HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

The way an idea grows from a bill to a law is a long and complicated process. The framers of the Constitution wanted government leaders to have lots of debate on issues and not just make laws quickly or without thought as to consequences. They chose to design a system that requires both parts of the Legislative Branch to be involved in the lawmaking process and to then have to seek approval from the President (Executive Branch) for the final step. They also prevented the President from being too powerful in this process, by allowing the legislature the option to outvote the President's decision to veto a law.

Go to this web site and see the total steps needed to take a bill through the process to become a law. This is part of the Vote Smart site.

http://www.vote-smart.org

TASKS:

After reviewing these steps, write what part of the process that you think is the most difficult for the bill to go through. Where do you think bills most likely get stopped or changed? Give your opinion supported by facts from this site.

PUT THESE STEPS IN THE CORRECT ORDER:

Committee action	Bill is introduced
Vote	Conference committee if needed
Debate	Law is given a number
Floor action	Presidential action
Override veto if needed

For a more detailed official explanation of how a bill becomes a law, go to this government site and compare it with the explanation at the previous site.

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html