HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

INTRODUCTION OF A BILL Both the House of Representatives and the Senate can introduce a bill Only the House of Representatives can introduce a bill to raise revenue or taxes After the bill has been introduced it is referred to a committee

COMMITTEE ACTION After a bill is introduced it goes to a standing committee From there it is sent to a subcommittee for hearings, revisions, and approval Then the bill returns to the standing committee for more hearings and revisions The standing committee either approves the bill, or takes no action which allows the bill to die in committee

DEBATE AND VOTE Which ever house introduced the bill (the House of Representatives or the Senate) then debates and votes on the bill Amendments are added at this point If the bill passes it then goes to the other house and follows the same path through committees, debates and a vote Both houses must vote to pass a bill with a majority (more than 50%)

ON TO THE PRESIDENT If BOTH houses pass the bill with a majority vote, the bill goes to the President The President has the following 2 options: 1. He can sign the bill and it becomes a law. 2. He can veto the bill if he thinks it will be harmful to Americans or our country. **The President must sign the bill or veto it within ten days or the bill automatically becomes a law.

WHAT HAPPENS WITH A VETO? When the President veto’s a bill, the bill then goes back to the house that introduced the bill where it now needs a two-thirds majority vote to pass. If the bill passes it goes to the other house where it also needs a two-thirds majority vote to pass. To override a Presidential veto BOTH houses of Congress must pass the bill with a two-thirds majority vote When this happens the bill becomes a law despite the Presidential veto If Congress cannot get a two-thirds vote, then the bill dies.