Keith Mack
The process of changing a government is dependent on the country's legislative process. In the United States, for example, Congress is the law-making branch of the federal government. Congress has the authority to create and modify laws, as well as confirm or reject presidential appointments. A bill, which is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one, can be introduced by any member of Congress. If both the House and the Senate pass the same bill, it is sent to the President for review. If the President does not veto the bill and Congress is in session, the bill becomes a law after 10 days.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can propose a bill | A sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, a citizen group, or the President |
| Who can introduce a bill | Only members of Congress |
| Who can pass a bill | The House of Representatives and the Senate (together forming the United States Congress) |
| Who can veto a bill | The President |
| Who can override a veto | Congress, with a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives |
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What You'll Learn
Bills can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups
Bills are proposals for new laws or changes to existing laws. While the idea for a bill typically originates from a sitting member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or during their election campaign, bills can also be proposed by citizens or citizen groups. This process is known as petitioning, where citizens or groups 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.
Citizens or citizen groups can transmit their proposals to a member of the Legislature, who will then send the idea and proposed language to the Legislative Counsel's Office. Here, the bill is drafted into the appropriate format and returned to the legislator for review. The bill's originators may also review it to ensure their desired provisions are included. If the author is a Senator, the bill is introduced at the Senate Desk; if an Assembly member, it is introduced at the Assembly Desk, where it is assigned a number and read for the first time.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to it. The committee may hear from concerned citizens and citizen groups, who can provide input and testify on the bill. It is important for citizens to keep their letters and discussions with legislators short and to the point, focusing on the specific bill in question. Aligning with groups that share similar positions on the bill can also be a beneficial strategy.
After the committee stage, the bill is put before the chamber to be voted on. If it passes one body of Congress, it moves to the other body, where it undergoes a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. If the bill passes both bodies, they must reconcile any differences between the two versions. At any time during this legislative process, the bill may be amended, either in committee or on the Floor. Amendments can be proposed by citizens or citizen groups who continue to advocate for their desired provisions.
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The process of a bill becoming a law
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. Both the House and Senate have various committees composed of groups of Congress members with particular interests in different topics, such as health or international affairs. Committees may choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the bill and the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation. If the committee does not act on a bill, it is considered "dead". Subcommittees are organized under committees and have further specialization on specific topics. Committees often refer bills to a subcommittee for study and hearings.
When the hearings and subcommittee reviews are completed, the committee will meet to "mark up" the bill. They make changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor". If a committee votes not to report legislation to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies. If the committee votes in favor of the bill, it is reported to the floor. This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported". Once the bill reaches the floor, there is additional debate, and members of the full chamber vote to approve any amendments. The bill is then passed or defeated by the members' voting.
When the House or Senate passes a bill, it is referred to the other chamber, where it usually follows the same route through committees and finally to the floor. This chamber may approve the bill as received, reject it, ignore it, or change it. Congress may form a conference committee to resolve or reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. 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.
After both the House and Senate have approved a bill in identical form, the bill is sent to the President. If the President approves the legislation, it is signed and becomes law. If the President takes no action for ten days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. If the President opposes the bill, they may veto it. If the President vetoes a bill, in most cases, Congress can 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. This action is called a "pocket veto," and it cannot be overridden by Congress.
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The role of the House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is a crucial component of the United States Congress, the lawmaking branch of the federal government. It plays a significant role in the legislative process, working alongside the Senate to introduce, debate, amend, and vote on bills that can become laws.
The House of Representatives is comprised of 435 elected members, with each state receiving representation proportional to its total population. Additionally, there are six non-voting members representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. The presiding officer of the chamber, known as the Speaker of the House, is elected by the Representatives themselves.
A bill's journey through the House begins with its introduction by a member of the House. It is then typically referred to a committee, such as the Rules Committee, which sets the rules and procedures for its consideration. The committee may make changes and amendments to the bill before it returns to the House floor. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader play a pivotal role in deciding which bills reach the floor and when.
The House of Representatives has the exclusive power to initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. It also has the authority to confirm or reject many presidential appointments. While the House primarily operates through majority vote, it can also utilise procedures like the suspension of rules (requiring a two-thirds vote) or a discharge petition to advance legislation.
If the House passes a bill, it moves on to the Senate. If both chambers pass the same bill, it is sent to the President for review. The President can sign the bill into law or veto it. However, if both chambers of Congress pass the bill again with a two-thirds majority, they can override the presidential veto, and the bill becomes law.
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The role of the Senate
The United States Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the Legislative Branch of the federal government. The Legislative Branch was established by Article I of the US Constitution, which grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and change existing laws.
Firstly, any member of the Senate can introduce a bill. 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 Senate or House of Representatives, it can be proposed during their election campaign, or it can be petitioned by citizens or groups who recommend a new or amended law to a member of Congress. 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 of the bill is postponed until the next day. Once introduced, the bill is assigned a number.
Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee whose members will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill. There are 17 Senate committees, with 70 subcommittees. The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate refers the bill to the appropriate committee. Bills may be referred to more than one committee and may be split so that parts are sent to different committees. The Speaker of the House may set time limits on committees. Bills are placed on the calendar of the committee to which they have been assigned. Failure to act on a bill is equivalent to killing it.
After the committee stage, the bill is put before the Senate chamber to be voted on. The Senate processes legislation through deliberation and debate prior to voting. If the bill passes the Senate, it goes to the House of Representatives to go through a similar process of research, discussion, changes, and voting. If the House and Senate pass the same bill, it is sent to the President for review. If they pass different bills, they are sent to a Conference Committee, made up of senior members from each house, to work out the differences. If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written report, which is submitted to each chamber. The conference report must be approved by both the House and the Senate.
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may override the veto by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. 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, in what is called a "pocket veto", and cannot be overridden by Congress.
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The President's power to veto a bill
In the United States, the President has the power to veto a bill passed by Congress to prevent it from becoming law. The bill must be presented to the President, who then has ten days (excluding Sundays) to either sign it into law or veto it by returning it to the Chamber in which it originated. The President is required to state their objections to the bill in writing, and Congress must consider these objections.
The veto power is not absolute, and Congress can override a presidential veto by a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate. This process is known as a "revisionary power". If Congress is no longer in session, and the President does not sign the bill, it will be vetoed by default, in what is called a "pocket veto". This type of veto cannot be overridden by Congress.
The first use of the presidential veto power was by President George Washington in 1792, when he vetoed a bill outlining a new apportionment formula. Washington objected to the bill because it did not apportion representatives according to the states' relative populations, which he argued was a violation of the Constitution.
The use of the veto was rare until the presidency of Andrew Jackson, who vetoed 12 bills, none of which were overridden. The first time Congress overrode a presidential veto was during the presidency of John Tyler on March 3, 1845.
In addition to the President, state and territorial governors, some mayors, and county executives also have veto power. Some governors have additional veto powers, including line-item, amendatory, and reduction vetoes.
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Frequently asked questions
Any member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives can propose a bill. 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 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 (the House and the Senate) pass the same bill, it is sent to the President for review.
Yes, if the President does not sign off on a bill within 10 days and Congress is still in session, the bill will become a law. This is only true for when Congress is still in session. If Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up, the bill will be vetoed by default, which is called a pocket veto.
