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...