How a bill really becomes a law

Grade 12 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Article I, Section 7 (quoted in part)

   "But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively."

2. 1.

   Jun reads the yeas and nays sentence. Why does it require names to be entered in the Journal?

   • So the President can see which members to lobby before the next veto
   • So two thirds can be calculated from just the members who are present
   • So the vote can be counted more quickly on a day with many bills
   • So the public can see how each member voted on an override

3. Article I, Section 7 (quoted)

   "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills." Case T3 (made-up): The House passes a tax bill. The Senate adds amendments to it and sends it back.

4. 2.

   Luz reads Article I and case T3. The Senate adds amendments to a House tax bill. Is that allowed?

   • No; just the House may change a revenue bill, since the House began it
   • Yes; the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills
   • No; revenue bills may not be changed by the Senate after the House passes them
   • Yes, but then the bill must start over in the Senate before it can continue

5. Article I, Section 7 (quoted in part)

   "If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law." Case T4 (made-up): A bill is presented to the President on Monday, June 1. Congress stays in session and the President does not sign or return it.

6. 3.

   Kira reads Article I and case T4. Presented Monday, June 1, a bill is not signed or returned. By which day does it become law?

   • It does not become law without a signature, since the President did not act
   • June 12, since Sundays are not counted in the ten days
   • June 11, counting ten calendar days with Sundays included
   • June 15, counting ten working days and skipping Saturdays and Sundays

7. Article I, Section 7 (quoted in part)

   "If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law." Case T6 (made-up): A bill is presented to the President. On day four Congress adjourns for a long recess, and the adjournment prevents the President from returning the bill. The President has not signed the bill.

8. 4.

   Noah reads Article I and case T6. Congress adjourns on day four. What is the result?

   • It returns when the recess ends and then becomes law without a vote
   • It becomes law at day ten, whether or not Congress is in session
   • The adjournment prevents the return, so it does not become law
   • A pocket veto needs the Senate's consent before a pocket veto counts

9. House rules (our words)

   The Rules Committee sets the terms for debating most bills on the House floor, such as how long members may debate and whether amendments are allowed. A discharge petition signed by a majority of the House, 218 of 435 members, can bring a bill to the floor when a committee will not release it.

10. 5.

    Pia reads card HR. Why is the Rules Committee powerful?

    • It decides whether a bill becomes law, since no bill passes without its approval
    • It breaks ties between the House and the Senate when their versions differ
    • It writes the text of each bill before any committee has studied the bill
    • It sets the terms of floor debate, which can shape what members vote on
11. 6.

    Tala reads card HR. A committee holds a popular bill. How many signatures does a discharge petition need, and what does it do?

    • 218; it passes the bill without any vote on the House floor
    • 290, two thirds of 435; it passes the bill without any other vote
    • 218, a majority of 435; it can bring the bill to the floor
    • 145, one third of 435; it sends the bill to the Senate for a vote

12. House rules (our words)

    The Rules Committee sets the terms for debating most bills on the House floor, such as how long members may debate and whether amendments are allowed. A discharge petition signed by a majority of the House, 218 of 435 members, can bring a bill to the floor when a committee will not release it. Student note (made-up): "A discharge petition means the committee chair no longer matters."

13. 7.

    Zee reads card HR and note T9. How should the note be judged?

    • Right; the petition passes the bill, so the chair has no role in anything
    • Partly; 218 members can bypass a chair, but the bill still needs floor action
    • Wrong; the chair has final control over each bill, whatever members sign
    • Wrong; a petition needs 290 signatures, two thirds of the House

14. Senate rule (our words)

    Debate in the Senate can continue until three fifths of all senators, 60 of 100, vote for cloture to end it. Before 1975, cloture needed two thirds of the senators present and voting. After cloture ends debate, a bill still needs a simple majority to pass. Case T10 (made-up): A cloture vote gets 58 yes votes and 42 no votes. All 100 senators vote.

15. 8.

    Ari reads card SR and case T10. A cloture vote gets 58 yes and 42 no. What happens?

    • Debate ends, since 58 is a majority of the Senate
    • Debate ends if the Senate leaders agree, whatever the vote total
    • Debate continues, since cloture needs 67, two thirds of the Senate
    • Debate continues; cloture needs 60 of the 100 senators

16. Senate rule (our words)

    Debate in the Senate can continue until three fifths of all senators, 60 of 100, vote for cloture to end it. Before 1975, cloture needed two thirds of the senators present and voting. After cloture ends debate, a bill still needs a simple majority to pass. Case T11 (made-up): In 1974, a cloture vote gets 62 yes votes and 38 no votes. All 100 senators vote.

17. 9.

    Bo reads card SR and case T11. In 1974 a cloture vote gets 62 yes and 38 no. How does the result differ under the old and the current rule?

    • It succeeds under both rules, since 62 is more than half of the senators who voted
    • It fails under both rules, since cloture invariably needs more than 62 votes to end a debate
    • It succeeds under the 1974 rule and would fail under today's rule, which asks for more
    • It fails under the 1974 rule (67 needed) but would succeed under today's rule (60 needed)

18. Senate rule (our words)

    Debate in the Senate can continue until three fifths of all senators, 60 of 100, vote for cloture to end it. Before 1975, cloture needed two thirds of the senators present and voting. After cloture ends debate, a bill still needs a simple majority to pass. Case T12 (made-up): A cloture vote gets 61 yes votes. All 100 senators vote.

19. 10.

    Esme reads card SR and case T12. A cloture vote gets 61 yes. Does the bill pass?

    • No, since passage after cloture needs 67 votes, two thirds of the Senate
    • Yes, since 61 is more than the 60 votes required to pass a bill
    • Not yet; cloture ends debate, and passage still needs a majority
    • Yes, since a successful cloture vote means the bill is passed