HOW A BILL BECOMES A
LAW:
10 steps in the legislative process!
Some Definitions:
•BILL: A proposed law
•SPONSOR: The person who introduces the bill
•RESOLUTION: A formal statement expressing a legislative decision or opinion (can be Simple, Concurrent, or a Joint Resolution)
Step 1: The Idea
• Ideas for bills usually come from the President, Congress, interest groups or the constituents.
• Bills are written by Congress
Step 2: The Bill is Introduced • The Bill is introduced by a
sponsor
• It is prefixed and assigned to committee
• House Speaker or Steering Committee assigns the bill
• Assignment to an “unfriendly committee”could mean DEATH for the bill!
Here, Eric Cantor discusses a bill he introduced.
Step 3: Committees Take Action!• May send bill to sub-
committee for study…
• Investigations/ hearings
• Amendments…
• “favorable pass” or “unfavorable pass”
• Pigeonhole: Killing the bill in committee...
Bills can be forced from committee by a discharge petition...
Step 4: the Calendar• The formal schedule for bills and
resolutions to be heard
• Usually in chronological order
• Bills can be moved based on importance…
• The House Rules committee is responsible for this.
• Bills can die on the calendar if the session ends before it is passed!
Step 5: Business and Debate
• Only 1 bill can be discussed at a time
• Debate time is limited to 1 or 2 hours
• All debate must be germane
• 3-4 bills at a time
• Time is not limited
• Debate does not need to be germane
• FILIBUSTER can kill a bill…
• Cloture can end a debate-- rarely done!
House Rules: Senate Rules
Step 6: Floor Action• It could be TABLED with no
further consideration (death for the bill)
• It could be amended/ RIDERS could be added
• It could be sent back to committee for further study!
Step 7: Call for a Vote!
• A Quorum must be present to vote
• Voting can be done by voice, standing, teller, roll-call
• Bill can die if it is defeated
• If it passes the vote...
Step 8: Bicameralism...The bill is sent to
the other house for the same
process…(GO BACK TO STEP 1)
Bills must pass both houses in identical form before they may become laws...
Step 9: Conference Committee • If the bill passes each
house in similar form, a select - joint committee will be called to RECONCILE the two version of the bill.
• The bill then returns to each house for approval
Step 10: Presidential Action
• Pass it…(Hoooray!)
• No action- it passes after 10 days
• POCKET VETO: if congress adjourns before 10 days, it is killed
• VETO the bill
Overriding a presidential
veto requires a 2/3 vote in each house...
It is very difficult for a bill to become a
law...