Where does a bill start in Congress?
How a bill goes through Congress and becomes a law can be a very complex procedure, or it can zip through Congress if it is considered very important that it be enacted. Basically, here are the steps from bill to law. In the House, any member may introduce a bill by dropping it into a box, called a hopper. In the Senate, a member may introduce a bill after being recognized by the presiding officer and announcing the bill’s introduction. (Bills dealing with raising money must originate in the House of Representatives.) The bill is then given a prefix and a number. H.R. 33 would be House Resolution 33 and S.B. 44 would be Senate Bill 44. Once a bill is introduced, it goes to a committee for study. The committee in the Senate or the House basically do the same thing, that is they study the bill, hold hearings on the content of the bill, send it to a subcommittee if they feel it necessary for more study, and then vote on it and report it to the floor of the Senate or House where it is plac
