Steps
What is the first step in creating a bill?
A representative needs to sponsor the bill
How many steps are there in approving a bill?
There are generally 10 steps, depending on If you count the bill being read in the house as a step
These 2 places need to agree to pass a bill
The house and the senate
Can the house and the senate vote on 2 different versions of the same bill?
No, both the house and the senate must agree on the same version of the bill
Does the judicial branch have any effect on the process in making laws?
No, unless the bill is deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme court
If a bill is vetoed by the president, what majority of congress is required to pass it
Two thirds majority
What is the earliest place a bill can be rejected
The rules committee can reject bills
Can a bill ever originate from outside Washington D.C?
Yes, people can suggest ideas to representatives anywhere
Can the rules committee change a bill?
Yes, if the author agrees. A bill can be amended at any time in the legislative process
What percentage of bills actually become laws?
Only about 8% become laws, because so many people have to agree to continue the law making process
After the bill passes through the committee, where does it go next?
The bill is put on calender to be voted on in the House of Representatives
How many days does the president have to sign a bill
10 days(not including sundays)
In the senate, can any senator bring up a bill?
Yes, there's no limit in the senate, however, in the house there is a limit of 25
Where does a bill go first? The house of representatives or the senate?
The house of representatives
What are three different ways a bill can become a law?
If the bill gets to the president, he can sign and approve it.
If the president vetos the bill, congress can revote and if 2/3 majority Is reached, the bill becomes a law
If the president does nothing after 10 days, the bill becomes a law
Assuming everybody agrees with the bill, what is the final step in approving it?
The president has to sign the bill
What is the committee that the bill passes through called
The rules committee
Where is the rules committee located?
In the house of representatives
What happens if the president gets a bill, and doesn't sign it, but he doesn't veto it either
It becomes a law anyways
Why is the presidents veto power so important?
He can singlehandedly reject bills, and make congress revote. Congress also rarely overrides the president. Out of 1484 bills that have been vetoed, only 106 have been overridden. This is about 7.1 percent
If the bill is passed in the house, but not approved in the senate, can the bill move on in the process?
No, the house and senate must both agree to pass the bill
How many votes does a bill have to get to be approved by the house?
218 of 435
Name every location the bill will travel in becoming a law
The rules committee, the house, the senate, and the white house
Why might the president not sign or veto a bill
He may not want the public to know his opinion on it, or he is not sure what to vote if the bill is a controversial issue
What is it called when the president does nothing when receiving a bill
A pocket veto