How a Bill grows up and becomes a Law… 3 ways… The Hard Way! The Fun Way! The School House Rock Way!

House Bill Introduced Rider attached Senate Bill Introduced Rider attached 1st reading, given a number Committee Action Hearings Investigation Voted out of sub- committee…. Referred to Committee Referred to Committee Stop Stop Referred to Sub Committee Referred to Sub Committee Stop Pigeonhole Amend or add to Approve and submit to floor debate -- “do pass” Stop Reported to Full Committee—3 Actions Reported to Full Committee Stop Floor Action Debate and vote.. Filibuster or Cloture If passes, either goes to the House or the President Rules Committee Action Stop House Rules Committee sets limits on debate. Stop Floor Action Debate and vote If passes, either goes to the Senate or President Stop Stop 2nd reading Bill must pass both Houses with same language… If not, goes to Conference Committee. House Approval Senate Approval President’s Action Stop Stop Veto Signed into law

The Easy Way…

Current Majority Leader: Introduction Senate Current Majority Leader: Harry Reid (D) House of Reps Current Speaker: John Boehner (R)

Committee Action HOUSE Bill referred to standing committee To subcommittee for study, hearings, revisions, approval Back to full committee for more hearings & revisions To rules committee to set conditions for debate / amendments SENATE Bill referred to standing committee To subcommittee for study, hearings, revisions, approval Back to full committee for more hearings/revisions

Floor Action House Bill debated than passed or defeated If passed it is sent on to the Senate Senate Bill debated then passed or defeated If passed it is sent on to the House

Conference Committee Resolves differences between House and Senate versions of bill * need an identical bill

Congressional Approval Committee House and Senate vote on final passage Approved bill sent to President

Presidential Action each house will override veto President either: Signs and it becomes law Vetoes and it is sent back to Congress Doesn’t sign and it becomes law

FYI Additional notes to add to your graphic organizer As many as 10,000 measures are introduced in the House and Senate during a term of Congress. Fewer than 10% ever become law “Bipartisanship” : support for a bill from members of both the Democrats and Republicans.

What steps must be taken for a bill to become a law? Again…

Step 1 The Bill is Proposed by a Citizen, the President or an Interest Group

Step 2 The bill is introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate

Step 3 The Bill is Studied by a House Committee  

Step 4 The Bill is Debated on the House Floor

Step 5 The Bill is Sent to the Senate

Step 6 The Bill is Studied by a Senate Committee

Step 7 The Bill is Debated in the Senate  

Step 8 The Senate Votes on the Bill  

Step 9 The Bill is Sent to the President

If a bill passes the House of Representatives it would then go to…

Review If a bill passes through the House of Representatives then the next step would be to go through the? Senate

End of Course Question What does it mean that a bill is a “proposed law?” a. it may become a law b. it is a law c. it should be a law d. it will never be law

End of Course Question Which branch of Government can veto laws? a. the Executive branch, which is represented by the president b. the legislative branch, which is represented by Congress c. no branch of government can veto laws d. the judicial branch, which is represented by the Courts