A bill becomes a law through several key steps involving both houses of Congress and the President:
- Introduction and Sponsorship : A member of the House of Representatives or Senate sponsors a bill, which is then introduced and assigned a number
- Committee Review : The bill is sent to a committee relevant to its subject. The committee studies the bill, may hold hearings, and can:
- Approve it as is,
- Amend it,
- Reject it, or
- Take no action (effectively killing the bill)
- Floor Action and Voting : If released by the committee, the bill is placed on the calendar for debate and voting by the full chamber. Members may propose amendments during debate. A majority vote is required to pass the bill in each chamber (218 of 435 in the House, 51 of 100 in the Senate)
- Second Chamber Consideration : After passing in one chamber, the bill goes to the other chamber, where it undergoes a similar committee review, debate, and voting process
- Conference Committee : If the House and Senate pass different versions, a conference committee made up of members from both chambers works out differences. The compromise bill is then sent back to both chambers for final approval
- Presidential Action : Once both chambers approve the identical bill, it is sent to the President, who can:
- Sign it into law,
- Veto it (reject it),
- Take no action for 10 days while Congress is in session, in which case it automatically becomes law,
- Or use a "pocket veto" by taking no action if Congress adjourns during the 10 days, preventing it from becoming law
- Overriding a Veto : If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate, making the bill a law despite the veto
This process ensures multiple levels of review and approval before a bill becomes law in the United States
