The document outlines the 9 step legislative process for passing a bill: 1) A bill is introduced in Congress and sent to committee 2) The committee analyzes the bill, makes revisions, and votes on whether to advance it 3) Bills that pass committee are sent to the House or Senate floor for debate and a vote 4) Bills that pass the floor vote go to the other House, where they repeat steps 2-3 5) If passed in both Houses, the bill goes to a conference committee to reconcile differences 6) The final bill is sent back to both Houses for a final vote before being sent to the president 7) The president can sign the

1. Classroom Activity

2.  Bill
is introduced in either the House of
Representatives or the Senate

3. Bill is sent
to the
appropriate
committee
 In committee, bill is analyzed, revised, and
voted on
 Most bills die in committee (they don’t make
it past this step)

4.  In your committee circle, pass your bill to
the left.
 Read the bill.
 Make any revisions you think would make the
bill better
 On the back of the bill, write a check if you
think it should move on, or an “X” if you do
not think the bill is a good idea.
 Pass the bill to the left and repeat process
until you have read and voted on every bill in
your committee.

5.  Billsthat make it past
committee, go to the
House or Senate floor.
 Members of congress
who support the bill try
to convince others to
vote for it
 Members who oppose
the bill argue against
it.
 The entire house votes
on the bill.

6.  Combine with the other committee from
your house.
 All bills that got approved in committee
should be read aloud to your entire house.
 One member should argue for each bill, and
another member should argue against each
bill.
 All members in your house will vote on each
bill.

7.  Bills
that pass the floor vote are sent to the
other house.
 Trade bills with the other house.

8.  Billis sent to the appropriate committee in
the other house
 Now this committee analyzes, revises, and
votes on the bill.

9.  In your committee circle, divide the new bills
between your members.
 Read the bill you have been given.
 Make any revisions you think would make the
bill better
 On the back of the bill, write a check if you
think it should move on, or an “X” if you do
not think the bill is a good idea.
 Pass the bill to the left and repeat process
until you have read and voted on every bill in
your committee.

10.  Bills that make it past committees in the
other house go to a floor vote
 Supporters and opponents argue for or
against the bill
 Every member of that house votes on the
bill.

11.  Combine with the other committee from
your house.
 All bills that got approved in committee
should be read aloud to your entire house.
 One member should argue for each bill, and
another member should argue against each
bill.
 All members in your house will vote on each
bill.

12.  Ifthe bill is passed in the floor vote in both
houses, it moves to a conference committee.
 Conference committees compromise to settle
any differences between the two versions of
the bill
 Conference committees re-write the bill and
to create its final draft.

13.  Get into your conference committee group
 Ifyour bill has made it past both
houses, bring it with you to the conference
committee.
 Create the final draft of your bill by re-
writing it to incorporate changes that
everyone in your conference committee can
agree on.

14.  The final version of the bill is sent back to
the floor of each house for a final floor vote.
 Each member of each house votes to approve
the final version of the bill

15.  Go back to your original house group.
 One representative from each conference
committee will read their final version of the
bill to each house.
 Eachmember of your house will vote to
either approve or deny the final version of
the bill

16.  If the bill passes the final vote
in both houses, it is sent to
the President
 The president has 4 options:
 Sign the bill into law!
 Veto- bill does not become law
 Do nothing- after 10 days bill
becomes law
 Pocket veto- if the congress
session ends within those 10
days and the president does not
sign it, then it does not become
a law.

17.  Bring your bills that have passed the final
vote to my desk (I am the president).
I will either sign or veto your bill.
 IfI veto your bill, it can still become a law if
2/3 of the class votes to override the veto.

18.  Ifyou made it through all 9 steps, your bill
has become a law! 