How a Bill Becomes a Law
The U.S. Congress is made up of two bodies, the House and theSenate. Congress, part of the legislative branch of the United States government, passes laws and creates the budget for the government each year. For a bill to become law it has to pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate before it is sent to the President for his signature.
A bill is introduced by a Representative or Senator then discussed in small groups called committees. After a bill passes through the assigned committee, the entire House or the entire Senate debates it.
Many times, the House and Senate pass slightly different versions of a bill. If this happens both the House and the Senate appoint conferees to work out a compromise. This committee is called a "conference" committee. If the conference committee can reach an agreement between the House and Senate versions, the bill goes back to them for a final vote.
If both the House and the Senate pass the bill from the conference committee, then the bill is sent to the President. The President can either sign the bill, which makes the bill law, or the President can veto the bill and the House and Senate have to re-write the legislation. The House and Senate can vote to override the President's veto and make the bill law without his signature, but that requires a two-thirds vote of both bodies.
For more in-depth information, please visit read the article "Tying it All Together."
