How Do Bills Become Laws?

“CHEESEBURGER BILL”

Legislation Is Introduced Numbered (House bills start w/ HR; Senate bills start with S) Numbered (House bills start w/ HR; Senate bills start with S) Labeled with sponsor’s name Labeled with sponsor’s name Read (1 st time) Read (1 st time) H.R. #101 Kevin Brady - TX

Committee Action Bill referred to committee (based on what subject is) Bill referred to committee (based on what subject is) Speaker of House (HOR)/President Pro Tempore (Senate) refer these bills Speaker of House (HOR)/President Pro Tempore (Senate) refer these bills http :// http :// http :// http :// ****(Most bills die here)*** ****(Most bills die here)***

Committee Steps Assigned to subcommittees by Committee chairperson Assigned to subcommittees by Committee chairperson Subcommittees research topic and then report their findings Subcommittees research topic and then report their findings All vote (committee members) All vote (committee members) Pass = set date for it to go to the floor for debate & vote Pass = set date for it to go to the floor for debate & vote Don’t pass = bill is dead Don’t pass = bill is dead

Floor Action Speaker/President Pro Tem places the bill on calendar Speaker/President Pro Tem places the bill on calendar On calendar date = GOES TO FLOOR (VOTE) On calendar date = GOES TO FLOOR (VOTE) Debate, Amend, AND/ OR Defeat. Debate, Amend, AND/ OR Defeat.

DebateHouse One hour maximum! One hour maximum! A quorum call made (51% of reps must be present before debate/vote begins) A quorum call made (51% of reps must be present before debate/vote begins) Senate  Debate is unlimited  Filibusters : ”talk a bill to death”  Invoke cloture: need 60 Senators to agree to limit debate time

STROM THURMOND filibuster-history_x.htm 24 hours 18 min Longest filibuster in history – over Civil Rights bill

Vote Bill is voted on after debate Bill is voted on after debate If passes in one house sent to the other house for debate & vote (process starts over again) If passes in one house sent to the other house for debate & vote (process starts over again) If either house doesn’t pass it, then the bill DIES If either house doesn’t pass it, then the bill DIES If both houses pass, then signed by Speaker & Pres Pro Tem and sent to… If both houses pass, then signed by Speaker & Pres Pro Tem and sent to…

The President Choices, choices… Choices, choices… Sign it (immediately) Sign it (immediately) Veto it (whole thing) Veto it (whole thing) Don’t sign it (lets it sit on desk for 10 days = becomes law) Don’t sign it (lets it sit on desk for 10 days = becomes law) Pocket Veto (Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up = no law) Pocket Veto (Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up = no law)

The Bill Becomes A Law Bill is signed by the President Bill is signed by the President Or the veto is overridden in Congress (2/3 of BOTH Houses needed) Or the veto is overridden in Congress (2/3 of BOTH Houses needed)

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