How A Bill Becomes A Law

How a Bill Becomes a Law in the United States Congress

House			Senate

Introduction			Introduction
Ä	Referral to Committee		Ä	Referral to Committee
	Ä	Referral to Subcommittee ý Hearings ý Markup		Ä	Referral to Subcommittee ý Hearings ý Markup
	Report to Committee Ã ý Hearings ý Markup			Report to Committee Ã ý Hearings ý Markup
÷			÷
Report to Rules Committee ý Hearings ý Scheduled for floor debate with Rule Ÿ Open, Closed or Restrictive rule			Report to Senate Majority Leader ý Scheduled for floor debate Ÿ Unanimous consent agreement
	ò			ò
Floor Action ýVote on Rule ýDebate bill ýDebate/Vote on Amendments to bill (if allowed) ýVote on final passage			Floor Action ýVote on Unanimous Consent Agreement ýDebate bill ýDebate/Vote on Amendments to bill (if allowed) ýVote on final passage
ø			÷
		Conference Committee ý Reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of bill
		÷ ø
Floor Action ýVote on final passage			Floor Action ýVote on final passage
ø			÷
		President ý Signature or Veto Ä ý If vetoed, bill returns to Congress for an override Ã vote requiring 2/3 majority vote in both chambers.