Step 1: A Bill Is Born Anyone may draft a bill; however, only members of Congress STEP 1: The Creation of a Bill-
on of a Bill- Members of the House or Senate draft, sponsor and
can introduce legislation, and, by doing so, become the sponsor(s). The president, a
member of the cabinet or the head of a federal agency can also propose legislation,
although a member of Congress must introduce it.
Step 2: Committee Action As soon as bill is introduced, its referred to a committee.
At this point the bill is examined carefully and its chances for passage are first
determined. If the committee does not act on a bill, the bill is effectively "dead."
Step 3: Subcommittee Review Often, bills are referred to a subcommittee for study
& hearings. Hearings provide opportunity to put on record views of the executive
branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, opponents of the legislation.
Step 4: Mark up When the hearings are completed, the subcommittee may meet to
"mark up" the bill; that is, make changes and amendments prior to recommending
the bill to the full committee. If a subcommittee votes not to report legislation to the
full committee, the bill dies. If the committee votes for the bill, it is sent to the floor.
Step 5: Committee Action to Report a Bill After receiving a subcommittee's report
on a bill the full committee votes on its recommendation to the House or Senate.
This procedure is called "ordering a bill reported." Step 6: Voting After the debate
and the approval of any amendments, the bill is passed or defeated by the members
voting. Step 7: Referral to Other Chamber When the House or Senate passes a bill, it
is referred to the other chamber, where it usually follows the same route through
committee and floor action. This chamber may approve the bill as received, reject it,
ignore it, or change it. Step 8: Conference Committee Action When the actions of
the other chamber significantly alter the bill, a conference committee is formed to
reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions. If the conferees
are unable to reach agreement, the legislation dies. If agreement is reached, a
conference report is prepared describing the committee members recommendation
for changes. Both the House and Senate must approve the conference report
Step 9: Final Action After both the House and Senate have approved a bill in
identical form, it is sent to the president. If the president approves of the legislation,
he signs it and it becomes law. Or, if the president takes no action for ten days, while
Congress is in session, it automatically becomes law. If the president opposes the bill
he can veto it; or if he takes no action after the Congress has adjourned its second
session, it is a "pocket veto" and the legislation dies. Step 10: Overriding a Veto If
the president vetoes a bill, Congress may attempt to "override the veto." If both the
Senate and the House pass the bill by a two-thirds majority, the president's veto is
overruled and the bill becomes a law.
introduce bills for consideration by Congress. The House clerk assigns a legislative
number for bills introduced in the House of Representatives (e.g., H.R. 1001) and the
Senate clerk assigns a legislative number for bills introduced in the Senate
STEP 2: Committee Action- Usually, a committee is assigned to study the bill
according to its subject matter. Often a committee will refer the bill to one of its
subcommittees. The subcommittee may request reports from government agencies,
hold hearings so experts and interested parties have an opportunity to offer
testimony regarding the issue, “mark up” or revise the bill, or report the legislation
to the full committee for its consideration. The full committee may make a
recommendation to pass the bill, to revise (i.e., mark up) and release the bill (also
known as reporting the bill out of committee), or to lay the bill aside (also known as
tabling the bill). STEP 3: Floor Action- The bill is returned to the full House or Senate
for further debate and approval. At this point members may propose amendments
to the bill, add additional text, or otherwise alter the bill. STEP 4: Vote- House and
Senate members vote on their respective versions of the proposed bill. STEP 5:
Conference Committees- A bill must be approved by both Chambers of Congress.
When the Senate amends and agrees to a bill or a version of a bill that the House has
already passed or when the House amends and passes a Senate bill or a version of a
Senate bill, the two Chambers may begin to resolve any legislative differences
between the House and Senate versions of the bill by way of a conference
committee. When the chambers go to conference, the House and Senate send
conferees or representatives to bargain and negotiate. The final compromise is
embodied in a Conference Report that must be agreed to by both chambers before
it is cleared for presidential consideration. The Conference Report will recommend a
common version of the measure for approval and will also include statements of
legislative intent regarding provisions of the legislation in a Joint Statement of
Managers of the Conference. STEP 6: Presidential Action- After the bill is passed by
both Chambers it is sent to the President for his approval or his signature, which if
granted creates a Public Law. When a President comments on and refuses to sign a
bill it is known as a veto. A vetoed bill may return to Congress for reconsideration. If
the President does not act within 10 days the bill automatically becomes law. If
Congress adjourns during the 10 days after the bill is sent to the President and he
doesnt sign it, the bill is automatically vetoed. This process is known as pocket veto.
STEP 7: The Creation of a Law- The Office of Federal Register assigns the Public Law a
number (i.e. P.L. 109-1) and the Government Printing Office prints a copy of it. Laws
are issued first in slip form or a single publication containing one law. Later it is
organized in the order in which it was passed. Finally, it is codified into subject order
so that all laws on the same topic fall together.