A bill is the text of the law offered to the adoption and prepared for the introduction into the legislative body or referendum. The process of a bill preparation includes the decision-making on its development, text development, discussion and completion of an original project, its coordination with all the interested bodies and organizations. After the completion of preparation a bill is submitted for the consideration of the legislative body as a legislative initiative. According to the subject of a legislative initiative, the bills are subdivided into governmental, deputy, etc.
“There are two types of bills - public and private. A public bill is one that affects the public generally. A bill that affects a specified individual or a private entity rather than the population at large is called a private bill. A typical private bill is used for relief in matters such as immigration and naturalization and claims against the United States” (Sullivan: 2007).
The president can offer the legislative ideas in the annual “Message to the Nation”, and the ordinary citizens can send their petitions to the Congress (the 1st amendment to the US Constitution). However, the right directly to initiate the bill belongs only to the congressmen.
The bill can be presented both by the member of the House of Representatives, and by the Senator. For this purpose the member of the House of Representatives drops the bill in a special box at a tribune, and the Senator transfers it to the secretary of the Senate or represents it. If the Senator represents the bill himself, any of the other senators can object to the bill consideration; in this case the presentation of the bill is transferred the next day.
After that, the bill is sent to the committees. Therefore, the bill consideration in the committees is the most important stage of its passing. The destiny of the bill is solved in the committees. If the bill is very important, the committees or subcommittees can appoint public hearings. The representatives of the organizations and the state departments are invited for the discussions of the bill.
If the bill was sent to the subcommittee, the final meeting (markup) of the subcommittee is held after the discussions and public hearings. The opinions of the members of the subcommittees are listened for the last time and there is the vote. The subcommittee can give a positive response to the committee in the form of a favorable resolution with the amendments or without them, or the negative one. In this case the subcommittee can 1) to draw a negative (unfavorable) resolution; 2) to transfer the bill to the committee without the recommendation or 3) to recommend the committee to postpone the bill for the uncertain time (table).
The president signs all bills, but if he does not do it within 10 days, the bill becomes the law automatically. The president can impose the suspensive veto on the bill. In this case he applies his objections to the bill and sends it to the House, which suggested the bill. …