1. How a bill becomes a law

2. How a Bill becomes a Law Introduction of the Bill Committee Stage
Debate and Vote
Bill sent to other house (Introduction and Assign committee)
Conference Committee
Submitted to the President

3. 1. Introduction of the Bill
The Proposed Bill is introduced to a House of Congress
They read the bill aloud for the first time

4. 2. Committee Stage
The Leader of the House assigns the bill to a committee to study.
Usually referred to a “standing committee”
These standing members read and work on the Bill
Committee House of Rep or Senate

5. The Sad Truth…
Most Bills never become laws because they never get out of Committee (DIE)

6. 50% + 1 3. House Debate and Vote The Bill is debated and Amended
Then voted on by the members of Congress
Bill must receive a majority of votes to pass, if it passes it will go to the other half of Congress
50% + 1

7. 4. Bill sent to other house (Introduction and Standing committee)
The same procedure that is done in the House is now done in the Senate. (or vise versa)

8. Why do most of the bills introduced in Congress never become a law?
They are defeated in floor votes
The never get out of committee
They are vetoed by the President
They are overrules by the US Supreme Court

9. Important Word of the Day: Consensus
Why do you think the Bill must be debated and approved by both Chambers of Congress before it can be sent to the President?
Important Word of the Day: Consensus

10. 5. Conference Committee
The Amended bill goes to a conference committee with both the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
If changes are made, they are sent back again.
If they agree, they send it to the President for Signature.
Both Houses
Together!

11. 6.Submitted to the President
The president can do 1 of 3 things
Sign it. The President can approve the bill by signing it, making it a law.
2. Veto it (reject or disapproved) the bill is then returned to congress. If 2/3 members in each House vote to override the Presidents veto, the Bill becomes law. This is very difficult
3. Do nothing. The President can refuse to either sign or veto a bill.
If Congress is in session, after 10 days it becomes law
If Congress is not in session, after ten days it goes into the “Presidents pocket” and does not become law. Known as a “pocket veto”

12. The diagram below shows some of the steps involved in passing a federal law What is the next step in the lawmaking process?
The President Signs the bill
The bill is sent to the Senate
The bill is sent to the conference committee
The bill must be sent to Standing Committee
A member of the House of Representatives introduces a bill
The bill is sent to the appropriate standing committee
The bill is favorable and sent to the house and is debated on the floor of the House and can be voted on ?

13. 1
A Bill was proposed by some local farmers in Wisconsin to limit the amount of steroids that could be added to their chickens and cows to produce more milk and eggs. They wrote a proposed petition to their State congress women, House Representative, Jessica Little. Representative Little read the proposal and felt it needed to be considered for federal law because it would help protect the health of all American citizens. She created a draft of the bill and will present it to Congress during the next House of Representatives session meeting at the end of the month in Washington D.C. What is this step?

14. Step 1 Introduction!!!!!

15. 2
The Bill newly named the “Clean Milk and Eggs Act”, has finally been debated and voted on. The House of Representatives made small changes that would allow some use of healthy steroids to the cows and chickens and it passed in House vote by 55%. The draft of the Bill was then sent to the Senate. Once in its standing committee, the group agreed to the document and sent it back to the Senate floor for debate and vote. The Majority of the Senate voted for it at 88%. What is the next step?

16. Step 5 Conference Committee!!!!!

17. 3
House Representative Little of Wisconsin has just finished reading and introducing her states idea for a new Clean Milk and Eggs act for cows and chickens in the United States. They believe that a limited amount of added drugs and steroids will lead to healthier food in American Citizens. Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, has just picked his small group to exit the House session, and begin to work and amend the best draft of the bill. He has nominated Representative Little of Wisconsin, and the Representatives from the states of Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, Nebraska, and Montana. In total, 22 Representatives will now work on crafting the best version of this Bill. What step is being shown?

18. Step 2 Standing Committee!!!!!

19. 4
The Small group of House of Representatives has just left the standing committee room. The Bill was close to dying in committee, but the group of 22 Representatives came to an agreement after 2 weeks of working on the proposed cleaner farming Bill. Its finally leaving the standing committee. Many changes have been made to the Bill. Rather than just being for Cows and Chickens, the Bill would now include all farm animals, and it would also reduce the amount of chemicals a farmer can use on the seeds when planting gain to feed the animals. What is the next step in the law making process?

20. Step 3 Debate and Vote (HOR)

21. 5
A Bill introduced by the Representative of Wisconsin would make food and farming safer and healthier for all Americans. The Bill was sent to a standing committee of 22 House Representatives. They agreed favorably on the bill, and sent it back to the House for a full House floor debate and vote. After a 6-hour debate and argument the Bill was brought to a vote. 55% of the members of the House of Representatives voted for the bill to pass, which was more than the needed Majority of 51% to pass. What is the next step in the law making process?

22. Step 4 Send it to the Senate (the other house)!!!!!

23. 6
It has been over 6 months since the Representative of Wisconsin introduced a Bill that would make farming and foods healthier for American Citizens. The Bill has been edited multiple times, and has finally been named the “Clean Milk and Eggs Act”. It has just passed on a floor vote in Congress during the Conference Committee. What is the Next step in the Law making Process?

24. Step 6 President can Sign or Veto