Go to this link to learn the terms and process of how a bill becomes a law. See diagrams below.
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.bysec/formsofaction.html
For more specific information on how laws are made go to the Table Of Contents on this link
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
Revised and Updated by John V. Sullivan
Parliamentarian, United States House of Representatives
Presented by Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania
July 24, 2007
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(276 K)
Table of Contents
Foreword
I. Introduction
II. The Congress
III. Sources of Legislation
IV. Forms of Congressional Action
V. Introduction and Referral to Committee
VI. Consideration by Committee
- Committee Meetings
- Public Hearings
- Markup
- Final Committee Action
- Points of Order with Respect to Committee Hearing Procedure
VIII. Legislative Oversight by Standing Committees
IX. Calendars
X. Obtaining Consideration of Measures
- Unanimous Consent
- Special Resolutions or "Rule"
- Consideration of Measures Made in Order by Rule Reported from the Committee on Rules
- Motion to Discharge Committee
- Motion to Suspend the Rules
- Calendar Wednesday
- District of Columbia Business
- Questions of Privilege
- Privileged Matters
- Committee of the Whole House
- Second Reading
- Amendments and Germaneness Rule
- Congressional Earmarks
- The Committee "Rises"
- House Action
- Motion to Recommit
- Quorum Calls and Rollcalls
- Voting
- Electronic Voting
- Pairing of Members
- System of Lights and Bells
- Recess Authority
- Live Coverage of Floor Proceedings
XII. Congressional Budget Process
XIII. Engrossment and Message to Senate
XIV. Senate Action
XV. Final Action on Amended Bill
- Request for a Conference
- Authority of Conferees
- Meetings and Action of Conferees
- Conference Reports
- Custody of Papers
XVI. Bill Originating in Senate
XVII. Enrollment
XVIII. Presidential Action
WHAT IS THOMAS?
THOMAS http://thomas.loc.gov/ was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. Since that time THOMAS has expanded the scope of its offerings to include the features and content listed below.
http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Government/BillLaw.pdf
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/911report/congress/images/WEB_bill.PDF
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/edition4/pdfs/sn4-042108-repro-1.pdf
How a Bill Becomes a Law
1. What are the two houses of the Congress?
_______________________________________
2. What is a bill? _________________________
_______________________________________ 3. Does a bill always become a law?________
4. If one house of Congress passes a bill,
what happens next? ___________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________
5. After a bill is introduced in the House,
it is passed on to ______________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ 6. What does a House-Senate joint
committee do? ________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ 7. If both houses of Congress pass a
compromise bill, where does it go? ______________________________________ 8. If the President approves a bill, what
happens? ____________________________ 9. What does it take to override a
President’s veto? _____________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________
