habbal

Question 1

step 1

Answer 1

Step: Bill is Introduced

Summary: Officially entered into congressional record. Given name + number and sponsor.

Question 1

step 2

Answer 1

Step: Bill is referred to house and senate committees.

Summary: Rough to final draft of bill. Committee will hold hearings to get expert advice, debate language of bill – write it into final form. (“Markup”)

Question 2

step 3

Answer 2

Step: Subcommittee votes, then full committee votes.

Summary: If subcommittee approves, goes to full. If full committee approves, it goes to house/senate.

Note: If at any point a bill is voted on and doesn’t pass, it is dead.

Question 3

step 4

Answer 3

Step: Full house vote, full senate vote.

House - 218 votes to pass bill. Scheduled debate. Member speaks for 1-2 mins.

Senate - 60 votes to pass bill. Members vote on ending debate (“cloture”). Possibility for filibustering (unlimited debate time).

Question 4

step 5

Answer 4

Step: Conference committee

Summary: Members of house and senate meet to work out differences between their versions of the bill and make a single version.

Question 5

step 6

Answer 5

Step: 2nd full house + full senate vote.

Summary: House and senate vote on new version of bill from conference committee.

Question 6

step 7

Answer 6

Step: Bill goes to president

Summary: 4 things can happen.
- president signs into law
- veto (congress can override with 2/3 vote)
- becomes law automatically after 10 days
- pocket veto (congress adjourns before 10 days pass, automatically rejecting it. cannot be overridden.)