How Do Bills Become Laws?

“CHEESEBURGER BILL” http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc109/h554_rh.xml

Legislation Is Introduced Numbered (House bills start w/ HR; Senate bills start with S) Labeled with sponsor’s name Read (1st time) H.R. #101 Kevin Brady - TX

Committee Action ****(Most bills die here)*** Bill referred to committee (based on what subject is) Speaker of House (HOR)/President Pro Tempore (Senate) refer these bills http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_with_teasers/committees_home.htm ****(Most bills die here)***

Committee Steps Assigned to subcommittees by Committee chairperson Subcommittees research topic and then report their findings All vote (committee members) Pass = set date for it to go to the floor for debate & vote Don’t pass = bill is dead

Floor Action Speaker/President Pro Tem places the bill on calendar On calendar date = GOES TO FLOOR (VOTE) Debate, Amend, AND/ OR Defeat.

Debate Senate House Debate is unlimited One hour maximum! Filibusters : ”talk a bill to death” Invoke cloture: need 60 Senators to agree to limit debate time House One hour maximum! A quorum call made (51% of reps must be present before debate/vote begins)

STROM THURMOND 24 hours 18 min Longest filibuster in history – over Civil Rights bill STROM THURMOND 24 hours 18 min http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-16-filibuster-history_x.htm

Vote Bill is voted on after debate If passes in one house sent to the other house for debate & vote (process starts over again) If either house doesn’t pass it , then the bill DIES If both houses pass, then signed by Speaker & Pres Pro Tem and sent to…

The President Choices, choices… Sign it (immediately) Veto it (whole thing) Don’t sign it (lets it sit on desk for 10 days = becomes law) Pocket Veto (Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up = no law)

The Bill Becomes A Law Bill is signed by the President Or the veto is overridden in Congress (2/3 of BOTH Houses needed)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag