The process of how a bill becomes a law begins with an idea from a member of Congress. The bill must then pass through several stages, including being assigned to a committee for review, undergoing debate and a vote in both the House and Senate, and requiring the same version of the bill to pass both. If approved by both chambers, the bill is then sent to the President to be signed into law, vetoed, or automatically approved if no action is taken within 10 days.

1. How It Starts
-starts as an idea
-Who has the idea?

2. Split Process
-a new bill must pass both parts of
Congress
-the bill must also pass both parts in
exactly the same form

3. Becoming a Bill
-must be sponsored by a member of
Congress
-put in a draft form
-introduced into Congress

4. Committee
-bill is assigned to a committee
-committee has 3 options
-send bill to next stage
-kill the bill
-pigeonhole the bill-- Action that
places a bill to the side without a
vote

5. Sub-Committee
-studies the bill in-depth
-public hearings-- Meetings held by
legislative committees in order to
allow public comments and
information to be given to
legislative committees
-same 3 options

6. Committee
-back to full committee
-committee votes to send bill to full
House or Senate

7. House or Senate
-Bill is read to the Full House or
Senate for the first time
-Party Leaders try to schedule
debate time for bill
-Members research the merits of
the bill
-Riders may be attached
-additional measures which are not
related to the original bill

8. Debate
-members get to voice their opinions
on the bill
-time is often limited in debates in
the House
-Senate has no time limits on their
debate-
-filibuster
-cloture vote
-each party is given equal
opportunity to speak about the bill

9. Debate
-members get to voice their opinions
on the bill
-time is often limited in debates in
the House
-Senate has no time limits on their
debate-
-filibuster
-cloture vote
-each party is given equal
opportunity to speak about the bill

10. Voting
-after debate a vote is scheduled
-3 types of votes
voice
standing
roll-call—
Type of Congressional vote where
each legislator is called out and a
vote recorded—mostly done
electronically today

11. Same Bill Must Pass
-both parts of Congress must pass
the same bill
-if bill is not the same a conference
committee will meet
-Special committee made up of
legislators from the House and
Senate who try to work out
differences in bill that passed
both houses in different forms
-bill must be voted on in new form

12. Sent to President
-4 options
-sign it into law
-pocket veto-- Process where the
President does not sign a bill and
Congress has adjourned and after
ten days the bills dies rather than
becoming law
-veto the bill
-not sign the bill
becomes law in 10 days

13. Over-Riding a Veto
-if vetoed Congress can override the
veto
-2/3 vote required in each house to
override
-very difficult to achieve