1. Classroom Activity

2.  Bill
is introduced in either the House of
Representatives or the Senate

3. Bill is sent
to the
appropriate
committee
 In committee, bill is analyzed, revised, and
voted on
 Most bills die in committee (they don’t make
it past this step)

4.  In your committee circle, pass your bill to
the left.
 Read the bill.
 Make any revisions you think would make the
bill better
 On the back of the bill, write a check if you
think it should move on, or an “X” if you do
not think the bill is a good idea.
 Pass the bill to the left and repeat process
until you have read and voted on every bill in
your committee.

5.  Billsthat make it past
committee, go to the
House or Senate floor.
 Members of congress
who support the bill try
to convince others to
vote for it
 Members who oppose
the bill argue against
it.
 The entire house votes
on the bill.

6.  Combine with the other committee from
your house.
 All bills that got approved in committee
should be read aloud to your entire house.
 One member should argue for each bill, and
another member should argue against each
bill.
 All members in your house will vote on each
bill.

7.  Bills
that pass the floor vote are sent to the
other house.
 Trade bills with the other house.

8.  Billis sent to the appropriate committee in
the other house
 Now this committee analyzes, revises, and
votes on the bill.

9.  In your committee circle, divide the new bills
between your members.
 Read the bill you have been given.
 Make any revisions you think would make the
bill better
 On the back of the bill, write a check if you
think it should move on, or an “X” if you do
not think the bill is a good idea.
 Pass the bill to the left and repeat process
until you have read and voted on every bill in
your committee.

10.  Bills that make it past committees in the
other house go to a floor vote
 Supporters and opponents argue for or
against the bill
 Every member of that house votes on the
bill.

11.  Combine with the other committee from
your house.
 All bills that got approved in committee
should be read aloud to your entire house.
 One member should argue for each bill, and
another member should argue against each
bill.
 All members in your house will vote on each
bill.

12.  Ifthe bill is passed in the floor vote in both
houses, it moves to a conference committee.
 Conference committees compromise to settle
any differences between the two versions of
the bill
 Conference committees re-write the bill and
to create its final draft.

13.  Get into your conference committee group
 Ifyour bill has made it past both
houses, bring it with you to the conference
committee.
 Create the final draft of your bill by re-
writing it to incorporate changes that
everyone in your conference committee can
agree on.

14.  The final version of the bill is sent back to
the floor of each house for a final floor vote.
 Each member of each house votes to approve
the final version of the bill

15.  Go back to your original house group.
 One representative from each conference
committee will read their final version of the
bill to each house.
 Eachmember of your house will vote to
either approve or deny the final version of
the bill

16.  If the bill passes the final vote
in both houses, it is sent to
the President
 The president has 4 options:
 Sign the bill into law!
 Veto- bill does not become law
 Do nothing- after 10 days bill
becomes law
 Pocket veto- if the congress
session ends within those 10
days and the president does not
sign it, then it does not become
a law.

17.  Bring your bills that have passed the final
vote to my desk (I am the president).
I will either sign or veto your bill.
 IfI veto your bill, it can still become a law if
2/3 of the class votes to override the veto.

18.  Ifyou made it through all 9 steps, your bill
has become a law! 