Bill

How does a bill become a law?

A bill is an idea for a new law, or an idea to change or do away with an existing law. Prior to a bill becoming a law, it must be approved by the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and the President of the United States. Anyone can come up with an idea for a new law. However, only a member of Congress can introduce legislation so any one with new ideas for a new law must contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. Once their idea is researched and agreed upon, the Representative writes it into a bill and talks it over with other Representatives to try to get others to back up the bill and sponsor it. When the bill has been supported and sponsored by Representatives the bill can be introduce to the House of Representatives. Then a bill clerk in the House of Representatives assigns it a number and a reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees. At the committee member who are experts review, research, revise and closely examines the bill then opinions are gathered before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor. Oftentimes, bills are referred to a subcommittee for study and hearings. Hearings provide the opportunity to put on the record the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation. When the committee has approved a bill they send it back to the House of Representatives to discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it, or have changes then the bill is ready to be voted on. If the majority of the Representatives vote in favor of the bill, the bill has passed in the House of Representatives. It is then certified by the clerk of the house and delivered to the United States Senate. At the Senate, when a bill reaches there it goes through many of the same steps it went through in the House of Representatives. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then sent to the Senate floor to be voted on. If the majority of the Senators agree to approve the bill it passes in the Senate and is ready to go to the President. When a bill reaches the President of the United States, he can make one of three choices. He can sign and pass the bill into law, refuse to sign it, or veto the bill and send it back to the. House of Representatives with his reasons for the veto. If the bill should be vetoed by the President, back at the House of Representatives the bill will be voted on again. As a result, with two thirds of the Representatives and Senators support of the bill it can override the President’s veto and the bill can become a law after all.

References: Kids in the House. How a Bill Becomes a Law. (2012) Retrieved from http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=17
How a bill becomes a law. (1993, Transportation & Distribution, 34, 54-54. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/234202882?accountid=8289

References: Kids in the House. How a Bill Becomes a Law. (2012) Retrieved from http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=17 How a bill becomes a law. (1993, Transportation & Distribution, 34, 54-54. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/234202882?accountid=8289