Final answer:
A House bill must be approved by a committee, passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then signed by the President to become law. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote. If the President takes no action for ten days while Congress is in session, the bill becomes law without the President’s signature.
Step-by-step explanation:
Steps for a House Bill to Become Law
For a House bill to become law, it must undergo a rigorous process that consists of several key steps. Initially, the bill is drafted and then presented to a committee within the House of Representatives, where it can be debated, amended, and eventually voted on. If it passes the committee stage, it moves to the House floor for further debate and voting. Following approval by a simple majority in the House, the bill then proceeds to the Senate, where a similar process occurs within Senate committees and on the Senate floor.
Once both the House and the Senate have passed the bill in identical form, it is sent to the President for signature. The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action. If the President vetoes the bill, it returns to Congress, where a two-thirds vote in both chambers can override the veto and make the bill law. Alternatively, if the President does not sign or veto the bill within ten days (excluding Sundays) and Congress has not adjourned, the bill automatically becomes law. However, if Congress adjourns during the ten-day period and the President has not signed the bill, it does not become law, which is known as a 'pocket veto'.
Throughout the process, there is a requirement for consensus between both chambers of Congress, as well as between the legislative and executive branches. This law-making procedure ensures that each bill is carefully scrutinized before it can have a far-reaching impact as federal law.