Kara Sears
In the United States, bills can be written by members of Congress, such as Representatives and Senators, or by everyday citizens and advocacy groups. The majority of bills that are introduced to Congress, however, come from members or constituents. These legislators draft bills and discuss them with their colleagues to gain support. Once a bill has a sponsor and sufficient support, it can be introduced in Congress. The process of a bill becoming a law involves gaining support, being introduced in Congress, passing through both houses of Congress, and receiving the President's approval.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can write a bill | Almost anyone can write a bill, including everyday citizens and advocacy groups |
| Who introduces a bill | Any member of Congress, such as a Representative or Senator |
| Who is the primary sponsor | The member of Congress who introduces the bill |
| Who can co-sponsor a bill | There is no limit to the number of members who can co-sponsor a bill |
| Where is the bill introduced | The bill is introduced in the House if a Representative is the sponsor, and in the Senate if a Senator is the sponsor |
| What happens after introduction | The title of the bill is put into the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record |
| What happens after introduction | The bill is assigned a legislative number by the Clerk |
| What happens after introduction | The Speaker of the House allots the bill to the appropriate committee |
| What happens if the President vetoes the bill | The bill is sent back to the U.S. House of Representatives with reasons for the veto |
| What happens if the President does not sign the bill | If Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes a law after ten days |
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What You'll Learn
Members of Congress, such as Representatives and Senators, can write a bill
Once a bill has a sponsor and sufficient support, it can be introduced in Congress. If a Representative is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the House. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate. A bill can also be introduced by any Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner by placing it in the "hopper", a wooden box next to the Clerk's desk, while the House of Representatives is in session. Once introduced, the title of the bill is entered into the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record. The Clerk then assigns the bill a legislative number, and the Speaker of the House assigns it to the appropriate committee.
Committees are groups of Representatives with specific knowledge of topics such as education or foreign affairs. They exist in both the House and the Senate and play a crucial role in the legislative process. Every committee has its own funding and staff, with the majority party controlling two-thirds of the funding and staff, and the minority party controlling one-third. The committee will meet to mark up the bill, making changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor". If the committee votes against the bill, it dies. If they vote in favor, the bill is sent to the floor for additional debate and a vote to approve any amendments.
After the bill has been through the committee stage, it can be voted on in three different ways: Voice Vote, Division Vote, or Recorded Vote. If the majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes and is sent to the Senate, where it will be scrutinized and debated again. The Senate follows a similar process to the House, with the bill going through committees and then to the floor for a vote. If the bill passes in the Senate, it is sent to the President for approval.
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Any member of the public can write a bill
In the United States, any member of the public can write a bill. While bills are usually introduced by members of Congress, such as Representatives and Senators, any member of the public can draft a bill and find a member of Congress to sponsor it. This is known as having a "primary sponsor". The member of Congress who introduces the bill is considered the primary sponsor, and there is no limit to the number of members who can cosponsor a bill. These legislators will then discuss the bill with their colleagues to gain support. Once a bill has a sponsor and sufficient support, it can be introduced in Congress.
There are two types of bills: private and public. Private bills affect a specific individual, while public bills affect the general public. A bill can originate from either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, but all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives, according to Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution. When the House is in session, any member, delegate, or resident commissioner can introduce a bill officially by placing it in the "hopper", a wooden box next to the Clerk's desk.
Once introduced, the title of the bill is entered into the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record. The Clerk then assigns the bill a legislative number, and the Speaker of the House assigns it to the appropriate committee. Committees are groups of Representatives with specialized knowledge on specific topics such as education or foreign affairs. They play a vital role in the legislative process and have their own funding and staff. The committee will make changes and amendments to the bill before recommending it to the "floor". If the committee votes in favor of the bill, it is reported to the floor, a procedure 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. There are three ways a bill can be voted on: Voice Vote, Division Vote, and Recorded Vote. If the bill passes, it is sent to the other chamber, where it typically follows the same route through committees and, finally, to the floor. This chamber may approve the bill as received, reject it, ignore it, or make changes. If both chambers of Congress approve the bill in identical form, it is sent to the President for approval. The President can approve the bill, veto it, or take no action. If the President does nothing and Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after ten days.
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A bill must be introduced by a congressman
In the United States, a bill is typically introduced by a congressman, specifically a member of Congress, such as a Representative or a Senator. These individuals are responsible for drafting the bill, discussing it with their colleagues, and gathering support before introducing it in Congress. The process of introducing a bill involves placing it in the "hopper," a wooden box located next to the Clerk's desk during a session of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The congressman who introduces the bill is known as the primary sponsor, and there is no limit to the number of co-sponsors who can support the bill. Once introduced, the bill is officially recorded in the House Journal and the Congressional Record. The Clerk then assigns a legislative number to the bill, and the Speaker of the House refers it to the appropriate committee for further review and discussion.
