Explain the process for how a bill becomes a law
Utilize 2 actual bills as examples
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i know how a bill becomes a law, but what are 2 actuall bill passes that i can use
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The process for how a bill becomes a law in the United States involves several steps and can be complex. Here is a general overview of the process:
1. Introduction: A bill is first introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. It can be introduced by a member of Congress, a committee, or the President.
2. Committee Review: The bill is then referred to a relevant committee, which examines the details of the bill, holds hearings, and may suggest amendments or even reject the bill outright. The committee may also seek input from experts, stakeholders, and the public.
3. Floor Debate and Vote: After committee review, the bill goes to the floor of the respective chamber for debate and voting. Members of Congress can propose amendments, discuss the bill's merits, and engage in deliberation. Finally, a vote is held, and if the bill receives a majority of votes, it advances to the other chamber.
4. Repeating the Process in the Other Chamber: The bill undergoes a similar process (committee review, floor debate, and vote) in the other chamber of Congress. The second chamber may propose amendments or reject the bill altogether. If both the House and Senate pass different versions of the bill, they typically form a conference committee to reconcile differences.
5. Conference Committee: The conference committee is composed of members from both chambers who work to merge the House and Senate versions of the bill into a single, unified piece of legislation.
6. Final Vote: The conference committee's agreed-upon version is then presented to each chamber for a final vote. If it passes both the House and the Senate, it proceeds to the next step.
7. Presidential Action: The bill is sent to the President for approval. If the President signs it, the bill becomes law. However, if the President vetoes the bill, it can still become law if both chambers of Congress override the veto by a two-thirds majority vote.
Now, let's look at two examples of actual bills to illustrate this process:
1. The Patriot Act (Public Law 107-56): Introduced after the 9/11 attacks, this bill underwent extensive committee review and floor debate in both the House and the Senate. It was then sent to the conference committee, where it was refined and agreed upon. Finally, the bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001.
2. Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148): This bill, commonly known as Obamacare, went through a lengthy process that involved committee hearings, floor debates, and votes in both the House and the Senate. After the conference committee, the final version of the bill was passed and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.
These examples illustrate the complex process bills must undergo to become laws, involving multiple stages of review, debate, negotiation, and voting within both chambers of Congress.