How A Bill Becomes A Law

1
How A Bill Becomes A Law
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Steps

• Introduction
• Committee
• Sub committee
• Committee hearing mark up
• Floor Action
• Sent to the other house
• Passes both house (to conference committee if
  necessary)
• To the President for approval or veto

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Introduction

• Introduced by a senator or representative
• Referred to appropriate commitee(s) for
  deliberation

4
Most bills die in committee

• If given serious consideration bills are usually
  referred to a subcommittee, which may hold
  hearings and amend proposed legislation

5
Bill returns to full committee

• May accept recommendation of the subcommittee
• May hold its own hearings and amendments
• In mark up final version of the bill is written

6
House Rules Committee

• Allots time for debate
• Determines to what extent a bill may be amended
  on the floor
• Closed rule severely limits amendments and an
  open rule permits amendments on the floor
• Senate does not have a rules committee and
  permits unlimited debate and does not set limits
  for amendments

7
Calendar

• Placed on Calendar after reported out of the
  Rules Committee
• In both chambers, majority party leaders in
  consultation with minority party leaders schedule
  each weeks business

8
Debate Time

• Controlled through committee chairmen and ranking
  minority member or those designated when the
  bill is on the floor
• Senate unlimited debate
• Filibuster a tactic to talk a bill to death or
  until changes are made
• Cloture a 3/5ths vote of the Senate to cut off
  debate

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Conference Committee

• A joint committee to reconcile difference between
  the house version and the senate version of the
  same bill
• After release by the conference committee both
  houses must approve

10
Presidential Action

• Sign in to law
• Allow to become law without a signature
• Veto the bill
• If within the last ten days hold the bill without
  signing and it dies Pocket Veto
• Veto may be overridden by a 2/3rds vote in each
  house