2.1 Making Laws in Congress

2.1 Making Laws in Congress

We will read the slides and answer the questions

How a Bill Becomes Law

Creating laws is the Congress’ most important job. All laws in the United States begin as bills. Before a bill can become a law, it must be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. Let’s follow a bill’s journey to become law.

The Bill Begins (this example is for the House of Rep.)

Laws begin as ideas. These ideas may come from a Representative, Senator—or from a citizen like you. Citizens who have ideas for laws can contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. If the Representatives agree, they research the ideas and write them into bills.

Multiple Choice

What are rough drafts of laws called?

• Legal

• Act

• Bill

• Pre Laws

The Bill Is Proposed

When a Representative has written a bill, the bill needs a sponsor. The Representative talks with other Representatives about the bill in hopes of getting their support for it. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced. It then goes to Committee to be worked on.

Open Ended

In which house of Congress can a Bill be introduced? Explain.

The Bill Goes to Committee

When the bill reaches committee, the committee members—groups of Representatives or Senator who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations—review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor. If the committee members would like more information before deciding if the bill should be sent to the House floor, the bill is sent to a subcommittee. While in subcommittee, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval. Once approved, it is debated on!

Open Ended

What happens to a bill once it is in committee? Explain!

The Bill Is Debated

When a bill is debated, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it. Then, a reading clerk reads the bill section by section and the Representatives recommend changes. When all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

The Bill Is Voted On

A vote now occurs. If a majority (51% or more) of the Representatives say or select yes, the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

Multiple Choice

What does majority mean?

• More than 60%

• More than 50%

• More than 30%

• More than 75%

The Bill Is Referred to the Senate

When a bill reaches the U.S. Senate, it goes through many of the same steps it went through in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on.

The Bill Is Sent to the President

When a bill reaches the President, he has three choices. He can:

Sign and pass the bill—the bill becomes a law. Refuse to sign, or veto, the bill—the bill is sent back to the U.S. House of Representatives, along with the President’s reasons for the veto. If the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote on the bill. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President’s veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law. Do nothing (pocket veto)—if Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days. If Congress is not in session, the bill does not become a law.

Open Ended

What is veto power? Why is it powerful?

The Bill Is a Law

If a bill has passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and has been approved by the President, or if a presidential veto has been overridden, the bill becomes a law and is enforced by the government.

Open Ended

Is a law easy or hard to pass? Explain!