#72: CIVICS 101: The Legislative Branch
Q&A #72: What are the stages of a bill in Congress?
Our American Government
Our American Government is a small book published by the House of Representatives for citizens and those who seek a greater understanding of the American interpretation of democracy. It follows a question-and-answer format and covers a broad range of topics dealing with the three branches of our Government, the electoral process, and the role of political parties.
The Savvy Citizen is reproducing the 169 questions-and-answers through a series of posts called Civics 101. Each post will contain the Q&A as well as some additional commentary to add historical context, fun facts, or anything we believe will add to our collective understanding of these topics.
Think of it as your adult Civics class but without the test!
Let’s keep at it.
SECTION: The Legislative Branch: The Congress
Congressional Rules and Procedures
Q&A #72: What are the stages of a bill in Congress?
Following is a brief description of the usual stages by which a bill becomes law.
(1) Introduction by a Member, who places it in the ‘‘hopper,’’ a box on the Clerk’s desk in the House Chamber; the bill is given a number and printed by the Government Printing Office so that copies are available the next morning.
(2) Referral to one or more standing committees of the House by the Speaker, at the advice of the Parliamentarian.
(3) Report from the committee or committees, after public hearings and ‘‘markup’’ meetings by subcommittee, committee, or both.
(4) House approval of a special rule, reported by the House Rules Committee, making it in order for the House to consider the bill, and setting the terms for its debate and amendment.
(5) Consideration of the bill in Committee of the Whole, in two stages: first, a time for general debate on the bill; and second, a time for amending the bill, one part at a time, under a rule that limits speeches on amendments to five minutes each.
(6) Passage by the House after votes to confirm the amendments that were adopted in Committee of the Whole.
(7) Transmittal to the Senate, by message.
(8) Consideration and passage by the Senate—usually after referral to and reporting from a Senate committee—and after debate and amendment on the Senate floor.
(9) Transmission from the Senate back to the House, with or without Senate amendments to the bill.
(10) Resolution of differences between the House and the Senate, either through additional amendments between the Houses, or the report of a conference committee.
(11) Enrollment on parchment paper and then signing by the Speaker and by the President of the Senate.
(12) Transmittal to the President of the United States.
(13) Approval or disapproval by the President; if the President disapproves, the bill will be returned with a veto message that explains reasons for the disapproval. A two-thirds vote in each chamber is needed to override a veto.
(14) Filing with the Archivist of the United States as a new public law after approval of the President, or after passage by Congress overriding a veto.
Bills may be introduced in the Senate, and they follow essentially the same course of passage as bills first introduced and considered in the House of Representatives. (See [previous] questions, however, on the House originating tax and appropriations bills.)
My Thoughts
I can’t improve one iota on Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill” …
Back next time with Q&A #73: What courses are open to the President when a bill is presented to him?
Meanwhile, don’t forget that we’re organizing the post links on a single page available here.
xo,
Kelley for the Savvy Citizen Team
April 1, 2025