How A Bill Becomes a How A Bill Becomes a LawLaw

Step 1Step 1

Every Bill starts Every Bill starts out as an ideaout as an idea

These ideas can These ideas can come from Congress, come from Congress, private citizens or private citizens or from the White Housefrom the White House

Special Interest Special Interest Groups may also try Groups may also try to influence Congress to influence Congress to write a Billto write a Bill

Step 2Step 2

Every Bill must start Every Bill must start out and be out and be introducedintroduced by a by a CongressmanCongressman – – either a Senator or a either a Senator or a House MemberHouse Member

Every Bill is given a Every Bill is given a title and number title and number when it is when it is introduced – H.R.1 introduced – H.R.1 or S.1or S.1

Step 3Step 3

After it is After it is introduced, each introduced, each Bill is then Bill is then sent sent to the standing to the standing committeecommittee that that seems most seems most qualified to qualified to handle it.handle it.

House standing House standing committeescommittees

AgricultureAgriculture AppropriationsAppropriations Armed ServicesArmed Services BudgetBudget Education and the Education and the

WorkforceWorkforce Energy and Energy and

CommerceCommerce EthicsEthics Financial ServicesFinancial Services Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs Homeland SecurityHomeland Security

House AdministrationHouse Administration JudiciaryJudiciary Natural ResourcesNatural Resources Science, Space, and Science, Space, and

TechnologyTechnology Small BusinessSmall Business Transportation and Transportation and

InfrastructureInfrastructure Veterans’ AffairsVeterans’ Affairs Ways and MeansWays and Means IntelligenceIntelligence

Step 4Step 4

Committees receive Committees receive hundreds of Bills hundreds of Bills and they decide the and they decide the life or death of life or death of these billsthese bills

Those that hold Those that hold merit are merit are sent to a sent to a subcommittee to subcommittee to researchresearch (public (public hearings may be hearings may be held)held)

SUBCOMMITTEESSUBCOMMITTEES Agriculture Subcommittee Agriculture Subcommittee

on Conservation, Energy, on Conservation, Energy, and Forestryand Forestry

Agriculture Subcommittee Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agricultureand Foreign Agriculture

Armed Services Armed Services Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Intelligence, Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesThreats and Capabilities

Education Subcommittee on Education Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Educationand Secondary Education

Energy Subcommittee on Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing Commerce, Manufacturing and Tradeand Trade

Natural Resources Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources

Science Subcommittee on Science Subcommittee on SpaceSpace

Small Business Subcommittee Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital AccessCapital Access

Transportation Subcommittee Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transiton Highways and Transit

Intelligence Subcommittee on Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism/HUMINT, Analysis Terrorism/HUMINT, Analysis and Counterintelligenceand Counterintelligence

Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and on Disability Assistance and Memorial AffairsMemorial Affairs

Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce Subcommittee on Science and SpaceScience and Space

Step 5Step 5

The The subcommittee subcommittee will report to the will report to the standing standing committeecommittee who will who will decide if the Bill decide if the Bill shouldshould– Pass without changesPass without changes– Have changes and Have changes and

pass it alongpass it along– Replace the Bill with a Replace the Bill with a

alternative onealternative one– Kill the BillKill the Bill

Step 6Step 6

If a Bill is approved by If a Bill is approved by the committee, then it is the committee, then it is ready for ready for consideration by the consideration by the full House full House ..

When Bills reach the When Bills reach the House floor, the House floor, the members argue their members argue their pros and conspros and cons

each House member each House member can only speak for can only speak for specified time limitspecified time limit

Step 7Step 7

When When members of the members of the House are ready to voteHouse are ready to vote they may do so bythey may do so by– Voice VoteVoice Vote– Standing VoteStanding Vote– Roll-call or today’s Roll-call or today’s

Computerized VoteComputerized Vote

– A simple majority is all that A simple majority is all that is needed to pass a Bill. If is needed to pass a Bill. If the House refuses to pass it, the House refuses to pass it, it diesit dies

Step 8Step 8

Bill is then sent to Bill is then sent to the Senatethe Senate

the entire process the entire process begins all over in begins all over in the Senatethe Senate

Step 9Step 9

After it is After it is introduced, the introduced, the Bill is then sent Bill is then sent to the to the appropriate appropriate Senate Senate standing standing committeecommittee

