How a bill becomes law

1
How a bill becomes law

• Mr. Langfords class

2
Overview

• Where a bill comes from?
• Who decides it fate?
• What happens when?
• Who reviews it?
• Where does it go?

3
The House of Representatives

• Contains 435 members
• The 435 members are spread about by population
  status
• Also in House
• A member for Puerto Rico
• A member for D.C.
• Members for other U.S. territories
• Do they have full voting rights?

4
The Senate

• 100 members
• 2 members from each state of the Union
• Not based upon population
• Why?
• What compromise in the 1700s granted this?

5
The Start

• A bill can start in the House or Senate
• After it passes one house, must go to the next
  for approval
• Why is this necessary?
• What does this accomplish?
• Where is this power granted?
• For demonstration, we start in the House

6
Where does it come from?

• Senators
• Representatives
• President
• Special interest groups
• Everyday people

7
Who presents it?

• A Senator or Congressperson will present the bill
  for consideration
• Must be passed through the majority leader
  (Speaker of the House or Senate leader)
• Then the bill will be sent to a committee

8
House side

• Chairmen of the committee reviews bill
• Decides if it needs to go to a sub-committee or
  if should be debated by main committee

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Sub-committee

• Chairmen reviews bill and presents it to the rest
  of the sub committee
• Speakers for and against the bill enter and give
  advice
• People of the committee debate the topic and vote
  to either kill or pass the bill
• If passed, goes to the main committee

10
Committee

• Chairmen presents the bill or can delay the bill
• Minutes are presented if bill was in a
  sub-committee
• Speakers enter for advice
• More debate on the bill and a vote for or against
  the bill
• If passed, moves to the House floor

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House Floor

• Speaker can present the bill or delay
• Findings of the committee are presented
• More debate can occur
• As previous, changes can be placed on the bill
• Role is called--voting on bill
• If passed, moves to the Senate

12
Senate

• Leaders propose the bill sent by the House to a
  committee
• Will be placed in an order received from the
  House
• Usually, majority controlled bills will be
  considered first

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Sub-committee

• Chairmen reviews bill and presents it to the rest
  of the sub committee
• Speakers for and against the bill enter and give
  advice
• People of the committee debate the topic and vote
  to either kill or pass the bill
• If passed, goes to the main committee

14
Committee

• Chairmen presents the bill or can delay the bill
• Minutes are presented if bill was in a
  sub-committee
• Speakers enter for advice
• More debate on the bill and a vote for or against
  the bill
• If passed, moves to the Senate floor

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Senate Floor

• Speaker can present the bill or delay
• Findings of the committee are presented
• More debate can occur
• As previous, changes can be placed on the bill
• Role is called--voting on bill
• If passed with no changes from the House, moves
  to the President

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Whats the difference?

• House contains 435 people
• Senate contains 100 people
• House has fewer repeating people on committees
• Senate has many multiple members on committees
• There are over 130 committees in the House

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Whats the difference?

• The Senate has over 70 committees
• The Senate and House could have different
  majority parties
• Which will mean what?
• Why?

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The President

• Reviews finalized bill
• Can sign bill into law
• Can veto a billWhich does what?
• If vetoed, where does it go?

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A vetoed bill

• Goes to House for another vote
• Also goes to the Senate for a vote
• Must be passed by at least 2/3 in both houses to
  override a veto, or it dies
• Some changes could take place to accommodate the
  President for signature
• If that happens, must go through cycle again.

20
Special Committees

• Is developed when a bill passes through House and
  Senate but have changes to the bill and both
  houses can not agree on a common ground for the
  bill
• Each house sends the same amount of Dems Repubs
  to a room. So they try to find a common ground on
  the bill and make the necessary changes

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Special Committees

• Bill is the sent to both house for consideration
• The group will present the bill and more debates
  will occur
• A role is taken
• If it passes both houses, move to the President,
  if not passed, dies

22
Supreme Court

• The Supreme Court can over rule any bill
• They must gives reasons but it must show that the
  bill is a violation of the Constitution
• What part of the Constitution grants this power?
• Why is it necessary?

23
Review

• The bill can originate from any source, but must
  be presented by a member of Congress
• Bill must pass both houses before a Presidential
  signature
• President can pass or veto a bill
• Checks and balances