How a Bill becomes a Law House of Representatives The Senate Step 1: Introduce the Bill Introduce the Bill Step 2: Committee Work Committee Work Step 3: Debate and Vote Debate and Vote Step 4: On to the other House Step 5: Conference Committee Step 6: President’s Desk

STEP 1: Write & Introduce the Bill How a Bill becomes a Law STEP 1: Write & Introduce the Bill - a representative writes down their idea and puts it in the hopper. - the clerk gives the bill a number, name, and short description, records it in the Congressional Record, and gives copies to each representative in the house. - the bill is introduced to the house by the leader of the house - the bill is sent to the appropriate committee

How a Bill becomes a Law House of Representatives The Senate Step 1: Introduce the Bill Introduce the Bill Step 2: Committee Work Committee Work Step 3: Debate and Vote Debate and Vote Step 4: On to the other House Step 5: Conference Committee Step 6: President’s Desk

STEP 2: Committee Work How a Bill becomes a Law - a committee studies the bill - the committee figures out how it will affect the people and the country - experts are asked to comment on the bill - subcommittees are used if necessary to do more work on the bill - the committee decides if they think the bill has a chance of passing and should be sent to the whole house for consideration

How a Bill becomes a Law House of Representatives The Senate Step 1: Introduce the Bill Introduce the Bill Step 2: Committee Work Committee Work Step 3: Debate and Vote Debate and Vote Step 4: On to the other House Step 5: Conference Committee Step 6: President’s Desk

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES How a Bill becomes a Law HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STEP 3: Debate and Vote - the bill is read aloud now that it has been fixed up in the committee. - a formal debate about the bill happens- speakers are given a limited amount of time to speak. - the bill can be changed or added to during the debate. - when the debate is over, a vote is taken. - if the bill has at least 218 votes, it passes.

THE SENATE STEP 3: Debate and Vote How a Bill becomes a Law - the bill is read aloud now that it has been fixed up in the committee. - a formal debate about the bill happens- speakers are given an unlimited amount of time to speak. - the bill can be changed or added to during the debate. - when the debate is over, a vote is taken. - if the bill has at least 51 votes, it passes.

How a Bill becomes a Law House of Representatives The Senate Step 1: Introduce the Bill Introduce the Bill Step 2: Committee Work Committee Work Step 3: Debate and Vote Debate and Vote Step 4: On to the other House Step 5: Conference Committee Step 6: President’s Desk

STEP 4: On to the other House How a Bill becomes a Law STEP 4: On to the other House - if the bill passes through one house, it is sent over to the other house and repeats the same steps.

How a Bill becomes a Law House of Representatives The Senate Step 1: Introduce the Bill Introduce the Bill Step 2: Committee Work Committee Work Step 3: Debate and Vote Debate and Vote Step 4: On to the other House Step 5: Conference Committee Step 6: President’s Desk

STEP 5: Conference Committee How a Bill becomes a Law STEP 5: Conference Committee - if any changes were made to the bill during the debate in the second house, members from both houses meet to compromise and make one bill for both houses to re-pass. - once the compromise bill is finished, it is sent back through both houses for final approval (another vote)

How a Bill becomes a Law House of Representatives The Senate Step 1: Introduce the Bill Introduce the Bill Step 2: Committee Work Committee Work Step 3: Debate and Vote Debate and Vote Step 4: On to the other House Step 5: Conference Committee Step 6: President’s Desk

STEP 6: The President’s Desk How a Bill becomes a Law STEP 6: The President’s Desk - a finished bill that has passed both houses of Congress is then sent to the President. - the President reads the bill.

STEP 6: President’s Desk The President can then... How a Bill becomes a Law STEP 6: President’s Desk The President can then...  Sign the bill into a law.  Veto the bill and send back to Congress w/ an explanation  Hold the bill for 10 days and allow to become a law w/o signing  “Pocket Veto” - hold on to the bill w/o signing and kill the bill because Congress has adjourned (ended) its session