How a bill really becomes a law
Grade 12 Social Studies Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Article I, Section 7 (quoted in part)
"Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. …" Case T1 (made-up): A vetoed bill started in the House. The Senate votes first, 70 of 100, to override.
Esme reads Article I and case T1. The Senate votes first to override a House-origin bill. Is that the right first step?
- Yes; either house may go first, since each needs two thirds anyway
- No; a vetoed bill goes to the Supreme Court first to check the objections
- No; the bill returns first to the House, where it originated
- Yes, since the Senate's rules govern the order of each override
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."
Jun reads the yeas and nays sentence. Why does it require names to be entered in the Journal?
- 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
- So the President can see which members to lobby before the next veto
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.
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
- Yes, but then the bill must start over in the Senate before it can continue
- No; revenue bills may not be changed by the Senate after the House passes them
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.
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 15, counting ten working days and skipping Saturdays and Sundays
- June 12, since Sundays are not counted in the ten days
- June 11, counting ten calendar days with Sundays included
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 T5 (made-up): A student says: "If the President says nothing for ten days, the bill fails, whether Congress is in session or not."
Milo reads Article I and note T5. Congress is in session throughout. Is the student right?
- No; it becomes law solely when the next session of Congress begins
- Yes; silence is a veto unless Congress overrides it by two thirds
- Yes; a bill needs the President's signature to become law
- No; with Congress in session it becomes law without a signature
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.
Noah reads Article I and case T6. Congress adjourns on day four. What is the result?
- A pocket veto needs the Senate's consent before a pocket veto counts
- 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
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.
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 sets the terms of floor debate, which can shape what members vote on
- It writes the text of each bill before any committee has studied the bill
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
- 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
- 290, two thirds of 435; it passes the bill without any other vote
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.
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 fails under the 1974 rule (67 needed) but would succeed under today's rule (60 needed)
- It fails under both rules, since cloture invariably needs more than 62 votes to end a debate
- It succeeds under both rules, since 62 is more than half of the senators who voted
- It succeeds under the 1974 rule and would fail under today's rule, which asks for more
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.
Esme reads card SR and case T12. A cloture vote gets 61 yes. Does the bill pass?
- Not yet; cloture ends debate, and passage still needs a majority
- Yes, since a successful cloture vote means the bill is passed
- Yes, since 61 is more than the 60 votes required to pass a bill
- No, since passage after cloture needs 67 votes, two thirds of the Senate