How a Bill Becomes a Law Process How our government makes the laws…

Step 1- Introduction A bill is introduced by a congress man or woman –Idea might have come from Constituent, Special Interest Group, President, Lobbyist, Congressperson Bill is given a title –H-(number) if introduced in House of Representatives or –S- (number) if introduced in the Senate

Step 2- Committees After a bill is introduced, its is sent to the appropriate committee ( ss/committee.xpd) ss/committee.xpd Standing committees do most of the work- research –Subcommittees will focus on specific topics to help process efficiency. Committee will recommend, change or reject (“kills the bill”) the bill

Step 3 - The Debate The bill then goes to the House or Senate floor which ever is the house that it was first introduced The congress men and women then discuss the bill – people for the bill give their arguments and those against give their arguments as well House debate- limited- time limits Senate- no limit

Filibuster It can only occur in the Senate A senator talks to prevent a vote on the bill A cloture is needed to end a filibuster –Cloture requires 3/5 th of Senators

This is Senator Thurmond who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957 to prevent a Civil rights Bill from coming to a vote !!

Step 4- The Vote The original house then votes on the bill – yay or nay If the original house approves, then the bill is sent to the other house –If it began in the Senate, it is sent to the House and vice versa

The Process just begins again in the other house

Step 5- Conference Committee Once the other house debates and votes on the bill; the bill might go to a conference committee This is only used if the bill is worded differently between the 2 houses Goes back to house and senate floor for a vote only – no further debate

Step 6- The bill is sent to the President

The Presidents Role A bill does not become a law –President vetoes the bill –Pocket veto- President does not sign the bill for 10 days and Congress ends its session Why use? –Congress can override a veto with 2/3 vote in each house

A bill becomes a law President can signs the bill President does not sign or veto the bill when Congress is in session –Why use?

Tedious Process 10,000 bills introduced in a 2 year session of Congress- 500 become a law Committees weed out bad bills Long process- same process in each house Checks and balance process- Process involves the two branches and there is a check- veto and override the veto

What’s Congress Up To??? Checkout the following resources and search for current legislation: – – – Need more explanation check out: –