Bill to Law
By: Jevina Etheridge and Alexis
Ideas
- The ideas for new bills come from private citizens , the White House , or form special -interest groups organizations made up of people with common interests.
Introduction
Every bill is given a title and a number when it is submitted. For example during the first session of Congress the first bill introduced is called S.1 in the Senate and H.R.1 in the House.
Committee
After a bill to introduction it is sent to the standing committee that is related to the subject of the bill. Standing committees have life and death power over bills . The committee can (1) pass the bill (2) mark up a bill with changes and suggest that it be passed (3) replace the original bill with a new bill (4) ignore the bill and let it die which is called "Pigeonholing" the bill (5) kill the bill outright by majority vote.
Floor of House and Senate
- The members argue their pros and cons and discuss amendments. The House accepts only amendments relevant to the bills.The House rules committee sets the terms for debate it usually puts time limits on the discussion for example to speed up action.
- The senate however allows riders completely unrelated amendments to be tacked onto the bill . The senate because it is smaller has fewer rules . Senators can speak a long as they which at times they take advantage of this custom to filibuster or talk a bill to death . The senate can end a filibuster with three-fifths vote.
Voting
- Voting in the House us done in one of three ways. The simplest is a voice vote in which those in favor say yea and those against say no. The speaker determines which side has the most voice votes . In a standing vote this in favor of a bill stand to be counted and then those against it stand to be counted. The third method is a record vote in which members votes are recorded electronically.
- The senate has three methods if voting a voice vote a standing vote and a roll call . In a roll call vote senators respond to aye or No as their names are called . A simple majority of all members that are present is needed to pass a bill . If a bill passes in one house it is sent to the other . If either the Senate or the House rejects a bill it dies.
Conference Committee
When two versions of the same bill are passed a conference committee with members from both houses work out the difference and submit a revised bill. The house and senate must either accept it without amendments or completely reject it .
President
- The president may sign the bull and declare t a new law .
- The president may veto or refuse to sign a bill
- The president may also do nothing for 10 days at that point if congress is in session the bill becomes a law without the president signature. If congress has adjourned the bill dies killing legislation in this way it called pocket veto.
- If the president vetoes a bill congress has one last chance to save it as you read earlier the veto with a two third vote of each house .