How a Bill Becomes Law
Bills are proposed legislation that may eventually become laws. Bills have to go through many steps before they can become laws. While the process may seem long, making laws is the most important job that the Congress has.
Beginning of a Bill
Ideas for bills can come from anybody–including you. If a Member of Congress likes the idea and believes it would be a good law, the Member and his staff will research it, write the bill, and prepare it for proposal to Congress.
Proposal of a Bill
Once the bill has been written, it must be sponsored by a Member of Congress so it can be introduced in Congress. This could be the same Member or a different Member. The sponsor will talk to other Members about the bill to get them interested. If two or more Members sponsor the same bill, they are called co-sponsors. Usually, a Member sponsors a bill if the subject is important to them or their constituents. After the bill has a sponsor, it can be formally introduced to Congress.
Introduction of a Bill
Only Members of Congress may introduce bills. Bills can be introduced whenever Congress is in session. In the House, bills are placed in a special box known as the hopper, located at the rostrum. Bills may also be introduced in the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is placed on the presiding officer’s desk or by formally introducing it on the Senate Floor. Bills can be introduced in either the House or the Senate, depending on the bill’s sponsor.
Once a bill has been introduced, a bill clerk assigns the bill a number. House bills begin with “H.R.” and Senate bills begin with an “S,” followed by the assigned bill number. After the bill is numbered, its title is read on the Floor. This is called the first reading. Once it has been read the bill is sent to committee.
The Bill Goes to Committee
There are 19 House standing committees, each with several subcommittees. Each specializes in a different area of public policy—such as agriculture, education, and foreign relations. The appropriate committee debates on, or marks up, the proposed bill.
The committee might also make changes to the bill. If changes are made, the committee members vote to accept or reject them. If the bill includes lots of amendments, the committee may create a “clean bill” with a new number to make the legislative process smoother and avoid confusion.
Once the bill text is complete, the committee votes to “table” the bill, refer it to a subcommittee, or report it to the House Floor.
The Bill Goes to Subcommittee
If a bill is referred to a subcommittee, it is studied very carefully. It was sent here because the committee members thought it needed further examination and research. The subcommittee may hold hearings so experts, supporters, and opponents can voice their opinions. The subcommittee can decide to “table” the bill, reject the changes and discuss the bill further, or approve the changes and send it back to the committee.
The Bill is Reported
After the committee has decided that the bill is ready to be voted on by all of the Members of Congress, the bill is sent to the Bill Clerk along with a report explaining the provisions of the bill. The bill is now considered reported. A vote is scheduled for the bill.
The Bill is Considered on the House Floor
Members of Congress debate the bill on the House Floor. The Rules of the House govern the conduct of the debate. During the debate, Members who support the bill and Members who oppose the bill each have a turn to explain why. They can also rebut what other Members have said about the bill. Following the debate, the bill is read again, section-by-section. During this second reading, Members may suggest additional amendments. After all of the amendments have been considered, the House is ready to vote on the bill. The bill then becomes available for the public to view on the Office of the Clerk’s Web site.
The Bill is Put to Vote
The bill is now ready for a vote! The Bill’s title is read by a Reading Clerk. Members vote on whether or not the bill should become a law. Usually, members in the House vote using the Electronic Voting System. Members vote “yea” for yes, “nay” for no, or “present” if they choose not to vote on a particular bill. Roll Call Votes are recorded in the House Journal, Congressional Record, and posted on the Office of the Clerk’s Web site. If the majority of the House votes to pass the bill and the count has been certified by the Clerk, the bill is called “engrossed.” The “engrossed” bill is then referred to the Senate to undergo a similar process for approval.
The Bill is Referred to the Senate
The bill must pass in both the House and the Senate, and be signed by the president, in order to become a law. The two houses of Congress make up the bicameral legislature, part of a system of checks and balances that ensures that laws are created democratically. In the Senate, the bill may also be sent to a committee for study or markup. The Senate then votes on whether or not to pass the bill, just like the House. If the bill was changed and does not match the bill created in the House, it must be sent for review by a conference committee. Any changes must be approved by this committee before the bill can be sent to the President. At this point, the bill is called “enrolled.”
The Bill is sent to the President
All bills must be approved and signed by the President in order to become law. The President can take one of several possible actions when the bill is delivered to him.
- The President may do nothing. If Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after ten days. If Congress is not in session, the bill dies and does not become law. This is called a “pocket veto.”
- The President may decide that the bill is unwise or unnecessary and veto the bill.
- The President may sign the bill, and the bill becomes law.
The Bill is Vetoed
If the President vetoes a bill, it returns to the House. The President’s reasons for vetoing the bill are discussed and debated on the House Floor. If there are enough objections in the House to the presidential veto, a vote can be taken to override it.
The Veto is Overridden
At least a two-thirds vote or greater is needed in both the House and Senate to override the President’s veto. If two-thirds of both houses in Congress agree to override the veto, the bill automatically becomes a law. If the House and Senate do not agree to override the President’s veto, the bill “dies” and does not become a law.