"I'm just a bill...yes, I'm only a bill," is a memorable set of lyrics that many who took a government class will recognize. Schoolhouse Rock released their song "I'm Just a Bill" in 1975, and it became a class favorite to teach students about the legislative process. In 2015, The U.S. Government Publishing Office redesigned another educational tool known as "Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government." The program focuses on informing the public about the Federal Government, including the legislative process. In order for a bill to become law, it's not only a long process, but there's also many if's and when's within each Congress chamber.
Bills & The House of Representatives
Bills can originate from many different sources including constituents, committees, and most commonly, a legislator. While there are small differences depending on if a bill starts in the House of Representatives or the Senate, it still follows a similar path. Any bill can be introduced in the House by being put into the hopper, "a wooden box provided for that purpose." In the Senate, it's introduced by giving it to a clerk.
The next step a bill takes is being assigned to a committee. The house has a total of 22 committees including agriculture, ethics, financial services, and natural resources. Once it's been given to a committee, that group will study and discuss the bill and take one of three possible actions.
The committee can:
- Release the bill with a recommendation to pass
- Revise & release the bill
- Lay it aside (tabling) so it won't be voted on
Once the bill is released, it will be on the House Calendar. At this point, there can be amendments added or prohibited. Following this, the bill will go to the floor of the House for voting to begin. There are three methods of voting, "the voice vote, the division, and the recorded vote."
Bills & The Senate
When originating in the House, the bill needs to be introduced in the Senate by a Senator. Once this occurs, the bill will be put into another committee, similar to the ones in the House. This committee is actually "open to the public." If it's released and not tabled, the bill goes to the Senate floor for consideration. If the bill passes by simple majority, it is once again moved to a conference committee.
Bills that originate in the Senate, the process is simply reversed. It'll travel from the Senate to the House.
Conference committees are made up of members from the House and the Senate. This committee will take both versions of the bill and work on the differences until they have a final, revised bill. The revised bill is sent to each chamber again to vote on the final bill text before ultimately ending up on the President's desk. To find the text of a bill, search up any bill on Congress.gov. This will not only show the final text but also the previous versions.
The President & The Law
The end process begins with enrolling the bill. Enrolling is when the bill is produced in print and digitally by the Government Publishing Office (GPO). Once enrolled, the Speaker of the House and the Vice President will sign it, and send it to the President. Within 10 days, the President must sign or veto the bill. If signed, the bill will become law. If it's vetoed, the only way for it to pass is if 2/3 of the Senate and 2/3 of the House vote in favor of the bill. Bills that have become law through overturning a veto include the National Defense Authorization Act during the Trump Administration and an appropriation bill during President John Tyler's Administration.
Extra Resources
Read Ben's Guide on the steps after a law is signed.
The OSU Library does not have copies of bills but they can be found online at Congress.gov, the official U.S. website for federal legislative information, or ProQuest Congressional in the Library's Database list.
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