How Our Laws are Made

This is an official U.S. Government publication, as ordered by the U.S. House of Representatives. It is sold by the Government Printing Office and is intended to be an outline of the numerous steps involved in the Federal lawmaking process, from an idea for a legislative proposal through its final passage as a statute.

Because the large majority of our laws originate in the House of Representatives - and all tax laws are required to originate there - this discussion is directed principally to the procedures in that body.

These files are HTML files, and were obtained from the THOMAS web site at the Library of Congress. 

HOW OUR LAWS ARE MADE: Revised and Updated by Charles W. Johnson, Parliamentarian, United States House of Representatives, November 12, 1997
ENTIRE DOCUMENT Plain Text (177K)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

I. Introduction
II. The Congress
III. Sources of Legislation
IV. Forms of Congressional Action

Bills - Joint Resolutions - Concurrent Resolutions - Simple Resolutions

V. Introduction and Reference to Committee
VI. Consideration by Committee

Committee Hearings - Public Hearings - VIII. Legislative Oversight by Standing Committees
IX. Calendars

Union Calendar - House Calendar - Private Calendar - Corrections Calendar - Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees

X. Obtaining Consideration of Measures

Unanimous Consent - Special Resolutions or "Rule" - Consideration of Measures Made in Order by Rule Reported from the Committee on Rules - Motion to Discharge Committee - Motion to Suspend the Rules - Calendar Wednesday - District of Columbia Business - Privileged Matters

XI. Consideration and Debate

Committee of the Whole House - Second Reading - Amendments and Germaneness Rule - The Committee "Rises" - House Action - Motion to Recommit - Quorum Calls and Rollcalls - Voting - Electronic Voting - Pairing of Members - System of Lights and Bells - Recess Authority - Live Coverage of Floor Proceedings

XII. Congressional Budget Process
XIII. Engrossment and Message to Senate
XIV. Senate Action

Committee Consideration - Chamber Procedure

XV. Final Action on Amended Bill

Request for a Conference - Authority of Conferees - Meetings and Action of Conferees - Conference Reports - Custody of Papers

XVI. Bill Originating in Senate
XVII. Enrollment
XVIII. Presidential Action

Veto Message - Line Item Veto

XIX. Publication

Slip Laws - Statutes-at-Large - United States Code

Appendix: Select List of Government Publications - S.Con.Res. 62 [PDF] - Earlier Printings

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