1. How a Bill Becomes a Law

2. What is a bill?
A bill is a proposed law.
Ideas come from the Executive Branch, special interest groups, and citizens.
Only a member of Congress can present the idea in the form of a bill.

3. House of Representatives The President acts on the Bill
How a Bill Becomes a Law
House of Representatives
Introduced then assigned to a specific committee, then to a subcommittee.
Subcommittee makes changes, debates it, and send it back to the full committee for a vote.
Full committee votes to approve the bill. If it passes it goes to the next step. If not, it dies.
Bill given to rules committee to set guidelines for debate in the full House.
Full House debates the bill. If there are no changes it goes to the next step.
The full House votes on the bill. If it passes it goes to the next step. If not, it dies.
Senate
Introduced then assigned to a specific committee, then to a subcommittee.
Subcommittee makes changes, debates it, and send it back to the full committee for a vote.
Full committee votes to approve the bill. If it passes it goes to the next step. If not, it dies.
THE SENATE DOES TO NOT HAVE A RULES COMMITTEE! THIS IS THE ONLY STEP THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES!
Full House debates the bill. If there are no changes it goes to the next step.
The full House votes on the bill. If it passes it goes to the next step. If not, it dies.
The President acts on the Bill

4. What can the President do?
He can sign the bill and make it a law.
He can veto (reject) the bill. Congress can override his veto with a 2/3 vote.
He can ignore the bill. If he ignores it for 10 days it becomes a law without his signature.