Step One: The creation of a Bill
Members of the House or Senate draft, sponsor and introduce bills for consideration by Congress. The House clerk assigns a legislative number for bills introduced in the House of Representatives (e.g., H.R. 1001) and the Senate clerk assigns a legislative number for bills introduced in the Senate (e.g., S. 1002).
Step Two: Committee Action
Usually, a committee is assigned to study the bill according to its subject matter. Often a committee will refer the bill to one of its subcommittees.
Step Three: Floor Action
The bill is returned to the full House of Senate for further debate and approval. At this point members may propose amendments to the bill,add additional text, or otherwise alter the bill.
Step Four: Vote
House and Senate members vote on their respective versions of the proposed bill.
Step Five: Conference Committees
A bill must be approved by both Chambers of Congress. When the Senate amends and agrees to a bill or a version of a bill that the House has already passed or when the House amends and passes a Senate bill or a version of a Senate bill, the two Chambers may begin to resolve any legislative differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill by way of a conference committee.
Step Six: Presidential Action
After the bill is passed by both Chambers it is sent to the President for his approval or his signature, which if granted creates a Public Law. When a President comments on and refuses to sign a bill it is known as a veto. A vetoed bill may return to Congress for reconsideration. If the President does not act within 10 days the bill automatically becomes law.
Step Seven: The Creation of a Law
The Office of Federal Register assigns the Public Law a number (i.e. P.L. 109-1) and the Government Printing Office prints a copy of it. Laws are issued first in slip form or a single publication containing one law. Later it is organized in the order in which it was passed. Finally, it is codified into subject order so that all laws on the same topic fall together.
