1. How a Bill Becomes a Law School House Rocks!!!

2. Step 1 The House The Clerk of the House numbers each bill and gives it a short title, thus entering it into the House Journal and into the Congressional Record This leads to the First Reading The Speaker then refers it to the appropriate committee

3. Step 2 The House Most bills will be killed in committee However, a majority of the House can force a bill to the floor (after it has been in committee for 30 days) Some bills are handed over to subcommittees When done, they will resubmit to full committee - if a committee pushes a bill to the floor, it will be placed on the calendar, and could be considered

4. Step 3 The House The Bill on the Floor If a bill reaches the floor, then it receives a 2 nd reading Only 100 need to be present for debate Amendments can be proposed, and speakers are given 5 minutes to make arguments The bill is put into final form and presented to the Whole of the House

5. Step 3 The House There must be 218 present to vote Debate is limited to one hour Voting may occur on the: The various amendments To table the bill (lay aside) Or on the actual bill

6. Step 3 The House 4 methods of voting Voice vote Standing vote 1/5 of a quorum can demand a teller vote Roll-call vote The last two options have been replaced by the electronic voting machines

7. Step 4 The House The bill is printed in final form, signed by the Speaker, and is then placed on the Senate president’s desk

8. The Bill in the Senate Bills are introduced by Senators, given a number and short title, read twice and referred to the appropriate committee Or they read twice those bills passed by the House

9. The Bill in the Senate The bill goes through the same process as in the House However, rules for debate are quite liberal

10. Rules for debate in the Senate No time limit to debate, or to speaking on the floor This allows for filibusters, or an attempt to “talk a bill to death” (Strom Thurmond once held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes) Over the past century, 200 measures have been killed by filibusters

11. Final Stage Once having made it through both houses, it is sent to the President for his signature, or his veto If vetoed, it comes back, it can be changed, or the veto over-ridden by a 2/3 vote

12. Movies I’m Just a Bill Video Updated Video Another Simpson’s vote for Obama