How a Bill Becomes a Law Quick Check


Some laws, particularly those that authorize funding for new programs, contain provisions requiring Congress to decide after a certain period of time whether the legislation is effective and should be renewed or «reauthorized.» To do this, it is necessary to present a new bill that renews the provisions of the law, makes all the necessary amendments to the original law and provides for a new timetable for the duration of its activity. When the bill reaches the President, he or she may: APPROVE and PASS. The President signs and approves the law. The bill has the force of law. A bill is a law that is waiting to be approved. Anyone can write laws, but only members of Congress can introduce them. Whether a bill comes from the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives, the process is the same, but vice versa from this example. If it comes from the House: as soon as a bill is introduced, it is referred to committee. The House of Representatives and Senate have various committees made up of groups of members of Congress who have a particular interest in various issues, such as health care or international affairs. When a bill is in the hands of the committee, it is carefully considered and its chances of being passed by Congress as a whole are determined.

The committee may even choose to hold hearings to better understand the implications of the legislation. The hearings record the views of the executive, experts, other officials and lawyers, and opponents of the legislation. If the committee does not vote on a bill, it is considered «dead.» The chair then considers the bill. The president can approve and sign the law or not approve a law (veto). Below is an overview of what is happening at the federal level. A brief description of the process can be found at: U.S. House of Representatives website I worked with Senator George V. Voinovich, a Republican from Ohio, to find a solution to pollution from diesel trucks and other large vehicles.

After weeks of collaboration, we introduced the Reduced Diesel Emissions Act, 2005 (DERA). This Act authorized the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to promote diesel clean-up. This is achieved by providing funds in the form of grants and small loans to agencies and states to improve the technology and equipment of diesel vehicles and make them cleaner. Because this was a sensible bill, 22 of our Senate colleagues on both sides of the House signed on as co-sponsors. Members of Parliament and Senators can now debate the bill and propose amendments before voting. Any member of Congress — whether it`s the Senate or the House of Representatives or representatives — who has an idea for a bill can draft a bill. These ideas come from members of Congress themselves or from ordinary citizens and interest groups. The main member of Congress who supports the bill is called a «godfather.» Other members who support the bill are called «co-sponsors.» When the House of Representatives or Senate passes a bill, it is sent back to the other chamber, where it usually takes the same route through committees and possibly into the field. The Senate can approve, reject, ignore or amend the bill as is.

Congress may form a conference committee to resolve or balance differences between versions of a bill in the House of Representatives and the Senate. If the conference committee cannot agree, the bill dies. If an agreement is reached, committee members prepare a conference report with recommendations for the final bill. The House of Representatives and Senate must vote to approve the conference report. How a Bill Becomes Law When Created in the House of Representatives Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government and makes laws for the nation. Congress has two legislative branches or chambers: the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Anyone elected to one of the two bodies may propose a new law. A bill is a proposal for a new law. Their representatives only support bills that support their constituents.

vote for bills that matter to the people they represent; That`s how they keep their jobs! 4. The President may or may not sign the law. When the president approves and signs the law, the law becomes law. However, if the president does not agree, he can veto the law by refusing to sign it. Here you will find bills and resolutions introduced by the current and previous sessions of Congress. This includes new laws that have not yet been given a public number. Below, I have described how our legislative process works. As an example, I took a piece of legislation that I introduced, the Reducing Diesel Emissions Act, 2005, and I showed how that legislation went from an idea to a new law. 1. A member of Congress introduces a bill.

When a senator or representative introduces a bill, it is sent to the Secretary of the Senate or House of Representatives, who assigns it a number and title. The bill is then referred to the appropriate committee.