How a bill becomes a law
A bill becomes law after both chambers of Congress pass the same text and the president signs it. A bill can also become law without a signature or through a veto override.
This guide covers federal bills, not state laws. The legislative process guide at house.gov and Article I, Section 7 at senate.gov are the sources of record.
1. A member introduces a bill
A bill is a proposal for a law. A representative introduces it in the House, or a senator introduces it in the Senate. That member is the sponsor. Revenue bills must start in the House.
The bill gets a number, such as H.R. 123 or S. 123. The prefix identifies its chamber of origin, not whether it has become law.
2. A committee reviews it
The chamber usually refers the bill to a committee that handles its subject. Committee members may hold hearings, gather evidence, and change the text during a meeting called a markup. They can vote to report the bill to the full chamber.
A bill does not automatically get a floor vote. Many bills stop in committee. If a bill does not become law before the two-year Congress ends, a member must introduce it again in a new Congress.
3. The chamber debates and votes
When leaders bring the bill to the floor, members debate it and may vote on amendments. Passage generally requires a simple majority of members voting, with a quorum present. Senate rules can require a separate vote to end debate, usually with 60 votes for legislation.
An amendment vote changes part of a bill. A procedural vote controls how the chamber considers it. Neither necessarily means the chamber passed the bill. A recorded vote lists each member’s position, while a voice vote does not.
4. The other chamber must agree
After one chamber passes the bill, the other considers it through its own committee and floor process. It may pass the bill unchanged, amend it, reject it, or take no action.
If the House and Senate pass different versions, they must resolve the differences. They can exchange amendments or use a conference committee to negotiate one version. Both chambers must approve identical text before Congress sends the bill to the president. Passage in just one chamber does not make a law.
5. The president acts
The president can sign the bill into law or veto it by returning it to Congress with objections. The president has 10 days, excluding Sundays, after receiving the bill.
If the president takes no action during that period, the bill becomes law without a signature. An adjournment that prevents its return creates an exception. If that adjournment prevents return and the president does not sign, the bill does not become law. This is a pocket veto.
Congress can override a veto
Congress can override a returned veto if two-thirds of members voting in each chamber agree, with a quorum present. The bill then becomes law without the president’s signature. If either chamber falls short, the veto stands. Congress cannot override a pocket veto.
Follow the votes, not just the outcome
A bill’s status tells you where it stands. Its roll-call records tell you how your members voted. The representative vote guide shows how to find those records and read the question behind each vote.