Final answer:
The path of a bill turning into a law involves drafting, introduction, committee review and amendments, approval from both the House and Senate, potential conference committee reconciliation, final congressional approval, and presidential action. A veto by the president can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in Congress.
Step-by-step explanation:
Steps for a Bill to Become a Law
The process of turning a bill into a law involves several detailed steps, designed to ensure thorough deliberation and agreement across different branches of government. While many bills are drafted, only those that go through the following process can become law:
Bill Drafting: Any individual or group can draft a bill, but a member of Congress must introduce it in Congress for consideration.
Bill Introduction: A senator or representative sponsors the bill and introduces it to their respective chamber (Senate or House of Representatives).
Committee Review: The bill is assigned to a committee to study the bill. Requests for written comments from executive agencies and expert testimony during hearings take place here.
Subcommittee: The bill may be sent to a subcommittee for further examination and potential revisions.
Committee Markup: The committee makes changes and amendments before sending the bill to the full chamber.
House and Senate Approval: Both the full House and Senate must approve the bill. Often there may be further amendments and debate.
Conference Committee: If different versions of the bill pass, a conference committee works out the differences to create a unified bill.
Final Congressional Approval: The reconciled bill goes back to both the House and Senate for final approval.
Presidential Action: The bill is sent to the President, who can sign it into law, veto it, allow it to become law without signing, or pocket veto it by taking no action if Congress adjourns within ten days.
Overriding a Veto: If the President vetoes the bill, Congress may override with a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
The classic legislative process requires agreement between the House, Senate, and President of the United States, with checks and balances to ensure broad consensus.