Committees are specialised groups of Representatives with knowledge in specific areas, such as education or foreign affairs. They play a crucial role in the legislative process, as they can make changes and amendments to the bill before recommending it to the "floor." The committee's funding and staff are determined by the majority and minority parties, reflecting the distribution of power in Congress.
After the committee has completed its work, the bill reaches the floor, where it is debated and voted on by the full chamber of Congress. If the bill receives the necessary support, it passes to the other chamber, where it undergoes a similar process of committee review, debate, and voting. If both the House and the Senate approve the bill in identical form, it is then sent to the President for approval.
The President has several options at this stage, including signing the bill into law, vetoing it, or taking no action (known as a pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can still override the veto by holding another vote, requiring a two-thirds majority in both chambers to overturn the President's decision. If the President takes no action while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after ten days.
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A bill needs a sponsor and co-sponsors
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. In the United States, almost anyone can write a bill. However, for a bill to become a law, it must be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and receive the President's approval. This means that the majority of bills that are introduced to Congress are written by members or constituents.
The process of a bill becoming a law begins with it being introduced in Congress. The member of Congress who introduces the bill is considered the primary sponsor, and there is no limit to the number of members who can co-sponsor a bill. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill, and the co-sponsors are the other members who support it. These legislators draft bills and discuss them with their colleagues to gain support. Once a bill has a sponsor and sufficient support, it can be introduced in Congress.
If a Representative is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the House. If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced in the Senate. The bill is then put into the House Journal and printed in the Congressional Record. The Clerk then assigns the bill a legislative number, and the Speaker of the House allots it to the appropriate committee. Committees are groups of Representatives who are knowledgeable about specific topics, such as education or foreign affairs. They play a vital role in the legislative process and have their own funding and staff.
Once the bill has been through the committee process and debated on the floor, it is voted on. There are three different ways a bill can be voted on in the House: Voice Vote, Division Vote, and Recorded Vote. If the majority of Representatives vote yes on the bill, it passes and is sent to the U.S. Senate, where it is scrutinized and debated again. The bill then goes through similar steps in the Senate, including being voted on again. If the majority supports the bill, it passes and is sent to the President for approval.
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A bill must be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and the President
In the United States, bills can be written by members of Congress, including Representatives and Senators. They are drafted by legislators, who then discuss them with their colleagues to gain support. Once a bill has a sponsor and sufficient support, it can be introduced in Congress. The sponsor is the primary Congress member supporting the bill, and the other members who support it are called co-sponsors. The bill is introduced in the House if a Representative is the sponsor, and in the Senate if a Senator is the sponsor.
Once a bill is introduced, it goes through a process of passing through both houses of Congress. It is first voted on in the House of Representatives. There are three ways a bill can be voted on: Voice Vote, Division Vote, and Recorded Vote. If the majority of the Representatives vote yes, the bill passes and is sent to the Senate, where it is scrutinized and debated again. After being sent to a committee and debated on the Senate floor, it is voted on once more. If the majority supports the bill, it passes and is sent to the President for approval.
When a bill reaches the President, they can take one of three actions. They can approve the bill, in which case it becomes law. They can veto the bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives with their reasons for not signing. Or they can do nothing, in which case, if Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after ten days. If the President vetoes the bill, the House of Representatives and the Senate can hold another vote to override the veto, but this requires two-thirds of the members from both chambers to support it.
It is important to note that there are two types of bills: private and public. Private bills affect a specific individual, while public bills impact the general public. Additionally, any bill dealing with revenue must originate in the House of Representatives, as outlined in Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution. While members of Congress write most bills, almost anyone can write a bill. However, they must have a member of Congress introduce it officially by placing it in the "hopper," a wooden box next to the Clerk's desk in the House of Representatives.
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Frequently asked questions
In the United States, any member of Congress can write a bill, including Representatives and Senators.
Yes, a bill needs a sponsor and sufficient support to be introduced in Congress. The primary Congress member supporting the bill is called the "sponsor", and other members who support the bill are called "co-sponsors".
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 passed by both the House and Senate in identical form, it is sent to the President. If the President approves, it is signed and becomes law. If the President does not approve, the bill can be vetoed and sent back to the House of Representatives.
Almost anyone can write a bill, however, the majority of bills that are introduced to Congress come from members or constituents. A congressman must introduce the bill, but they do not have to be the author.
