THIS IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.


A brief overview of the legislative process is useful to better understand the documents that
comprise a legislative history. The following is a list of the most common actions taken by
Congress when acting on a piece of legislation.



A proposed piece of legislation is introduced as a bill (or a joint resolution) in either the
House or the Senate.

After a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee (and perhaps then to a
subcommittee.) The committee may recommend passage of the bill, give the bill an
unfavorable report, or take no action on the bill.

If the bill makes it out of committee, it is debated and usually amended. The bill is then
passed or defeated.

If passed, the bill goes to the other chamber (House or Senate) to follow the same route
through committees and floor debates. However, if the other chamber has already passed a
related bill, both versions go directly to a conference committee comprised of members of
both chambers.

Once both chambers have passed related bills, a conference committee consisting of
members from both bodies is formed to work out the differences between the House and
Senate versions of the bill. A compromise version of the bill from the conference committee
is sent to each chamber for final approval.

After an identical bill is passed by both the House and the Senate, it is sent to the president,
who either signs it into law or vetoes it and returns it to Congress.

Congress may override a presidential veto by a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.



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