1. How a Bill Becomes a Law
How a
Bill Becomes
a Law.

2. The Sponsor is the person who proposes the bill
A Bill is a proposed law
The Sponsor is the person who proposes the bill
Types of Bills
Public Bills-applies to general public
Private Bills –concern individuals

3. How a Bill Becomes a Law Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
Sub Committee

4. A Bill Can Start in Either the House or Senate
House of
Representatives
Senate

5. Introducing a Bill Senate - a motion from the floor
House - placed in a box called the Hopper

6. Assign Bills to Committees
Each bill is sent to a standing committee by either the
Speaker of the House
Majority Leader of the Senate (with help of the Steering Committee)

7. Types of Committees Standing Committees Select Committees
Specialized committee that bill fall under jurisdiction
Select Committees
Temporary committees set up for investigative purposes
Joint Committees
Made up of members of both houses of Congress

8. Standing
Committee
House of
Representatives

9. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
House of
Representatives

10. Can send bill to subcommittee or work on it in committee
Standing Committee
Can send bill to subcommittee or work on it in
committee
Research the bill, hear testimony, seek advice of
experts, look for loopholes
Committee Action
Pigeon hole - Set aside for later discussion
Clean bill - Scrap a bill and write a new bill to replace it
“Mark Up” Amend the bill in subcommittee or committee
Report bill favorably to floor (Pass as it is)
Report bill unfavorably to floor (so they don’t have to be
responsible for killing it by pigeonhole…This is done if the
law is controversial and known by general public)

11. Saving a Bill from Committee
When any bill has been in a “House Committee” for more than 30 days, a representative can ask the Bypass Committee to use a Discharge Petition (which requires a majority vote) to send the bill to the House floor.

12. Calendars
Once passed by committee the bill is put on a calendar. Each bill must be voted on in the order it is placed on the calendar.
House
Union
Private
Consent

13. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate

14. The Rules Committee
Places all House bills on the calendar
Set rules for debate (length of total debate
and individual speaker time)
Set rules for amendments
Open Rule
Closed Rule
Modified Rule
Committee of the Whole can be used to
continue debate (requires 100 reps to be in
chamber) but all actions must be approved
by the entire House.

15. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate

16. House Debate Rules
Only one bill at a time can be debated
Debate must be germane (related to topic)
Debate time is limited
Senate Debate Rules
2 or 3 bills can be debated at a time
Debate does not have to be germane
Debate time is NOT limited
Filibusters - unlimited speaking on any issue
Cloture
Motion by 16 senators PRIOR TO a filibuster
3/5 vote of Senate will limit debate to 1 hour

17. Floor Action on Bills
Pass the bill as written
Table the bill on floor while voting for it.
Send bill back to the committee for further study
Amending the Bill
Senate Only: Riders (non-germane amendments) are allowed

18. Voting in Congress Voice vote: “All in favor”, “All opposed”.
Standing vote: Stand up when vote is called.
Roll call vote: names called & you tell your vote. Mandatory method for overriding President’s veto.
Electronic Vote

19. Senate
Standing
Committee

20. Senate
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

21. Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

22. Bill Passes Both Houses
It bill passes in exact same version from both
Bill goes directly to President
If it is passed in two versions
conference committee is formed
conference must reach agreement
the revised bill is voted on in both chambers
majority vote in each House will pass bill to
the President

23. Majority vote in each house
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Standing
Committee
Majority vote in each house
for passage.
Sub Committee

24. up the Conference Committee.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Members from both
Senate and House make
up the Conference Committee.
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

25. The bill must be passed on each floor with no changes.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
The bill must be
passed on each
floor with no
changes.
Conference
Committee
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

26. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

27. If the President signs the bill
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
If the President signs the bill
then it becomes law.
Sub Committee

28. Bill Becomes a Law
When the President signs it, the bill becomes law
If the President vetoes the bill it can still be passed with a 2/3 vote in both the House and Senate.
If the 2/3 of House & 2/3 of Senate override the veto, the bill becomes law

29. If the President vetoes the bill then it goes back to both houses.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
If the President vetoes the bill
then it goes back to both houses.
Sub Committee

30. This time the bill must be passed by 2/3 of majority to override.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
This time the bill must be passed
by 2/3 of majority to override.
Sub Committee

31. How a Bill Becomes a Law Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
Sub Committee