Making Laws

There are many different ways, both simple and complex, in which a bill becomes law. One way in which this happens is:

• A member of Congress introduces a bill into his or her legislative chamber.
• The presiding officer of that chamber refers the proposed legislation to one or more committees, depending on its subject.
• Committee members review the bill and decide whether to hold public hearings, to combine it with related draft legislation, to propose amendments, to recommend that the chamber in which it was introduced consider it favorably, or to set it aside for possible later review.
• If the committee, or committees, return the bill to the chamber of the body in which it was introduced, members debate the measure and may consider further amendments.
• The bill is then considered by the full chamber. If it passes, the measure is referred to the other chamber, where this process begins anew.
• When a majority in the House, and in the Senate, agree the bill should become law, it is signed and sent to the president.
• The president may sign the act of Congress into law, or he may veto it.
• Congress can then override the president's veto by a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate thereby making the vetoed act a law.

Related Links

• Learning about the Legislative Process
• Tying it all together: Learn about the Legislative Process
• Kids in the House: How Laws are Made
• A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debate