Bill Becoming a Law, Essay Example

The seeds for a new bill are sown when a citizen, a group, or a legislator comes up with an idea. The idea is then translated into a bill by a senator or member of the general assembly who also becomes the bill’s sponsor. The bill may have additional co-sponsors if the legislator’s colleague/s may also like the idea and want to play a role. Depending upon whether the bill sponsor is a member of the general assembly or the senate, a bill is either introduced in the General Assembly or the Senate where it is taken up by a committee with jurisdiction over the issue mentioned in the bill. The committee invites experts and other relevant figures for testimonies and eventually pursues one of the three courses of actions; recommends the bill, revises the bill before recommending it, or rejects the bill (Office of the Clerk, U.S. Capitol n.d.).

If a bill is released, it goes to the general assembly or the senate for voting. Once it is passed in the first house, it goes to the second house. Once again it is taken up by a committee with jurisdiction over the issue and the committee calls for testimonies. If the committee recommends it and the bill also passes the voting process in the second house, it goes to the President for approval (Office of the Clerk, U.S. Capitol n.d.).

If the President signs the bill or does nothing for a certain number of days, the bill becomes the law. If the President vetoes the bill, it goes back to the legislature and the legislature can override the veto with two-third majority. It is very difficult to override a presidential veto as history demonstrates since Congress has overridden fewer than ten percent of all presidential vetoes (United States Senate n.d.).

References

Office of the Clerk, U.S. Capitol. How a Bill Becomes a Law. http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=17 (accessed April 23, 2012).

United States Senate. Override of a veto. http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/override_of_a_veto.htm (accessed April 23, 2012).