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HOW FEDERAL LAWS ARE MADE. Learning Objectives Explain where the ideas for laws may come from. Name the six steps it takes for a bill to become a law. Give two reasons why a bill might fail to become a law . Words to Know.
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HOW FEDERAL LAWS ARE MADE • Learning Objectives • Explain where the ideas for laws may come from. • Name the six steps it takes for a bill to become a law. • Give two reasons why a bill might fail to become a law.
Words to Know • Testify – to make statements in hearings or in court to establish some truth or fact • Subcommittee – a branch of a standing committee that has a special area of study • Conference committee – a House Senate committee that works out the differences in bills passes by the two houses of Congress • Presiding officer – the leader of a government body who runs or directs that body
Legislation – laws that are made or proposed • Floor leader – the leader of each of the two political parties in Congress who directs the debate on proposed bills • Whip – the assistant to each of the floor leaders of Congress
Where Laws Come From • Turning a bill into a law is a long and often hard job • Making laws takes many steps • Every law starts with an idea from anywhere. Farmers, President, Senators, or even you.
How a Bill Becomes Law • Every law begins as a bill in Congress • Step 1: Introducing the Bill a. A representative has an idea for a new law. b. Writes the idea for new law in a bill. c. Takes bill to the meeting room of the House and drops in into a wooden box call the “hopper” d. The clerk gives bill a short title and a number e. The Title and number are written in the Congressional Record. This is called the first reading of the bill. f. The bill is printed so all members have a copy. g. Speaker of the House sends bill to the proper standing committee.
Step 2: The Committee Stage a. Members of the committee study the bill carefully. b. They listen to other representatives speak for or against the bill. c. The committee asks many questions. d. Sometimes the committee will hold a public hearing. Experts in the field, government officials, and other persons may be invited to testify.
A Committee Within a Committee • A standing committee will sometimes turn over its work on a proposed bill to one of its subcommittees. • There are about 140 subcommittees in the House • There are more than 100 in the Senate • After several meetings the committee will vote. • If the bill passes, it goes before the whole House of Representatives
Step 3: The Debate a. The bill receives its second reading b. Each representative in the House may debate the bill. c. Representatives are allowed 1 hour to speak. d. The bill is printed in it’s final form. e. Then it is given a third reading. f. The House votes
Step 4: On to the Senate a. Debating begins again. b. Senate votes. • Step 5: Conference Committee a. If both houses of Congress pass the same bill with different amendments the bill goes to a special conference committee. b. Members of both houses make up committee. c. Committee can only consider the points on which the two bills differ. d. Bothe houses of Congress must pass the new compromise bill. No more amendments can be added.
Using a Filibuster • Senators can speak as long as they like. • Some Senators try to kill a bill by talking so long that the senate has to move onto other business. • This delaying is called a filibuster • Senate can end a filibuster by voting for the cloture rule. • 3/5 of senate of the (60 senators) votes for cloture the filibuster is stopped.
Step 6: The President’s Desk a. Every bill that Congress passes goes to the President b. One of four things can happen. 1. Sign the bill so it becomes law 2. Veto (stop) the bill. It would then be returned to congress. 2/3 of both houses must vote for the bill then it will be a law. This is called overriding a veto. 3. Leave bill unsigned for ten days while Congress is in session. Then it automatically becomes a law. 4. Leave bill unsigned for ten days after Congress has ended its session. Then the bill dies.
Laws Good for the Whole Country • Members of Congress protect the special interest of the people they represent. • That is why getting majority of representatives and senators to agree on a bill is difficult • The majority must represent the whole country not just part of it.
