How a Bill Becomes a Law
Step One- Introducing a Bill: Congress introduce a bill. The bill is dropped into a box and then read allowed at a congressional meeting.
Step Two- Committees: The Bill is sent to a committee in congress. Congress can then decide to Pigeonholed (ignore the bill in order to kill it), send it to floor, or change the bill and then send it to floor.
Step Three- Floor Action: Congressmen argue and discuss a bill and make more changes if necessary. Congressmen can also Filibuster a bill or "talk it to death".
Step Four- Voting: Congress votes on the bill. There must be a Quorum (majority) for voting to take place.
Step Five- Conferencing: Congress can pass two bills by the time the process is done. A conference committee talks about the differences between the two houses.
Step Six- Voting Again: The House and Senate vote on the bill again.
Step Seven- Presidential Action: The President has the option to sign the bill into a law, not sign the bill and then it becomes a law, veto the bill, or pocket veto the bill (within the last 10 days the president can take no action, the bill is vetoed and congress can not override it).
Step Two- Committees: The Bill is sent to a committee in congress. Congress can then decide to Pigeonholed (ignore the bill in order to kill it), send it to floor, or change the bill and then send it to floor.
Step Three- Floor Action: Congressmen argue and discuss a bill and make more changes if necessary. Congressmen can also Filibuster a bill or "talk it to death".
Step Four- Voting: Congress votes on the bill. There must be a Quorum (majority) for voting to take place.
Step Five- Conferencing: Congress can pass two bills by the time the process is done. A conference committee talks about the differences between the two houses.
Step Six- Voting Again: The House and Senate vote on the bill again.
Step Seven- Presidential Action: The President has the option to sign the bill into a law, not sign the bill and then it becomes a law, veto the bill, or pocket veto the bill (within the last 10 days the president can take no action, the bill is vetoed and congress can not override it).
- If the Bill is vetoed, Congress can override it with a 2/3 vote in the house and senate.
- If the Bill is approved, it is registered as a law in the National Archives.