How a Bill Becomes a Law

Introduction of a Bill
• An idea for a Bill may come from anybody, however only members of
Congress (either house) can introduce a bill.

• Bills can be introduced at any time the House is in session.

• Any bills dealing with money or budgeting must begin in the House of
Representatives.

• A Representative or Senator who introduces a Bill becomes that bill's

sponsor. A Bill may also have cosponsors.

• Bills introduced in the House are numbered beginning with H.R. (For
example: H.R. 4536)

• Bills introduced in the Senate are numbered beginning with S. (For

example: S. 148)
 Study the Bill: Committee Action
• There are 19 House standing committees and 16 Senate
committees.

• A committee may simply stop action or "table" a bill, when a

committee decides the bill is unwise or unnecessary.

• A committee will meet to markup the proposed bill and may or may
not make changes to it.

• Committee members vote to accept or reject the changes.

• The Thomas Website by the Library of Congress posts the status of

the bill and receives updates for the latest major action on the bill
taken by the Committee.
 Recommend by Committee
• The committee votes on the bill after it is
debated and/or amended.

• If the bill is approved, it is then sent to the House

or Senate for consideration.

• The Thomas Website by the Library of Congress

receives updates for the status of the bill while in
Committee and posts the latest major action.
 Debate the Bill
• Members of Senate or House debate the bill with discussion.

• Following debate, the second reading of the bill begins in a

section-by-section manner, during which amendments may
be offered.

• At the conclusion of all amendment debate, the bill is put to a

vote in the House and is read a third time.

• The Thomas Web site by the Library of Congress receives an

electronic copy of the debate as it appears in the
Congressional Record, prepared by the Clerk of the House.
The latest major action on a bill is posted on the Thomas
Website.
 Vote on the Bill
• Members in attendance will vote to pass or not to pass the bill.

• Most voting in the House and Senate chambers are done

electronically by Members recording their votes through the
Electronic Voting System.

• Members may vote "Yea" for approval, "Nay" for disapproval, or

"Present."

• A Quorum is a simple majority of half plus 1.

• The Thomas Website records the results of the vote under "Bill
Status."
 Referral to Second Chamber
• The bill may be sent to a committee for study or markup.

• Members may vote to pass or not to pass the bill.

• If the bill passes with amendments, it must be sent to the

House/Senate conference committee.

• Differences must be agreed upon before the bill is sent to the

President for signature. At this point the bill is "enrolled."
 Executive Action
• The President has 3 options:
– sign the Bill into Law
– Veto its passage
– choose not to sign it (pocket veto).

• A pocket veto occurs when the president takes no

action within 10 days and Congress has adjourned its
session. In this case, the bill dies.

• The Thomas Website indicates when a bill is sent to

the President and whether it becomes law.
 Law is Created
• The Bill becomes a Law!

• The Thomas Website

indicates legislation
passed into law under
"Public Laws By Law
Number."
 Veto
• The Bill returns to the House of origin where
objections are read and debated.

• If the House wishes to override the veto, a vote is

taken.

• If the House chooses not to vote, the Bill is

stalled.

• A two-thirds vote or greater is needed in both

Houses to override the President's veto.