Frances Wong

Mr. Sferrazza

US Government St Honors

Period 3

Theme: The Legislative Process and Good Ol’ Bill

A bill is a draft of a law presented to a legislature for consideration which is then sent to

congress to later become a law. Any U.S. individual, interest group, member of congress, or

person in a presidential position can propose new or pre-existing ideas as a law through

legislative documents known as Bills. However statistically, less than 10% of proposed bills get

passed each year. This is because the legislative process consists of many grueling steps to pass a

bill into a law. Bills are the foundation of our society's advancement and redemption.

The United States Constitution refers to a bill as a legislative document that

contains an idea for a proposed law that needs to be approved by a bicameral legislature and the

current president. A bill begins as an idea proposed by businesses, workers, the elderly, or

anyone who notices a problem that needs to be addressed. These individuals contact their

congressperson in order to initiate the legislative process. When the idea is completed, the

congressperson will propose it to Congress, where it will become a bill. A bill is introduced by a

member of Congress or the Senate, and it can be sponsored if it is of great importance or benefit

to its constituents. Bills can be private or public, affecting a specific person or organization or the

general population. If a bill seems important to their constituents, they are more likely to be

labeled, sponsored, and sent to committee, where it will be dropped into a Hopper. A Hopper is a

location where bills are stored before being introduced into the House of Representatives. When

a bill is introduced in Congress, it is read, debated, and changed, and the committee will hold
private or public hearings to discuss it. One of five things can happen in Congress. The bill may

be approved/reported favorably, amended/changed and reported favorably, rejected/reported

negatively (does not pass), a totally new bill may be reported, or be stalled in the committee or

Pigeonholed (filed away and ignored).

If the bill is passed, it will go to the House of Representatives for a "Floor Debate." More

amendments may be proposed in the House of Representatives, but debate time is strictly limited

due to the chamber's size. Majority parties usually have the most power and influence when it

comes to sending bills to the Senate. If a bill reaches the Senate, it can be debated indefinitely.

Some senators will use the filibuster tactic, in which they will try to monopolize the Senate floor

in order to prevent action on a bill. The Cloture Rule can end a Senate debate if 35 senators vote

in favor of it, and the debate will end after 30 hours.

Presidents have three choices for determining what is best about the bill. The first option

is to sign the bill to make it law. They also veto the bill in order to reject it; however, the

rejection is sent to Congress, where it can be overruled by the House and Senate with a 2/3 vote

and returned to the president. The final option is to ignore the bill and do nothing. If the president

ignores a bill for more than 10 days, one of two things will happen. If Congress remains in

session, the bill becomes law automatically, but if Congress adjourns, the bill dies. Congressional

careers are dependent on winning elections, so they may hire Interest Groups and Lobbyists in

the legislative process to influence legislation by any means necessary. This can be accomplished

through public pressure or through economic means. These groups will go to home districts and

listen to polls, messages, and letters to learn what people want. Lobbyists are compensated for

gaining the favor of their political clients. Interest groups get sent to Washington to get their

interests supported by any means necessary.

 The legislative process reveals that lawmaking is a difficult process. Bills can die in a

variety of ways, but the impact they can have on people makes the vigorous journey worthwhile.