How a bill really becomes a law

Grade 12 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Chart B, Path of the Clean Parks Act (made-up). Step 1: a representative introduces the bill in the House. Step 2: a House committee studies it and votes to send it on. Step 3: the House passes it. Step 4: a Senate committee studies it. Step 5: the Senate passes a different version. Step 6: a conference committee of both houses writes one text, and both houses pass it. Step 7: the President signs or vetoes.

2. 1.

   Ari reads chart B. The Senate passed a different version than the House. What must happen before the President sees the bill?

   • Both houses pass the same text, often written by a conference committee
   • The President chooses between the two versions and signs the one preferred
   • The Senate committee rewrites it and sends it on, with no further House vote
   • The House must accept the Senate's version without any change, or the bill fails
3. 2.

   Bo reads chart B and case S2. A House committee votes not to send the bill on. What is the usual result?

   • The bill passes anyway, since the full House can vote on each bill at any time
   • The Senate can pass it directly into law, since the committee is solely in the House
   • The bill goes to the President after ten days, whether or not any house voted
   • The bill stops there unless the House finds another way to bring it up

4. 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 S3 (made-up): A tax bill is introduced first in the Senate.

5. 3.

   Esme reads Article I and case S3. A tax bill is introduced first in the Senate. What does the text say?

   • Allowed if the President asks the Senate to begin, since the President sets priorities
   • Allowed, since the Senate may introduce any bill, whether or not it raises revenue
   • Not allowed, and the Senate may not change a tax bill after the House passes it
   • Revenue bills must originate in the House, though the Senate may amend them

6. 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 S4 (made-up): The President receives a bill and neither signs it nor returns it. Congress stays in session for the next ten days, not counting Sundays.

7. 4.

   Jun reads Article I and case S4. The President neither signs nor returns a bill, and Congress stays in session. What happens?

   • It fails by pocket veto, since the President has not approved it
   • It becomes law without the President's signature
   • It returns to committee, since no one acted on it within the ten days
   • It becomes law solely after the Senate votes on it again as a safeguard

8. 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 S6 (made-up): The President receives a bill. Within the ten days (Sundays excepted), Congress adjourns, so the bill cannot be returned. The President has not signed it.

9. 5.

   Luz reads Article I and case S6. Congress adjourns within the ten days. What is the result?

   • It does not become law; this is a pocket veto
   • The Senate must consent for the pocket veto to count as a veto
   • Congress overrides by two thirds at once, since adjourning counts as a vote
   • It becomes law at day ten, whether Congress is in session or not

10. 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 S7 (made-up): The House has 435 members, and all 435 vote on an override. The vote is 285 yes and 150 no.

11. 6.

    Milo reads Article I and case S7. The House override vote is 285 to 150. What is the result?

    • The bill goes to the Senate for the final decision on the veto itself
    • The bill becomes law, since two thirds of 435 votes works out to exactly 285
    • The bill becomes law, since 285 is far above a majority of the 435 voting
    • The veto stands; 285 is five short of two thirds of 435, which is 290

12. 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 S8 (made-up): The Senate has 100 members, and all 100 vote on an override. The vote is 66 yes and 34 no.

13. 7.

    Noah reads Article I and case S8. The Senate override vote is 66 to 34. What is the result?

    • The veto stands, since an override needs three fourths, which is 75 votes
    • The bill becomes law, since 66 is about two thirds of 100 rounded to the nearest vote
    • The bill becomes law, since more than half of the senators voted yes
    • The veto stands; two thirds of 100 is 67, one more than 66

14. 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 S9 (made-up): A vetoed bill started in the House. The House overrides with 290 of 435 votes. The Senate has not yet voted.

15. 8.

    Pia reads Article I and case S9. The House overrides with 290 votes. Is the bill now law?

    • No, but the Senate needs just a simple majority to finish the override
    • Yes; the house where the bill started can override for the whole Congress
    • No; both houses must override, each by two thirds, and the Senate has not voted
    • Yes, since 290 is more than a majority, and a majority is enough to finish

16. 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. …" Student note (made-up): "The President writes the laws, since nothing becomes law without the President's signature."

17. 9.

    Tala reads Article I and note S10. What do the texts show about the President's role?

    • The note is wrong, since the President has no role in making any law
    • The note is wrong, since the President passes bills and Congress signs them
    • The President approves or returns bills; Congress passes them and may override
    • The note is right, since a bill cannot become law without a signature

18. 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. …" Student note (made-up): "A veto ends a bill for good."

19. 10.

    Zee reads Article I and note S11. What do the texts show about a veto?

    • The note is wrong, since a veto does nothing and the bill becomes law anyway
    • The note is wrong, since a majority of the Senate can override a veto
    • A veto can be overridden by two thirds of each house
    • The note is right, since Article I gives no way around a veto