How a Bill becomes Law
April 20th 2010 21:46
Many of us watched in awe as this house and senate passed the Health Care Reform Bill. Several people commented on how there were flaws in the bill but the President was able to sign it before the Senate approved the changes the house made and secondly when there was a promise that an executive order would be singed concerning abortion. This got many to examine how a bill becomes law. Now that we are looking at Cap and Trade we wonder again how a bill becomes law.
A bill must pass both houses of Congress by a majority vote. After it has passed out of Congress, it is sent along to the President. If the President signs the bill, it becomes law.
The President might not sign the bill, however. If he specifically rejects the bill, called a veto, the bill returns to Congress. There it is voted on again, and if both houses of Congress pass the bill again, but this time by a two-thirds majority, then the bill becomes law without the President's signature. This is called "overriding a veto," and is difficult to do because of the two-thirds majority requirement.
A bill can become law if the President sits on the bill, taking no action on it at all. If the President takes no action at all, and ten days passes (not including Sundays). This means the bill becomes law even though the President has not signed it. On the other hand, if Congress has taken a recess or gone on vacation before the ten days passes and without a Presidential signature, the bill fails and does not become law. We West Wing watchers know this as a pocket veto.
The process written above is dramatically simplistic the Constitution provides insight that is much more detailed.
Submitting a Bill
A bill or bills can be initiated from or by several different sources, most are written by individual members of Congress (Christopher Dodd and the Financial Reform Bill). In addition, bills might be brought to a member by a constituent or by a group of constituents (Meghan Law is a great example of this); a bill can be submitted to a member of Congress by one or more state legislatures; or the President or his administration might suggest a bill(such as the health care bill).
However, if it is brought to the attention of a member, it must be submitted for consideration by the member. In the House, Representatives can drop a copy of a bill into a bin that is specifically intended to receive new bills.
It is different for members of the Senate. If a bill is written by a senator then it is given to a clerk at the President's desk.
It is law that a bill must eventually pass both the House of Representative and the Senate to become law.
Hopefully you are not confused because there is another exception to all that is written above and that is if a bill is written to raise revenue then it must originate in the House. Bills written concerning revenue never originate in the Senate. This is just the basic as bill go through committee and procedural votes in the House and in the Senate. These will be discussed in future posts.
Information gathered from several sources;
The Heritage Foundation book The Constitution this is an excellent resource The Heritage Guide to the Constitution
Edwin Meese (Author), Matthew Spalding (Editor), David F. Forte (Editor), Matthew Spalding (Author)
(Author), David F. Forte (Author)
Also the U.S Constitution URL;s Really Long Link
A bill must pass both houses of Congress by a majority vote. After it has passed out of Congress, it is sent along to the President. If the President signs the bill, it becomes law.
The President might not sign the bill, however. If he specifically rejects the bill, called a veto, the bill returns to Congress. There it is voted on again, and if both houses of Congress pass the bill again, but this time by a two-thirds majority, then the bill becomes law without the President's signature. This is called "overriding a veto," and is difficult to do because of the two-thirds majority requirement.
A bill can become law if the President sits on the bill, taking no action on it at all. If the President takes no action at all, and ten days passes (not including Sundays). This means the bill becomes law even though the President has not signed it. On the other hand, if Congress has taken a recess or gone on vacation before the ten days passes and without a Presidential signature, the bill fails and does not become law. We West Wing watchers know this as a pocket veto.
The process written above is dramatically simplistic the Constitution provides insight that is much more detailed.
Submitting a Bill
A bill or bills can be initiated from or by several different sources, most are written by individual members of Congress (Christopher Dodd and the Financial Reform Bill). In addition, bills might be brought to a member by a constituent or by a group of constituents (Meghan Law is a great example of this); a bill can be submitted to a member of Congress by one or more state legislatures; or the President or his administration might suggest a bill(such as the health care bill).
However, if it is brought to the attention of a member, it must be submitted for consideration by the member. In the House, Representatives can drop a copy of a bill into a bin that is specifically intended to receive new bills.
It is different for members of the Senate. If a bill is written by a senator then it is given to a clerk at the President's desk.
It is law that a bill must eventually pass both the House of Representative and the Senate to become law.
Hopefully you are not confused because there is another exception to all that is written above and that is if a bill is written to raise revenue then it must originate in the House. Bills written concerning revenue never originate in the Senate. This is just the basic as bill go through committee and procedural votes in the House and in the Senate. These will be discussed in future posts.
Information gathered from several sources;
The Heritage Foundation book The Constitution this is an excellent resource The Heritage Guide to the Constitution
Edwin Meese (Author), Matthew Spalding (Editor), David F. Forte (Editor), Matthew Spalding (Author)
(Author), David F. Forte (Author)
Also the U.S Constitution URL;s Really Long Link
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