How a Bill Becomes A Law

1. How a Bill Becomes A Law

2. How a Bill Becomes A Law A Bill is a proposed law (Legislation). Anyone may draft a bill; however,only members of Congress can introduce legislation, and by doing so become the Sponsor(s).

3. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 1: Introduce a Bill House • A Representative places the bill in a box called the Hopper. • The Clerk of the House takes the bill out of the Hopper, reads the introduction, and gives it a number beginning with HR. • The Speaker of the House then assigns it to a Committee action.

4. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 1: Introduce a Bill Senate • A Senator makes a motion that he has a bill to introduce. Once recognized the Senator reads the introduction and gives it to the Secretary of the Senate. • The Secretary of the Senate assigns it a number beginning with S. • The Majority Leader and Steering Committee assign it to a Committee for action.

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

6. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action A Bill is usually sent to one of three Committees • Standing Committee – a permanent committee that has jurisdiction over certain areas of policy such as health, education, energy, the environment, foreign affairs, and agriculture

7. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action A Bill is usually sent to one of three Committees • Select Committee - established by the House or the Senate for limited periods and limited purposes. After completing its assigned task, for example, investigating a Government activity and writing a report, the select committee dissolves. In most cases, select committees do not report bills to be sent to the full House or Senate.

8. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action A Bill is usually sent to one of three Committees • Joint Committee - members are chosen from both the House and Senate to serve on a committee together to oversee areas of the government.

9. Standing • Agriculture • Appropriations • Armed Services • Budget • Education and the Workforce • Energy and Commerce • Financial Services • Government Reform • House Administration • International Relations • Judiciary • Resources • Rules • Science How a Bill Becomes A Law House Committees • Small Business • Standards of Official Conduct • Transportation and Infrastructure • Veterans Affairs • Ways and Means • Select • House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence • Select Committee on Homeland Security • Joint • Joint Economic Committee • Joint Committee on Printing • Joint Committee on Taxation

10. Standing Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance Foreign Relations Governmental Affairs Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Judiciary Rules and Administration How a Bill Becomes A Law Senate Committees • Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans Affairs Special, Select, and Other Indian Affairs Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging Joint Joint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on the Library Joint Economic Committee

11. Standing Committee House of Representatives

12. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action • In their committee meetings and hearings, Members are informed about issues relevant to the proposed law. Guided by a chairperson, committee members ask questions about the testimony of witnesses, exhibits, photographs, demonstrations, and other materials presented in hearings. • Committees may send a bill to a Subcommittee for specific research and recommendations. • Committees may write a first draft of a bill and then rewrite the bill several times or revise the bill in a markup session before voting on it.

13. Sub Committee Standing Committee House of Representatives

14. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action • Clean Bill -Scrap a bill and write a new bill for it. (This usually only happens in the first committee) • “Mark Up” - Amend or change the bill in some way. (This may happen at any point of the process) • Pigeon hole- the committee sits on the bill and does no research or action in an attempt to kill it

15. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action • Voting on the Bill - once the committee is finished with the bill, they may vote several ways: • Pass it Favorably • Pass it Unfavorably - (as to not be responsible for killing it by Pigeonhole. This is done if the law is controversial and known by general public.) • Voting it Down– the bill may “die” in Subcommittee or Full Committee if the vote is against the bill.

16. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 2: Committee Action • *Discharge Petition. When any bill has been in a “House Committee” for more than 30 days, a representative can use a discharge petition and have the House vote to dislodge it. It takes a majority vote to do this. • As a bill proceeds through Congress, it may pass from one committee to another or go directly to the House Floor. The majority leadership decides when the bill will be placed on the Floor schedule or what further action should be taken.

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

18. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 3: Floor Action • Calendar - Every bill, once passed by committee is put on a calendar. Each bill must be voted on in order. • *The Rules Committee -It can take bills out of order and put the most important bills first. They also set rules for debate, amendments and time schedules for passage.

19. How a Bill Becomes A Law Calendars Every bill, once passed by committee is put on a calendar. Each bill must be voted on in order. The Union Calendar - Deals with bills that would raise revenues and spending bills (appropriations). The House Calendar - Deals with public bills that do not raise revenue or appropriate any money or property. The Consent Calendar - Deals with bills that are not controversial and are passed without debate. This calendar is called on the first and third Monday of each month. The Private Calendar- Deals with claims against the U.S.

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

21. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 3: Floor Action Debate – Once the bill is taken off the Calendar for discussion, the members of Congress debate the bill on the floor. • *Quorum – House and Senate has to have quorum of 50% to perform any permanent action on a bill. • House- if quorum is not reached then House can be a “Committee of the Whole” with 100 representatives. All actions still must be approved by entire house.

22. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 3: Floor Action Rules of Debatefor House • Only one bill at a time can be debated. • Debate must be germane (related to topic), debate is time limited.

23. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 3: Floor Action Rules for debate for Senate • 2 or 3 bills can be debated at a time • Debate does not have to be germane, unlimited time for debate and speaking time. • Filibusters-unlimited speaking on a bill to prevent action. • Cloture-to stop filibuster it takes 16 senators to initiate and 3/5 has to vote to stop it.

24. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 3: Floor Action Actions the Floor may take on Bills • Send bill back to the committee for further study • Amending the Bill • Vote Against the Bill • Vote to Pass the Bill • Table the Bill – in the Senate they can set it aside. • Add Riders - In the Senate only: they can add riders to bill (minor bills added to major one to be passed).

25. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 4: The Bill goes to the other Chamber • Bills have to go through the legislative process in both chambers. • Bills must pass in both Houses in the exact same format.

26. Senate Standing Committee

27. Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee

28. Senate Floor Debate Senate Standing Committee Sub Committee

29. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 4: The Bill goes to the other Chamber • If the Bill is changed while in the second chamber, then it has two options • The original Chamber simply votes to approve the changes. • A Conference Committee is formed between both to reach agreement and the revised bill is voted on in both chambers. • It takes Majority Vote in both the House and the Senate before the Bill is passed on to President to be signed.

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

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

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

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

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

35. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 5: President’s Actions • President signs it and the Bill becomes a law. • President sits on the bill and does not sign it within 10 days and Congress is still in session, the bill becomes a law. • The President vetoes the bill to forbid it. • If Congress adjourns during the 10 days and the President has not signed the bill then it is Pocket Vetoed and it can not become law.

36. How a Bill Becomes A Law Step 6: The Bill Becomes a Law • If the President signed the bill, it is a Law. • It the President Vetoed the bill, Congress can vote to override the Veto. • Overriding the President’s Veto - both the House and the Senate would have to vote to pass the bill by a 2/3rds majority. The bill would then become a Law.

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

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

39. How a Bill Becomes A Law Voting in Congress • Voice vote: “All in favor”, “All opposed”. • Standing vote: Stand up when vote is called. • Teller vote: Pass official counters, one count “For” votes other one counts for “against” • Roll call vote: names called you tell your vote. Mandatory method for overriding President’s veto.

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