Legislative Process

Legislative Process How A Bill Becomes A Law

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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)

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

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

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

Legislative Process