How a Bill Becomes a Law

A proposed law is called a

If a bill fails to receive enough votes to pass, in either chamber (part) of Congress, it

• is dead

• is sent to the president who may still sign it into law

• is sent back for more debate and a revote

• is sent to the other chamber where it can still become a law if it gets at least 2/3rds vote

If a bill received enough votes to pass in the first chamber (part) of Congress, it

• is then sent to the other chamber of Congress for debate and voting

• is sent to the president

• is automatically a law

• is sent to the Supreme Court for judicial review

If a bill received enough votes to pass in the first chamber (part) of Congress, but does not pass in the second chamber, it

• is dead

• is sent to the president who may still sign it into law

• is sent back for more debate and a revote

• is sent back to the first chamber where it can still become a law if it gets at least 2/3rds vote

If a bill receives enough votes to pass in both chambers of Congress, it

• becomes a law

• is sent to the President

• becomes a preliminary law

• is sent to the Supreme Court for judicial review

When the president receives a bill, they may

• sign it

• veto it

• ignore it

• send it back to Congress for debate and a new vote

• send it to the Supreme Court for judicial review

If the president signs a bill, it

• is dead

• becomes a law

• is sent back for more debate and a revote

• is sent to the Supreme Court for judicial review

If the president vetoes a bill, it

• becomes a law

• is dead

• is sent to the Supreme Court for judicial review

• goes back to Congress, with a list of their reasons, for a revote.

If the president vetoes a bill

• it can still become a law

• it is dead

• it can become an amendment

• it can become an executive order

In order for a bill that was vetoed by the president to become a law,

• it must pass both houses of Congress with at least 2/3rds vote

• it must pass both houses of Congress with at least 3/4ths vote

• it must pass the House of Representatives with at least 2/3rds vote

• it must pass the Supreme Court with at least 2/3rds vote