1. Legislative Process
How A Bill Becomes A Law

2. Types of Bills Two Types of Bills:
Private Bills: individual people and places
Public Bills: general matters and apply to the entire nation
Examples- gun control, civil rights, or abortion

3. Why do such a small number of bills become laws?
Less than 10% of all bills introduced in Congress become public law.
The lawmaking process is very long and complicated
100 specific steps could be involve in passing a law, which could delay, kill or change a bill
Lawmaking is a long process with a lot of steps that sponsors of a bill must be willing to bargain and compromise with lawmakers and interest groups
Lawmakers sometimes introduce bills that they know do not have a chance of becoming a law

4. Introducing a Bill Ideas come from:
Private citizens
Interest groups
The president
Officials in the executive branch
Various people may write new bills, such as:
lawmakers or their staffs
lawyers from a Senate or House committee
A White House staff member
An interest group

5. Introducing A Bill Only a member of Congress can introduce a new bill
In the House of Representatives, a representative simply drops the bill into the hopper, a box near the clerk’s desk
In the Senate, the presiding officer of the Senate must recognize the senator to formally present the bill

6. What is a Name?
In the Senate, bills are designated a title and number (S. 1, S. 2, S. 3, etc.)
In the House of Representatives, the are designated a title and number (H.R. 1, H.R. 2, H.R. 3, etc.)
The first reading of the bill is when the bill is printed and distributed to lawmakers

7. Killing a Bill in Committee
When the bill is send to a committee a bill could be ignored and simply let die in a process called “pigeonholing”
Or by a majority vote in the committee

8. If it survives… The committee can recommend that the bill can be:
Adopted as it was introduced
Make changes
Completely rewrite the bill before sending back to the House or Senate

9. Committee Hearings
This is where the committee decides to act on a bill through listening to testimony from people interested in the bill
Witnesses who present testimony could be:
Experts on the subject of the bill
Government officials
Representatives of interest groups concerned with the bill

10. Committee Vote Committee can vote to either: Kill Report
Along with the bill is a written report that explains committee’s actions

11. Is the report important?
The report documents:
Committee’s actions
Describes the bill
Lists the major changes the committee has made
Gives opinions on the bill

12. Floor Action
Floor Action, debate on the bill in the House and the Senate
During this debate on the pros and cons of the bill lawmakers can propose amendments to add to the bill

13. Voting Quorum, or majority, of the members must be present to vote
To pass the bill needs a majority vote of all the members present

14. House of Representatives Voting
Three ways to vote:
Voice voting (“Aye” or “NO” is spoken by all members and the speaker determines who has the most voices)
Standing vote (division voting those in favor stand up and are counted or those opposed stand)
Recorded vote (members’ votes are recorded electronically)

15. Senate Voting Three ways to vote: Voice voting (same as house)
Standing vote (same as house)
Roll-call vote (senators respond “Aye” or “No” as their names are called in alphabetical order

16. To Pass….
For a bill to become a law it must pass in both House of Congress in identical form
If one house accepts one version and the other house has passed the bill goes to Conference Committee

17. Conference Committee
Conference Committee, a group of senators and representatives that are to work out the differences between the two versions
The members that compose the conference committee are called conferees
Their goal is to bargain and arrange a compromise between the two different bills

18. Conference Committee (continued)
The committee members sometimes make important changes in the bill or add provisions neither House or Senate previously considered
A Conference report, is the final compromised bill
Once the conference report is accepted, the bill can be submitted to each house to be voted on

19. The Bill travels to the White House
The president can:
Sign the bill
May keep the bill for 10 days without signing it
If Congress is in session the will become law without President’s signature (rarely happens)
Veto the bill
Veto (the president refuses to sign the bill)
Pocket Veto ( Congress is no longer in session and cannot override the veto)

20. Back to Congress…
If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both Houses
If the Congress overrides it becomes law
Congress does not override vetoes very often because it is difficult to get the necessary two-thirds vote in both Houses

22. Types of Resolutions
Simple resolution: covers matters affecting only one house of Congress and is passed by the house alone
Internal matter (does not have the force of a law and is not sent to the president to sign)

23. Types of Resolutions
Joint Resolution: when both houses pass the resolution and the president signs the resolution, it gives it the force of a law.
May correct an error in an earlier law
Propose constitutional amendments, which do not require the president’s signature

24. Types of Resolutions
Concurrent Resolutions: requiring the action of the House and Senate, but on which a law is not needed.
May set a date for the adjournment (end) of Congress
Used to express Congress’s opinion about an issue

25. Rider
What is a rider?
A rider is a provision on a subject other than the one covered in the bill.
Lawmakers attach riders to bills that are likely to pass
Sometimes riders are attached to bills that are unrelated and are simply there to benefit their constituents