Final answer:
The U.S. House Committee on Rules establishes the rules for debate on a bill, including dates, times, and permissible amendments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process by which a bill becomes a law involves several important steps, one of which is the establishing of rules for debate on the bill. In the U.S. House of Representatives, before a bill reaches the House floor, it must first go through the House Committee on Rules.
This committee gives each bill what is called a "rule," which outlines the date the bill will come up for debate, the time allotted for discussion, and often specifies what kinds of amendments can be offered. These rules are crucial in ensuring that debate is structured and amendments are considered in an orderly fashion.
Once the bill reaches the Senate, it may be debated more flexibly. The Senate can extend debate indefinitely, a practice known as filibuster. However, a bill is passed through the process where committees work, debate, and amend the bill before it's proposed.
If a simple majority votes to advance the bill in the House, it moves to the Senate. In the Senate, legislation is subject to a de facto supermajority requirement, because 60 votes are needed to invoke cloture and end the debate.
In summary, the bill process is long and intricate but designed to ensure that each party's concerns are addressed. After the House and Senate approve a bill, it is sent to the President to be signed into law or vetoed. If vetoed, the bill can still become law if two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to override the President's veto.
The Senate allows more flexible debate with the potential for filibuster but requires a supermajority of 60 votes to end debate. Passed bills are sent to the President for approval or veto, with the possibility of Congress overriding the veto.