How a Bill Becomes a Law
The process of how a bill becomes a law in the United States involves several key stages, beginning with the introduction of the bill by a member of Congress. This bill can originate from various sources, including the president or citizens. After introduction, the bill is assigned to a committee or subcommittee for review and discussion, where it may undergo hearings and witness testimonies. If it passes through the committee stage, it moves to the floor of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, where it is debated, potentially amended, and voted on.
For a bill to advance, it must receive a majority vote from both houses. If the versions of the bill passed by each house differ, a conference committee may be convened to reconcile these differences. Once both houses agree on the final version, the bill is sent to the president, who has several options: to sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action. If the president vetoes the bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. If the president does not take action for ten days and Congress is still in session, the bill automatically becomes law. However, if Congress adjourns during this period, the bill does not become law, a situation known as a pocket veto. Overall, the process highlights the intricate checks and balances within the U.S. legislative system.
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How a Bill Becomes a Law
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by Congress. Before a bill becomes a law, it must go through several stages. The bill is first introduced by a member of Congress. A committee or subcommittee then considers and votes on the bill. If it passes, it then moves to both houses of Congress, where it is debated, amended, and voted on. A bill must pass both houses to move on. In certain cases, the bill then goes to a conference committee. Once these steps are completed, the bill is sent to the president to sign. However, the president does not have to sign the bill; there are several other options as well. But if the president does sign it, the bill then becomes law. Most bills that are introduced never become law.
Overview
A bill goes through several stages in Congress before it becomes a law. The bill can originate from a number of places. Although only members of Congress may introduce bills, ideas for bills can come from the president, governors, state legislatures, or even ordinary citizens. Congress consists of two houses—the House of Representatives and the Senate—and a bill is introduced differently in each house. In the House, a member places the bill in a hopper, or a wooden box on the House floor. In the Senate, a member hands the bill to clerks on the Senate floor.
Next, the bill is sent to a committee. Both the House and the Senate are divided into committees, such as the House Ways and Means Committee. Each committee deals with a specific topic. Many of these committees are further divided into subcommittees. Most bills are sent to a subcommittee because of the large number of bills that are introduced. Once the bill is assigned to a committee or subcommittee, it is debated. Hearings may take place to discuss the merits of the bill. During these hearings, witnesses such as experts, government officials, and lobbyists may testify. If the bill is at the subcommittee level, then the members of the subcommittee vote on the bill. If it passes, the bill moves to the full committee, where the bill is debated again. The committee then votes on the bill. If it passes at this level, the bill moves on to the floors of each house of Congress. Otherwise, the bill dies. About 90 percent of all bills die in the committee or subcommittee.
Once the bill advances to Congress, it is placed on each house’s calendar. Despite being placed on the calendar, a bill is not guaranteed floor consideration. Some bills listed on the calendar never reach the floor.
In the House, most bills are considered under the suspension of the rules procedure. This procedure limits debate to forty minutes and prohibits members on the floor from offering amendments. Other bills are subject to special rules that are tailored for each particular bill. Special rules are reported by the House Rules Committee and often include specific text to be considered, limits on debate, and limits on amendments that may be offered. The bill is then debated and, if allowed, amendments are offered and voted on. Members may then vote on a motion to recommit, which allows the minority party to offer its own amendment. The final bill is then voted on. A majority vote is needed for the bill to pass.
In the Senate, members first vote to consider the bill on the floor. Once this is agreed upon, members debate and propose amendments. The rules in the Senate are much more lenient than those in the House. No limits on debate or amendments are present in the Senate. A member may therefore talk about a bill for as long as he or she wishes, and amendments may not be germane. Once debate has concluded and all amendments have been offered and voted on, the final bill is voted on. As in the House, a majority vote is needed to pass the bill. Both houses must pass the bill for it to move on to the next stage. If either house fails to pass the bill, then it dies.
Oftentimes, the House and Senate versions of a passed bill are different. If these differences are significant, the bill may need to go to a conference committee. This temporary committee is formed to resolve the differences in the two versions and consists of members of both houses. A negotiated proposal is presented in a conference report. Both houses must then consider the report and agree to it for the bill to move on.
Regardless of whether or not the bill goes to a conference committee, once both houses pass the bill, it is delivered to the president for his signature. After the president signs the bill, it becomes law. However, the president does not have to sign the bill; he may choose to veto the bill or sit on the bill. When the president vetoes a bill, he rejects it. If that happens, the bill returns to Congress. Congress may either accept the veto or vote on the bill again. This time, however, the bill needs a two-thirds majority in both houses to pass, which is difficult to achieve. If the bill is indeed passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses, the veto is overridden, and the bill becomes law. When the president sits on a bill, he takes no action at all. If he sits on the bill for ten days, the bill automatically becomes law. However, this does not always happen. The bill will not become law if Congress adjourns before the ten-day limit. Known as a pocket veto, the president can use this power if he knows an adjournment is approaching.
Bibliography
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Congress.gov. “Senate Floor.” Congress.gov. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 19 May. 2016.. <https://beta.congress.gov/legislative-process/senate-floor>
USConstitution.net. “Constitutional Topic: How a Bill Becomes a Law.” USConstitution.net. USConstitution.net, 24 Jan. 2010. Web. 19 May. 2016. <http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop‗law.html>
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