Senate standing Senate standing committeescommittees Agriculture, Nutrition, Agriculture, Nutrition,

and Forestry and Forestry Appropriations Appropriations Armed Services Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Banking, Housing, and

Urban Affairs Urban Affairs Budget Budget Commerce, Science, and Commerce, Science, and

Transportation Transportation Energy and Natural Energy and Natural

Resources Resources Environment & Public Environment & Public

Works Works

Finance Finance Foreign Relations Foreign Relations Health, Education, Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions Labor, and Pensions Homeland Security and Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs Governmental Affairs Judiciary Judiciary Rules and Rules and

Administration Administration Small Business and Small Business and

Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Veterans' Affairs Veterans' Affairs

Step 10 Step 10

Usually the Bill Usually the Bill will be sent to a will be sent to a subcommittee subcommittee to research to research (public hearings may (public hearings may be held)be held)

Senate SubcommitteesSenate Subcommittees Agriculture Subcommittee on Agriculture Subcommittee on

Commodities, Markets, Trade Commodities, Markets, Trade and Risk Managementand Risk Management

Agriculture Subcommittee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Conservation, Forestry and Natural ResourcesNatural Resources

Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovationand Energy Innovation

Armed Services Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related AgenciesAffairs, and Related Agencies

Appropriations Appropriations Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Urban Development, and Related AgenciesRelated Agencies

Armed Services Subcommittee Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection on Seapower and Projection ForcesForces

Armed Services Subcommittee Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forceson Strategic Forces

Banking Subcommittee on Banking Subcommittee on National Security and National Security and International Trade and FinanceInternational Trade and Finance

Banking Subcommittee on Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Financial Institutions and Consumer ProtectionConsumer Protection

Energy Subcommittee on Public Energy Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and MiningLands, Forests and Mining

Natural Resources Natural Resources Subcommittee on National ParksSubcommittee on National Parks

Judiciary Subcommittee on Judiciary Subcommittee on Bankruptcy and the CourtsBankruptcy and the Courts

Step 11Step 11

The subcommittee will The subcommittee will report to the standing report to the standing committee who will committee who will decide if the Bill decide if the Bill shouldshouldPass it without changesPass it without changesMake changes and pass it alongMake changes and pass it alongReplace the Bill with a Replace the Bill with a alternative onealternative oneKill the BillKill the Bill

Step 12Step 12

If a Bill is approved by the If a Bill is approved by the committee, then it is ready committee, then it is ready for consideration by the full for consideration by the full Senate .Senate .

When Bills reach the Senate When Bills reach the Senate floor, the members argue floor, the members argue their pros and constheir pros and cons

The Senate (only) can add The Senate (only) can add ridersriders

The Senate also allows The Senate also allows filibusters- non-stap talking to filibusters- non-stap talking to avoid a voteavoid a vote

which can only be stopped by a which can only be stopped by a 3/5ths vote for 3/5ths vote for cloture- to end the cloture- to end the filibusterfilibuster

Step 13Step 13

If the Senate votes to If the Senate votes to pass the Bill, it must be pass the Bill, it must be the exact same wording the exact same wording as House versionas House version

If any changes were If any changes were made to the Bill, it must made to the Bill, it must be sent to a be sent to a Conference Conference CommitteeCommittee- made up of - made up of members from both members from both House & SenateHouse & Senate

Conference Conference Committee Committee

must reach a must reach a compromise version compromise version of the Bill with of the Bill with wording both houses wording both houses can acceptcan accept

Step 14Step 14

The compromise version The compromise version of the Bill must then be of the Bill must then be voted on and passed by voted on and passed by both Houses of Congress both Houses of Congress

After both Houses pass After both Houses pass it…it…

Step 15Step 15

Presidential ActionPresidential Action is the final stepis the final step

President can:President can:– Veto: refuse to signVeto: refuse to sign

Congress can override Congress can override the veto with a 2/3rds the veto with a 2/3rds vote in each house – vote in each house – very unlikelyvery unlikely

– Sign the Bill into LawSign the Bill into Law– Do nothing for 10 daysDo nothing for 10 days

In session – the Bill In session – the Bill becomes a Lawbecomes a Law

Out of session – the Bill Out of session – the Bill dies – POCKET VETOdies – POCKET VETO