Making Laws How a Bill Becomes a Law

Our Nation’s Lawmakers Who gets the important job of making laws? Congress! This is the legislature (or lawmaking group) for our country.

Introducing a Bill Bill is _____________ (bill is a rough draft of a law) Bill is ___________ in Congress (Senate or House) Bill is _____________ by the person who wrote it

Bill is Checked and Debated 4. Committees ______ the bill: check for any problems and costs. People who don’t like the bill get a chance to _________ it. Changes are made to the bill for ______________

Questions and Review What is a law called when it is first written down? What happens after it is explained to Congress? What happens if not everyone likes it?

Bill is Voted On 7. Once one house in Congress votes for a bill, it gets sent to the _________________ for a vote. 8. Both the Senate and House of Representatives have to vote ___________ to approve the bill. 9. Once congress votes in favor of the bill, it leaves Congress and goes to the _____________

Bill is Signed or Vetoed 10. The President either ______ the bill or ________ it (rejects it). 11. _________ bills go back to Congress to be voted on again. 12. If ______ vote for the bill, it becomes a _____. 13. If Congress doesn’t vote for the bill, changes are made so the President will like it and sign it.

Questions and Review Who has to vote for the bill and how? Does the President sign all bills into law? What can he do? How much majority does a bill need to become a law without the President signing it?