Basic of how a bill becomes a law.

Talking with some co-workers the other day, we somehow got on the subject of the millennial generation (surprise!). I'm a firefighter, and the job brings a very unique aspect to it. Everything about it is generational, from the words used to describe the tools, to the current tactics and skill set that we have. There are a million ways to skin a cat, as the old term goes, so we like to try and learn from each other. When we do this, we are able to bring a special tool to our own toolbox. The question came about how to "engage" the younger members, and where the shortcomings may be on the educational level. When the conversation took a political turn, it started to process in my head that there are plenty of people my age that may not know how a bill becomes a law. So lets do a short rundown.

How does a bill become law?

1. A bill may be introduced in either the Senate or House of Representatives by a member.
2. It is referred to a committee for a hearing. The committee studies the bill and may hold public hearings on it. It can then pass, reject, or take no action on the bill.
3. The committee report on the passed bill is read in open session of the House or Senate, and the bill is then referred to the Rules Committee.
4. The Rules Committee can either place the bill on the second reading calendar for debate before the entire body, or take no action.
5. At the second reading, a bill is subject to debate and amendment before being placed on the third reading calendar for final passage.
6. After passing one house, the bill goes through the same procedure in the other house.
7. If amendments are made in the other house, the first house must approve the changes.
8. When the bill is accepted in both houses, it is signed by the respective leaders and sent to the President.
9. The President signs the bill into law or may veto all or part of it. If the President fails to act on the bill, it may become law without a signature.

Hopefully this helps clarify the process and why as millennials, we have to be patient when it comes to politics and change. Below is a more visual representative of the process.

Hopefully you learned something today! Any questions, as always, let me know.

Cheers!

Brandon