How a Bill Becomes A Law

How A Bill Becomes A Law

[Thomas Jefferson logo] HOW OUR LAWS ARE MADE

HOW OUR LAWS ARE MADE

Overview:

To become a law, a bill, or legislative proposal, must pass through various stages, at any one of which it may be sidetracked. Thus the passage of a bill requires alertness, resourcefullness, and a sense of compromise on the part of the sponsor. In some cases, a bill may become a law within three to six months, if the President and the Congress enthusiastically support it. In other cases, a period of ten years of more may be necessary. Within this unit we will invistigate the steps, that a bill takes to become inacted into law. In the following lessons as we discover these steps, keep in mind the central fact that the complexity of these procedures ordinarily gives a powerful advantage to the opposition. There are many points at which an action can be blocked. This does not mean that nothing gets done but that, to get something done, a member of congress must either assemble slowly and painstakingly a majority coalition or take advantage of a temporary enthusiasm for some new cause that sweeps away the normal obstacles.

Objectives:

Studets will be able to either orally or in writting:
1-Identify the steps by which a bill becomes a federal law in the United States.
2-Explain the roles and objectives of a congressional lobbist.
3 Identify at least three issues affecting America today and explain the problems or conflicts that make them issues.
4-Identify their districts U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator.

Activities:

1-Have the students use CapWeb as the reference material to discover how our bicarmel legislation came about.
2-Have the srudents use the Thomas to discover and chart the steps by which a bill becomes federal law in the United States.
3-Have students access and examine recent issues of Newspapers and Magazines via online communications, as well as radio and television broadcast to determine what national issues are currently attracting attention and debate.
Encourage students to find out what the issues are, who is opposed and for different solutions.
4-Have students correspond with thier Senators and Represenatives via phone, fax, office or Email address.
5-Once bills are passed have students look up how their Senators and Representatives voted via Time
6-Students will keep an active log of resource sites, contacts, and bills being considered, either in a notebook or preferebly on a word processor.

Additional Resources