How does a bill become a law in the U.S. Congress?

How does a bill become a law in the U.S. Congress?

• A. It is introduced, sent to committees, debated and voted on in both houses, then sent to the President for signature or veto; if vetoed, Congress can override with a two-thirds vote in both houses.
• B. It is proposed by the President and becomes law automatically after a majority in one house.
• C. It is decided by the Supreme Court after a trial and then decreed as law.
• D. It requires only a simple majority in one chamber to become law.

Answer: (C)

Passing a bill into law in Congress involves a formal process where it must move through both chambers and receive the President’s action. A bill is introduced and sent to committees for review, then debated and voted on in each house. If both houses approve, the versions must be reconciled (often in a conference committee) so there is identical language. The bill then goes to the President, who can sign it into law or veto it. If vetoed, Congress can override with a two-thirds vote in both houses to make it law anyway. If the President does not sign within the allotted time and Congress is in session, it becomes law; if Congress has adjourned, the bill dies as a pocket veto. This full path—approval in both houses and presidential action with possible override—is why the correct description is that a bill becomes law only after passing both chambers and receiving the President’s signature or an override of a veto. The other options are not accurate because they skip essential steps (passage in both houses, and presidential action) or assign lawmaking authority to the courts or to a single chamber.

Passing a bill into law in Congress involves a formal process where it must move through both chambers and receive the President’s action. A bill is introduced and sent to committees for review, then debated and voted on in each house. If both houses approve, the versions must be reconciled (often in a conference committee) so there is identical language. The bill then goes to the President, who can sign it into law or veto it. If vetoed, Congress can override with a two-thirds vote in both houses to make it law anyway. If the President does not sign within the allotted time and Congress is in session, it becomes law; if Congress has adjourned, the bill dies as a pocket veto. This full path—approval in both houses and presidential action with possible override—is why the correct description is that a bill becomes law only after passing both chambers and receiving the President’s signature or an override of a veto. The other options are not accurate because they skip essential steps (passage in both houses, and presidential action) or assign lawmaking authority to the courts or to a single chamber.