HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW
nyone can draft a bill; however,
person or submitted as a written state-
only members of Congress can
ment.
Aintroduce legislation, and by
doing so become the sponsor(s). There
are four basic types of legislation: bills,
Step 4 - Mark Up
joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions,
When the hearings are completed, the
and simple resolutions. The official legisla-
subcommittee may meet to "mark up"
tive process begins when a bill or resolu-
the bill, that is, make changes and
amendments prior to recommending
tion is numbered (H.R. signifies a House
the bill to the full committee. If a sub-
bill and S. a Senate bill), referred to a
committee votes not to report legisla-
committee, and printed by the Govern-
tion to the full committee, the bill dies.
ment Printing Office.
Step 5 - Committee Actions to
Step 1 - Referral to Committee
Report a Bill
With few exceptions, bills are referred to
After receiving a subcommittee's report
standing committees in the House or Se-
on a bill, the full committee can con-
nate according to specific rules of pro-
duct further study and hearings, or it
cedure. The names of the standing
can vote on the subcommittee's rec-
committees can be found on the
ommendations and any proposed
IMF Advocacy Action Center at
amendments. The full committee then
www.capwiz.com/myeloma/home.
votes on its recommendation to the
House or Senate. This procedure is call-
ed "ordering a bill reported."
Step 2 - Committee Action
When a bill reaches a committee, it is
placed on the committee's calendar. A
Step 6 - Publication of a Written
bill can be referred to a subcommittee
Report
or considered by the committee as a
After a committee votes to have a bil
whole. It is at this point that a bill is ex-
reported, the committee chair has staff
amined carefully and its chances for
to prepare a written report on the bill.
passage are determined. If the commit-
This report describes the purpose and
tee does not act on a bill, it is the equiv-
extent of what the legislation wil do its
alent of killing it.
impact on existing laws and programs,
the position of the executive branch,
Step 3 - Subcommittee Review
and the views of dissenting members of
Often bills are referred to a subcommit-
the committee.
tee for study and hearings. Hearings pro-
vide the opportunity to put on the official
Step 7 - Scheduling Floor Action
printed record the views of the executive
After a bill is reported back to the
branch, experts (e.g., myeloma patients
chamber (House or Senate) where it
or researchers), other public officials,
originated, it is placed in chronological
and supporters and opponents of the
order on the calendar. In the House
legislation. Testimony can be given in
there are several different legislative
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calendars, and the Speaker and majority
Step 12 - Final Actions
leader largely determine if, when, and in
After a bill has been approved by both
what order bills come up. In the Senate
the House and Senate in identical form,
there is only one legislative calendar.
it goes to the President for signature. If
the President approves the legislation
Step 8 - Debate
and signs it, it becomes law. Or, the
When a bill reaches the floor of the
President can take no action for ten
House or Senate, there are rules or pro-
days, while Congress is in session, and it
cedures governing the debate on legis-
automatically becomes law. If the Pres-
lation. These rules determine the condi-
ident opposes the bill, it can be vetoed.
tions and amount of time allocated for
If the President takes no action within
general debate.
10 days after the Congress has ad-
journed its second session (second year
of a two-year period), the effect is a
Step 9 - Voting
"pocket veto" and the legislation dies.
After the debate and the approval of
any amendments, the bill is passed or
defeated by the members voting.
Step 13 - Overriding a Veto
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress
may attempt to "override the veto." To
Step 10 - Referral to Other Chamber
do this, Congress requires a two-thirds
When a bill is passed by the House or the
roll call vote of the members who are
Senate it is referred to the other cham-
present in sufficient numbers for a quo-
ber where it usually follows the same
rum.
route through committee and floor ac-
tion. This chamber may approve the bill
as received, reject it, ignore it, or change
it.
7/29/09
Step 11 - Conference Committee
Action
If only minor changes are made to a bill
by the other chamber, it is common for
the legislation to go back to the first
chamber
for
concurrence
(mutual
agreement by both chambers). How-
ever, when the actions of the other
chamber significantly change the bill, a
conference committee (members are
made up of representatives from both
chambers) is formed to reconcile the dif-
ferences between the House and Se-
nate versions. If the conferees are una-
ble to reach agreement, the legislation
dies. If agreement is reached, a confe-
rence report is prepared describing the
committee members' recommendations
for changes. Both the House and the Se-
nate must approve of the conference
report.
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