Process Of Law Making Essay

The Process of Law Making In the American Congress
Anyone in the United States of America can write legislation that they hope will become a law, but it must be introduced by a member of Congress. Either side of Congress, the House of Representatives or the Senate, can introduce the bill for legislation. Whoever introduces the bill becomes the sponsor and others senators or representative, depending on which side is introducing the bill, can become co-sponsors showing their support. It is then given a number starting with S, for Senate, or HR, for House of Representative, and referred to a committee or committees that has jurisdiction over the area that the legislation will affect. Sometimes, a bill is referred to a subcommittee first to decide

If it passes it goes to the other chamber and starts the process all over again in that chamber, the House or Senate. They may then approve, with or without amending, reject, or ignore the bill. If the other side doesn’t make any major changes the legislation is then sent to the president. If the bill receives major changes both sides form a committee to work out the differences and it goes back to the House and Senate, where it dies if both sides to not pass the changes or if they cannot come to an agreement the legislation dies. If agreement is reached then the House and the Senate must approve of the joint committee report. If either chamber rejects the joint committee report, the bill dies. If they pass the bill it then goes to the president where he can “sign the bill making law, takes no action for ten days while Congress is in session and the bill automatically becomes law, vetoes it and it dies or takes no action after the Congress has adjourned its second session and the legislation dies.” At this point the only way that Congress can override the veto is by a two-thirds roll call vote. If they do then the Bill becomes Law.