How a Bill Becomes a Law

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How a Bill Becomes a Law

• The six main steps
• of the legislative process.

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How it all begins . . .

• The legislative process is slow and includes many
  steps.
• This ensures the legislation is thoroughly
  considered.
• Citizens, interest groups, the president and
  others may suggest ideas for a bill, but only
  members of Congress may introduce legislation.

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• Tax bills and appropriations bills must begin in
  the House.
• All other bills can begin in either chamber.
• Both houses must approve all bills before moving
  to the president for final approval.

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Introducing a bill

• bill (proposed legislation)
• - In the House, representatives drop the bill in
  the hopper (a box hanging on the edge of the
  clerks desk).
• - In the Senate, the bill must be enrolled (when
  the presiding officer recognizes the senator
  sponsoring the bill, who then formally introduces
  the bill).

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Referral to Committee

• A bill rarely reaches the full House or Senate
  floor without committee approval.
• Therefore, which committee the bill is sent to is
  extremely important. The person who holds this
  job is very powerful.
• In the House, the Speaker makes referrals.
• In the Senate, the presiding officer makes
  referrals.

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Hearings

• Are usually open to the public. Journalists,
  camera crews, interest groups, and tourists can
  attend.
• Supporters and opponents of the bill testify
  before a subcommittee of Congressmen.
• Often receive media coverage, which is used to
  build support for, or increase opposition to, a
  bill.

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Markup

• Where the exact phrasing of the bill is decided
  line by line.
• A time consuming and tedious process.
• This is the most likely place in Congress for
  genuine debate rather than speech making and
  posturing for the media.
• The committee writes a report, which explains the
  changes that the bill would bring about and
  presents major arguments on the bills behalf.

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What can the committee decide?

• 4 things that can happen to the bill in
  committee
• reported back favorably
• pigeon-holed ignore the bill and let it die
• reported amended (changed)
• reported unfavorably (rarely happens)

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In between . . .

• Between markup and floor consideration an
  important step occurs.
• In the House, the Rules Committee has the power
  to put the bill on the calendar or ignore the
  bill.
• They also set rules for debate and amendments.
• In the Senate, the majority floor leader places
  the bill on the calendar or ignores it.

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Floor consideration

• Most major bills are given strict, specific floor
  rules that limit floor debate and the changes
  that can be made to a bill. This increases the
  influence of committees because their work cannot
  be changed.
• The House Rules Committee determines floor rules
  in the House.
• Open rule allows representatives to propose any
  amendments that relate to the bill at hand.
• Closed rule prohibits amendments altogether
• Modified rule some parts of the bill may be
  amended, but not others

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Floor consideration

• Floor rules in the Senate are not as strict as in
  the House. There are no time or amendment
  limits.
• Filibusters A senator would filibuster when
  they want to hold up the final vote on a bill
  through delay tactics, such as nonstop speech
  making or offering endless amendments.
• This allows an intense minority to block the
  actions of the majority.
• To end a filibuster, senators must vote for
  cloture. Cloture stops a filibuster by setting a
  time limit on debate. A vote for cloture
  requires 3/5 or 60 votes.

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• After floor debates, members of the House or the
  Senate vote on the bill and amendments.
• There are four ways to vote
• Voice vote Works when the vote is not close.
  Ex. All those in favor say YEA.
• Standing If a member thinks the voice vote was
  too close, they ask those in favor to stand.
• Teller vote Members use electronic cards to
  record their votes during a set period of time.
• Roll call For critical bills, members are
  called on individually to declare their vote.

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What next?

• Once the bill has been passed in one house, it
  must go to the other house for approval.
• The bill is taken from one house to the other by
  a page.
• Many high school and college students volunteer
  to serve as pages.

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Conference Committee

• Its job is to work out the differences between
  the bills passed by both houses.
• It includes members from both houses, who support
  the bill, because they truly want to compromise.
• Usually only the most controversial pieces of
  legislation make it here.
• The House and the Senate rarely reject a
  conference committees recommendation.

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Presidential Action

• A bill is only sent to the president after being
  passed by both houses.
• The president can take one of four actions
• Keep the bill for 10 days without signing it.
• If Congress is in session during this time, the
  bill becomes a law without the presidents
  signature.
• Used when the president dislikes a bill, but not
  enough to veto it.

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Presidential Action

• Pocket veto
• when the president receives a bill within 10 days
  of Congresss adjournment, he or she may hold the
  bill without signing it.
• The bill does not become a law.

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Presidential Action

• Veto the bill
• which Congress has the opportunity to override.

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Presidential Action

• Sign the bill
• which makes it a law.

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