Loc: congress.gov: The Legislative Process: Senate Floor

As part of the study of the legislative process, scholars research redistricting and gerrymandering and the effects of these activities on lawmaking. On day one of the two-day plans, individuals redistrict the state of Elbonia so that...

Learn about the procedures followed by the House of Representatives when debating a bill. Watch the video or read the transcript which describes the committees and a variety of procedures the House follows. A chart of the legislative...

A collection of short videos that explain the different stages of the legislative process, including the introduction and referral of bills, debate by a committee, placement on a calendar for discussion about whether it will be sent to...

Bills can be suggested in a myriad of ways, but only members of each chamber can officially introduce legislation. In the House, a bill is introduced when it is dropped in a hopper, and in the Senate, a bill is submitted to clerks on the...

Congress receives many bill referrals over the course of a term. How do they decide which bills will make it to the house floor? Committees hold this power and play an important role in deciding which bills get debated by Congress. Watch...

A bill must be agreed upon by both chambers before being submitted to the President. This brief video describes how the House and Senate resolve their differences. A transcript is provided, along with a chart of the entire legislative...

Once a committee reports a bill, it is placed on the calendar in the Senate and House. Watch this video to see the procedures for placing a bill on the calendar and who decides the order the bills will be debated. A chart of the...

This brief video describes the presidential veto power as part of the legislative process. A transcript is provided, along with a chart of the entire legislative process. [1:59]

The Senate has two unique responsibilities: the power to make treaties and the power to confirm presidential nominees. View this video to understand how these powers fit into the legislative process. A transcript is provided, along with...

The process of a bill becoming a law is rarely predictable and can vary from bill to bill. For a general overview of this process, watch the following video which explains the path most bills take to become laws. [5:10]