1. Idea For Law Is Created

2. Idea is Brought to Representative

3. Bill is Introduced to Committee

4. Bill is Voted Upon in House of Origin

5. Bill is sent to other House

6. Bill is Voted Upon in the Other House

7. Bill is Sent to the President

8. President Contemplates Options

9. President Makes a Decision

Someone comes up with an idea for a bill. This person can be anyone, from a child to the president!

The idea for the bill is brought to a member of Congress and a bill is written. If a senator writes the bill, the bill will then be sent to a committee in the Senate, and vice versa if the bill was written by a member of the House of Representatives.

The bill is introduced to a committee in the House of Representatives where members of the committee debate and amend the bill.

If the committee accepts the bill, it is then voted upon in the House of Representatives.

If the bill is passed in the House of Representatives, it is then introduced in the Senate.

The bill is presented to the Senate, where it is debated and then voted upon.

If the bill passes in the Senate, it is then sent to the President.

The President will read the bill. He then has a few options of how to address the bill.

The President may agree with the bill, sign it, and the bill will become a law. If the President doesn’t sign the bill within 10 days and Congress is NOT IN SESSION, the bill will not become a law. This is known as a “pocket veto”. If the President doesn’t sign the bill within 10 days and Congress is IN SESSION, the bill will become a law. If the President doesn’t agree, he can veto the bill, and it will be sent back to Congress.

How a Bill Becomes a Law