Flowchart Details on the Legislative Process
Bill Introduction in the HOUSE
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A member of the House introduces a bill.
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The bill is assigned a number and title.
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The bill is submitted to the House clerk.
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Subcommittee
- The bill is referred to a relevant subcommittee for review.
- Subcommittee members may hold hearings, gather information, and receive expert testimony.
- The subcommittee can mark up the bill, propose amendments, or vote to send it to the next stage.
Standing Committee
- The full standing committee reviews the bill (with or without subcommittee amendments).
- Further hearings may occur, allowing for public input and additional information.
- The committee can again amend the bill, vote to approve it, or choose to table it.
Rules Committee
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The Rules Committee determines how the bill will be debated on the floor, including time limits and amendment rules.
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They establish a "rule" for the bill’s consideration.
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The bill is then scheduled for debate and voting on the floor.
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Full House -
The bill is debated on the House floor.
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Members can speak for or against the bill, and amendments may be proposed.
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Following the debate, a vote is taken; if passed, the bill moves on to the Senate.
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Bill Introduction in the SENATE -
A Senator introduces the bill in the Senate, possibly as a companion to the House bill.
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The bill is assigned a number and follows a similar process as in the House.
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Subcommittee -
The bill is referred to a relevant Senate subcommittee for review and hearings.
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Similar procedures as the House subcommittee occur: gathering expert testimony, amending the bill, and voting to send it forward.
Standing Committee
- The full standing committee evaluates the bill from the subcommittee.
- It may conduct additional hearings, debate potential changes, and decide to approve or table the bill.
Leadership
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Senate leadership decides how to handle the bill, including scheduling for debate.
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They can prioritize certain bills or negotiate with members for support.
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Full Senate -
The bill is brought to the Senate floor for debate.
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Senators can discuss the bill and propose amendments during the debate.
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A final vote is taken; if the bill passes, it moves to a Conference Committee if there are differences with the House version.
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Conference Committee -
A joint committee composed of members from both the House and Senate works to resolve differences between the two versions of the bill.
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They negotiate and make compromises to create a unified bill.
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The final version is sent back to both chambers for approval.
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Presidential Action -
The unified bill is sent to the President for approval.
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The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action (which may allow the bill to become law after 10 days if Congress is in session).
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Overriding a Veto -
If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto.
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A two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate is required for an override.
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If successful, the bill becomes law despite the President's veto.