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How a Bill Becomes a Law - Coggle Diagram
How a Bill Becomes a Law
1) The Bill is Drafted
Ideas for bills can come from interest groups or everyday citizens
Any member of congress can write a bill, the primary congressmen is the sponsor
2) The Bill is Introduced
If a Senator is the sponsor, the bill is introduced to the Senate, if a Representative is the sponsor, it is introduced to the House
Once it is introduced, it can be found on Congress.gov, the official tracking site for federal legislation
3) The Bill Goes to Committee
Once a bill is introduced, it is referred to a specific committee
A committee may choose to hold a hearing on the bill, or it may not act on it, which is one way a bill can "die"
4) A Subcommittee Reviews the Bill
Subcommittees are organized under committees, and they have further insight on the topic
They may make changes to the bill, and then they must vote to refer it back to the full committee
5) The Committee Marks up the Bill
The committee with make changes and amendments before recommending the bill to the "floor"
If the committee votes not to report legislation to the full chamber of Congress, the bill dies, and if the committee votes in favor, it is reported to the floor
6) The Full Chamber Votes on the Bill
As the bill reaches the floor, there is more debate and members vote to approve any amendments
Then the bill is either passed or killed by the members voting
7) The Bill is Referred to the Other Chamber
Depending on where it started, the bill will be sent to the other chamber, the Senate or the House, and will go through the same route through committees and the floor, and either be changed, approved, rejected, or ignored
Congress may form a conference committee to resolve differences between the chambers versions of the bill; if unable to reach an agreement, the bill dies, if agreed upon, a conference report is created, and both the House and the Senate will vote to approve it
8) The Bill is Sent to the President
If the President approves of the legislation, they will sign it into law, if the President takes no action for 10 days while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law,
If the President opposes the bill, they can veto, and if no action is taken for 10 days and Congress has already adjourned, there is a similar "pocket veto"
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress can attempt to override it by both the Senate and the House passing it with a 2/3 majority, and the bill becomes law