bill to law 2

Bill to Law Bill to Law ProcessProcess

Bill to LawBill to Law

Step 1Step 1

Starts with Starts with you you

Ideas are sent Ideas are sent to Congressto Congress


Step 2Step 2

Senator or Senator or Congressmen Congressmen

Sponsor the Sponsor the billbill


Step 3Step 3

Introduced to Introduced to Committees Committees

Committee Committee ActionAction

SubcommitteeSubcommittee


Committee ActionCommittee Action

They can read the bill or They can read the bill or send it to the subcommitteesend it to the subcommittee

If they choose to do neither If they choose to do neither the bill diesthe bill dies


SubcommitteeSubcommitteeSmaller group looks at the Smaller group looks at the bill from different bill from different perspectivesperspectives

Can vote to report on the Can vote to report on the bill (stays alive)bill (stays alive)

Can vote not to report on Can vote not to report on the bill (diesthe bill (dies))

Bill to LawBill to LawCommittee Committee actionaction

Review the Review the subcommittees subcommittees reportreport

Vote and send Vote and send it to the House it to the House and Senateand Senate

Bill to LawBill to Law Step 4Step 4

Floor ActionFloor Action

Goes back to where Goes back to where it originated it originated (House or Senate)(House or Senate)

Placed on calendar Placed on calendar to be debatedto be debated


Reaches the floor Reaches the floor (House + Senate)(House + Senate)

Debate Debate

Make small Make small changes if neededchanges if needed

Make compromisesMake compromises

Bill to LawBill to Law Lots of changesLots of changes Goes all the way Goes all the way

back to the back to the beginning (House beginning (House or Senate)or Senate)

Need to change it Need to change it IdenticalIdentical

Bill to LawsBill to Laws

Step 5Step 5

After After Compromises Compromises

Sent to Sent to PresidentPresident


Step 6Step 6 PresidentPresident Can sign it Can sign it Bill Bill

= law= law Veto it Veto it Bill = Bill =

deaddead

Bill to LawBill to Law PresidentPresident 10 days10 days If Congress is in If Congress is in

session...session... If Congress is not in If Congress is not in

session...session... ““Pocket Veto”Pocket Veto”


Step 7Step 7

Congress can Congress can over turn the over turn the “veto”“veto”

2/3 vote2/3 vote

Bill to LawBill to Law Pros Pros It provides It provides

stability stability Can not Can not

change laws change laws easily easily

People have a People have a voicevoice

ConsCons If there is an If there is an

important important issue (long issue (long process)process)

Tough to Tough to change unfair change unfair lawslaws

bill to law 2

Education