1. How a bill becomes a law
The founding fathers intentionally made the process of how a bill (proposed law) becomes a law difficult. They did this so law makers would have to think about the laws they were making.

2. House of Representatives (HR) Senate (S)
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Bill can start in either house
Except a money bill(taxing/ spending)those must start in the HR.
House of Representatives (HR)
Senate (S)
1. Bill is Introduced
Read into the record and assigned a #
1. Bill is Introduced
Read into the record and assigned a #
2. Assigned to a committee
Hold hearings, conduct investigations, committee writes a report and votes on the bill.
2. Assigned to a committee
Hold hearings, conduct investigations, committee writes a report and votes on the bill.
4. Conference Committee
Re-write the bill so the language is the same form both houses
3. Floor debate and vote
51% to pass
218/435
3. Floor debate and vote
51% to pass
51/100
5. Final Vote- 51% to pass both houses
7. President can stop the bill by vetoing it. Congress can override the President’s veto by a 2/3 vote, (HR-290/435 and S-67/100) in each house of Congress.
6. The President signs the bill.
Goes to the President
8. Bill becomes a Law

3. “Checks and Balances”- Text p. 281
Congress
1. Override the President’s veto
2. Impeachment- House of Reps. Brings charges and the Senate holds a trial
3. The Senate ratifies treaties made by the President
4. Senate confirms presidential appointments to the Federal Courts, ambassadors, positions in the executive branch and cabinet
Confirms appointments
Establish new courts
Impeach justices/ judges
Pass an amendment to the Constitution
White House
Supreme Court Building

4. “Checks and Balances”- Text p. 281
White House
Pres. Can appoint justices
2. Pres. can pardon criminals
Veto a bill
Call Congress into a special session
3. Propose laws
Congress
Supreme Court Building

5. “Checks and Balances”- Text p. 281
Supreme Court
1. Judicial Review- can declare laws made by Congress unconstitutional.
Judicial Review- declare actions of
the President unconstitutional
White House
Congress

6. “Checks and Balances”- Text p. 281
Supreme Court
1. Judicial Review- can declare laws made by Congress unconstitutional.
Judicial Review- declare actions of
the President unconstitutional
Amendment Process- The only way Congress, or the President can to get around Judicial Review is to add an amendment to the Constitution.
The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures. 
A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution as soon as it is ratified by three-fourths of the States (38 of 50 States).
White House
Congress