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

2. 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

3. The Easy Way…

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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

10. 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

11. 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.

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

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

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

15. Step 3
The Bill is Studied by a House Committee

16. Step 4
The Bill is Debated on the House Floor

17. Step 5
The Bill is Sent to the Senate

18. Step 6
The Bill is Studied by a Senate Committee

19. Step 7
The Bill is Debated in the Senate

20. Step 8
The Senate Votes on the Bill

21. Step 9
The Bill is Sent to the President

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

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

24. 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

25. 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