also originates appropriation bills.
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Amendments can be made to bills
In the United States, bills can originate in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. However, Article I, Section 7, of the Constitution states that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. Bills can be amended by both the Commons and the Lords, except for 'bills of aids and supplies' and 'appropriation bills', which authorise government spending and taxation. Amendments are proposals to change, remove or add to the existing wording of a bill to modify its effect. They can be tabled by any MP or Peer, although the chair may refuse to select an amendment for debate if it is out of the scope of the bill, was submitted late, or does not make sense.
Amendments must be passed to be incorporated into the legislation and have legal effect. However, even amendments that do not pass can still have political effects. For example, non-government amendments may be proposed to make a political point or to probe the Government's reasoning. Amendments must be germane to the subject of the bill, and no riders are allowed. In the House, debate is limited by the rules formulated in the Rules Committee, and a "closed rule" can forbid the introduction of amendments.
If substantial amendments are made, a "clean bill" can be 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 chamber must approve, change or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote. 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, are adopted.
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Bills are voted on by the chamber
Bills are proposed by members of the House of Representatives or the Senate, and any member can introduce a bill at any time while the House is in session. In the House, legislation is handed to the clerk or placed in the hopper, a wooden box located on the side of the rostrum in the House Chamber. In the Senate, members must gain recognition from the presiding officer to announce the bill's introduction during the morning hour.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned a number and goes through the legislative process, which includes debate, amendment, and voting. The chamber that originated the bill will have rules governing the procedures for considering the bill. For example, in the House, debate time is limited by the Rules Committee, while in the Senate, debate is unlimited unless cloture is invoked.
During the debate, the bill can be amended, and these amendments must be relevant to the subject of the bill. After the debate, the bill is voted on by the chamber. If passed, it is sent to the other chamber for consideration. If both chambers pass the same bill, it is then sent to the President for review.
If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress with a note listing the reasons. The chamber that originated the bill can attempt to override the veto by a two-thirds vote in both chambers, at which point it becomes law. If the President does not sign the bill within 10 days while Congress is in session, it also does not become law.
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The President can veto a bill
Bills may originate in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. There are two types of bills: public and private. A public bill is one that affects the public generally, while a private bill affects a specified individual or entity. Once a bill is passed by both houses of Congress, it is presented to the President for review.
The President can use the veto power to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law. If the President does not approve of the bill, they may choose not to sign it and return it to the house of the United States Congress in which it originated within ten days, excluding Sundays, while Congress is in session. This procedure is called a "pocket veto." The President is constitutionally required to state any objections to the bill in writing, and Congress is required to consider them.
If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress with a note listing their reasons. Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote of both chambers. This means that if the veto is overridden in both chambers, the bill becomes law.
In addition to the ability to veto an entire bill, some states give the governor additional power to strike or revise parts of a bill without rejecting the whole bill. This is known as a line-item, amendatory, or reduction veto.
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Congress can override a presidential veto
Bills are proposed by members of Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate, who debate and vote on them. Once a bill is approved by a majority in both houses of Congress, it is sent to the President. The President can either sign the bill into law or veto it, sending it back to Congress with their objections. However, Congress is not powerless in the face of a presidential veto.
The legislative process is crucial to understanding how laws and policies are created in the United States. It involves multiple steps, starting with an idea for a new law, which is then written into a bill. After a bill is approved by a majority in both chambers of Congress, it goes to the President for review. A bill becomes law if signed by the President or if not signed within 10 days while Congress is in session. If Congress adjourns before the 10 days have passed, the bill fails to become law, a procedure known as a "pocket veto."
While Congress has the authority to override a veto, it is an extraordinary act that is difficult to achieve. Historically, Congress has overridden only about 7% of presidential vetoes. This power is an essential tool for Congress to assert its will and maintain a balance of power among the governmental branches.
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Frequently asked questions
Any member of the US Senate or House of Representatives can propose a bill. Bills can also 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. If the bill passes in both the Senate and House, it then goes to the President. If the President signs the bill, it becomes a law.
The President can approve the bill and sign it into law. Or the President can refuse to approve a bill, which is called a veto. If the President vetoes a bill, it is sent back to Congress with a note listing their reasons. Congress can then attempt to override the veto by a vote of two-thirds of those present. If the veto of the bill is overridden in both chambers, it becomes law.
