Aim: How does a Bill Become a Law? Do Now: Review, how does each branch of government check the others?

Here’s How a Bill Becomes a Law…

Step One: Idea

Step Two: Introduced A senator or member of the House of Representatives introduces the bill in their house in Congress.

Step Three: Bill Sent to Appropriate Committee Bill is sent to a small group of lawmakers who specialize in a topic. For example, if it were a bill about using red light cameras at traffic lights, it would go to the Transportation Committee. (Bill can be changed, sent to sub-committee, or killed)

Step 4: Bill sent to sub-committee Bill can be sent to an even smaller group of lawmakers within a committee called a sub-committee. In the Transportation Committee, there might be a traffic signs sub-committee. (Bill can be changed, sent back to committee, or kill bill).

Step 5: Bill Sent back to Committee Once the committee gets the bill back from sub-committee, they can change bill, send it back to sub-committee again, or kill bill.

Step 6: House of Reps. Floor Debate All members of the House of Representatives debate bill. (Roughly 435 people!) The bill can be changed (amended), sent back to committee or killed.

Step 7: House of Reps Votes on the Bill All members of the House of Representatives vote yes or no.

Step 8: Send the Bill to the Senate to Repeat the Process The Bill goes through the same steps in the Senate. A floor debate followed by a vote of all senators, yes or no. The Senate may Filibuster a bill as well.

Step 9: Joint Committee If there are differences between the Senate bill and the House of Rep. bill, it is sent to joint committee (with members from the Senate and House) to settle the differences.

Step 10: The President’s Desk The president that can sign the bill into law or veto bill (kill bill).

Step 11: Override the Veto, if necessary If the president vetoes bill, Congress can override the veto with 2/3 of each house of Congress. Both the Senate and the House of Reps need 2/3 of members to override veto.

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