How a Bill Becomes a Law Congress in Action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otbml6WIQPo How a Bill Becomes a Law Congress in Action

Step One A Need for Change Bill definition: a written idea for a law Only 3% of bills become law Every bill starts as an idea Ideas can come from Congress, citizens, White House, interest groups

Step Two Introduction of Bill to Congress House of Representatives Senate Has to be introduced by a member of House Bill is numbered & read: Example – H458 or HB456 Then is assigned to a committee Has to be introduced by a member of the Senate Bill is numbered & read: Example – S458 or SB458 Then is assigned to a committee

Step Three: Congressional Committees When in Congress, members are placed on committees Head of Committee = Chairman Chairmen hold a lot of power and are chosen based on Seniority Rule. Step Three: Congressional Committees Research and Discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evLR90Dx79M

Standing Committee 20 in House 16 in Senate Permanent Every representative in both houses is on 2-4 Has a SPECIFIC topic addressed 20 in House Agriculture Appropriations Budget Education and Workforce Ethics 16 in Senate Agriculture, nutrition, and forestry Armed Services Energy and Natural Resources Foreign Relations

Subcommittee House Examples Senate Example Agriculture: Department operations, oversight and nutrition Senate Example Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Each committee has these for specific topics Further research

Select or special committee Special Purpose Limited Time One house only Head investigations as a part of legislative oversight House Examples Energy Independence and Global Warming National Security Senate Examples Ethics Intelligence Aging

Joint committee Examples Permanent Members of BOTH houses More efficient because looking at topics that both houses would have looked at anyways Examples Economic Library Printing Taxation Deficit Reduction

Conference committee Example Special Purpose Limited time Stimulus Bill: Recovery and Reinvestment Act Special Purpose Limited time Reconcile differences between versions of bill passed in each house Can rewrite and amend then send back to floor of both houses for vote

Step Three Research and Discuss House of Representatives Senate Subcommittee Performs studies, holds hearings, makes revisions, then MAY approve bill Committee May amend or rewrite bill, kill bill, or approve and send to full house Rules Committee A “rule” is how much and what kind of debate bill gets on floor of full house Subcommittee Performs studies, holds hearings, makes revisions, then MAY approve bill Committee May amend or rewrite bill, kill bill, or approve and send to full house Leadership Senate leaders of both parties schedule Senate debate on bill

House of Representatives Step four Floor Action House of Representatives Senate Bill debated by full House Debates much more strict and limited Amendments may be offered Vote taken If different version than approved by Senate, bill sent to conference committee Bill is debated by full Senate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3fSV8Ky77c Filibuster – talk all you want Cloture – get enough votes to end filibuster Amendments may be offered Vote taken If different version than approved by House, bill sent to conference committee

House of Representatives Step five Full Vote House of Representatives Senate Full House votes on compromised bill by conference committee If passes, bill sent to President Full Senate votes on compromised bill by conference committee If passes, bill sent to President “most deliberative body in the world” – should be able to talk as much as want Cloture: Filibuster:

Step six President Sign bill into law Veto bill – bill is sent back to Congress and no law created Pocket veto the bill – bill is not signed or returned to Congress in 10 days because Congress not in session Veto can be overridden by a 2/3 vote in BOTH houses of Congress