Legislation: From Introduction to Passage

U. S. Capitol building in Washington, D. C.

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November 19, 2009 • By Joshan Smith, Sophomore  
Filed under Top Stories

Since Barack Obama became our 44th president, there have been various changes in our government. One of these changes is the healthcare bill that is currently being studied by our Congressional leaders. What does a bill go through from introduction to signature?  Social Studies Teacher Matt Fincher sat down to discuss this topic recently.

First, the healthcare bill must be introduced to the House of Representatives. After the bill has been introduced, it is sent to various committees to see how they can make it work for our country today. One of these committees is the Ways and Means Committee which will decide how to make the plan work with the taxes of the American people.  After the bill goes through the various committees, the House brings it up for discussion and makes final revisions. The House votes on the bill and then if it gets enough votes, it will past to the Senate. Recently, the House approved of the proposed healthcare bill, so now it is on its way to the Senate for future discussion and revision.

Because the House of Representatives includes 435 members, it is necessary for proposed legislation to be addressed by committees before being brought before the entire House. The Senate, on the other hand, consists of 100 members. Because of its smaller size, legislation can be addressed before the entire group. In the Senate, the Finance Committee decides how the bill will affect the American taxpayers.

For this current healthcare bill, there may be some specific troubles that it endures while going through in the Senate. It is likely that the Republican Party, the current minority, will filibuster the vote before it is sent over to President Obama. A filibuster is when one party delays, indefinitely postpones the vote, or extends the debate on a proposal.

If the healthcare bill is passed by the Senate, then President Obama will sign it into law. Currently, there are opinions on both sides of the healthcare proposal. Students are encouraged to get involved in current events and research this heated debate.

Thank you to Mr. Matt Fincher (AP Government, Government, and U.S. History) for help in gathering this information on the process of bills, such as the current healthcare bill, from introduction to passage.

Tags: bill, capitol, congress, health care bill, healthcare, legislation, Obama, senate

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