how to write a bill assignment

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Templates For Legislation

With our Templates for Legislation, you can start to write a Bill or Resolution for Student Senate. There are five different types of templates that may be downloaded as Microsoft Word (.docx) documents.

For any piece of legislation, here is a general checklist of things to make sure you do:

• The Date of Submission should be the day you submit the bill. If it passes, it will be changed to the date it passed.
• In the Author Line , name all individuals involved in writing the bill and their office. At least one of the authors must be a senator or a staff member for a bill to be considered in Student Senate.
• Title the Bill  (in bold and italics) with what you want the bill to do. Examples include “ A Bill to Fund ABC ” or “ A Bill to Amend Student Senate Constitution Title Two, Section Two ”
• In the WHEREAS clauses, describe individual reasons why this bill should pass. End the WHEREAS clauses with “, and” so that it runs as one long sentence until the last WHEREAS clause.
• For the THEREFORE clause, state the official actions you want the bill to achieve. In funding bills for example, say the total amount of money that you want allocated and where it is going.
• Under the THEREFORE clause, detail the actions it makes. Amendments to the Student Senate Constitution must be clearly stated, with omissions crossed out and additions bolded. Funding bills must divide the total amount into the different expenses for the bill.
• Bills must be turned into Sam Sokoloff, Chief of Staff, [email protected] ,  by the Friday before the next legislative cycle.  Leave Student Senate Bill 2023-000 BLANK as the Chief of Staff will assign the official number to the bill. Leave Student Council Assignment(s) BLANK as the Student Body Vice President will assign the legislation to two Student Councils.
• All legislation should maintain a font size of 16pt for accessibility purposes when submitted.

You can view a template of a Student Senate Bill Template  (To use this template to its full capability, please download it as a Microsoft Word File.)

You can view a template of a Student Senate General Funding Bill  (To use this template to its full capability, please download it as a Microsoft Word File.)

You can view a template of a Student Senate Event Funding Bill  (To use this template to its full capability, please download it as a Microsoft Word File.)

You can view a template of a Student Senate Constitutional Amendment Bill  (To use this template to its full capability, please download it as a Microsoft Word File.)

You can view a template of a Student Senate Resolution  (To use this template to its full capability, please download it as a Microsoft Word File.)

Harvard Journal on Legislation

A Beginner’s Guide to Legislative Drafting

A Beginner’s Guide to Legislative Drafting By Deborah Beth Medows, Senior Attorney, Division of Legal Affairs, New York State Department of Health [*]

The ability to impact society through well-written legislation is unparalleled. As President Barack Obama stated, “A good compromise, a good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence. Or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognize it. They say, ‘Huh. It works. It makes sense.’” [1]

As a newly admitted attorney, you will need to know how to draft legislation if you choose to work as a legislative attorney. One of my earliest legal experiences occurred after I was appointed as Assistant Counsel to the New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission. I found myself drafting for the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate, and advising on the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. Legislative attorneys may have different roles and state requirements can differ, so you will need to draft within the scope of your role and jurisdictional requirements. However, these are the general lessons that I gleaned from my own experiences.

1. Write simply and carefully . Legislative drafting is “a highly technical discipline, the most rigorous form of writing outside of mathematics.” [2] It functions as practical poetry for lawyers as we artfully select words to shape society. However, unlike flowery, abstract poetry, which adumbrates imagery that leaves the audience guessing as to its intended meaning, in the realm of drafting you must be deliberate, intentional, and clear with your word usage. Although poets are fond of synonyms, in drafting, consistency is key. Think about how your verbiage may be construed so as not to accidentally convey a different intention than that of the legislative sponsor. When you draft legislation, state exactly what needs to be said in the most straightforward manner possible. Do not worry about dazzling the reader with your erudite diction and impressive caliber of jargon; if you must, you can save that for some other forum, like a cocktail party. In the context of legislative drafting, brilliance is conveyed by articulating a legislative sponsor’s intent in the clearest and most concise manner possible. If you write in a confusing manner that can later be misinterpreted in application and enforcement, the ensuing issues could be the subjects of lawsuits that waste time, money, and judicial resources.

One example of careless drafting yielding potentially disastrous results involves four words in the nine‑hundred‑page Affordable Care Act that read that the law permits subsidies only where marketplaces have been “established by the state.” [3] The law’s drafters claim not to have intended this distinction, and these words have been contextualized by some, including former Senator Jeff Bingaman, as “sloppiness in the drafting.” [4] This alleged drafting error enabled opponents of the Affordable Care Act to challenge it in the Supreme Court case of King v. Burwell . [5] Plaintiffs in that case argued that the words were intended to make tax subsidies exclusively available in states that established their own health insurance marketplaces and to exclude thirty-six states with federal exchanges. This would impact the health insurance subsidies of many Americans. [6]

Another example of a drafting error was recently explored in the Huffington Post ’s article on the U.S. v. Texas case. Legislators drafted “messy language” that resulted in even the United States Solicitor General confusing terms. [7] The litigation concerned twenty-six states and a policy that would allow roughly four million undocumented individuals to temporarily remain in the country. At issue was whether the federal policy would grant the affected individuals a legal immigration status, to which Texas objected. The policy would render undocumented individuals “lawfully present” for three years, but the federal government had difficulty explaining the distinction between being in the country “legally” and being “lawfully present.” The term “status” was also confusing, because it was unclear whether “deferred action” would be considered an “immigration status.” A commentator described that issue as “another example of something being simultaneously correct and nonsensical.” [8]

As both cases illustrate, a drafter’s failure to take a few minutes’ worth of caution and a lack of precision can result in litigation that even involves the Supreme Court and can affect millions of individuals.

2. Write purposefully. As Mark Twain opined, “the difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” [9] Be aware of the connotations of the various documents that you write, because they can have major practical consequences when applied. Word choice can be critical and powerful. For example, think about how differently the words “shall” or “may” could be construed, although in a non-legislative context the contrast might not seem as critical. In the article “Shall We Abandon Shall?” Bryan A. Garner, Editor-in-Chief of Black’s Law Dictionary, explains that the word “ shall is among the most heavily litigated words in the English language (with hopelessly inconsistent court holdings).” [10] He cites Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s opinion that “though ‘ shall ’ generally means must , legal writers sometimes use, or misuse, shall to mean should, will or even may. ” [11]

Never underestimate the power of words, and consider carefully every word that you put in your legislative drafts.

3. Do your research efficiently . You need at least a rudimentary understanding of the issue your legislation addresses. If you do not understand the substance of what you are drafting, that poses a challenge. Recognize that you may have many assignments to draft, so you might not have the opportunity to research as much as you would like. Understand that you may have time constraints and work as effectively and efficiently as possible within those time frames.

For example, the time frame corresponding to the deadline for the budget in New York State can be extremely busy with a flurry of legislation to draft. The New York Times profiled the frustrations associated with a last minute bill that was over six hundred pages long. As depicted by the article, the legislative cycle can produce agreements that occur during late hours. From a drafter’s perspective, all of that legislation needs to be drafted expediently but efficiently by a deadline. [12] The key is to be thorough enough to complete your work and do an excellent job, but not to research issues at such an intense level of depth that you will not have time to complete your other work. Instead, that intense level of substantive research should be conducted by the legislative sponsor’s office, and you need to focus on your task at hand: drafting. As Professor William F. Patry, a former copyright counsel to the United States House of Representatives , said, “While the mounting of legislative initiatives frequently takes a long time, sometimes spanning years, the execution can be brutally swift. Haste makes waste and mistakes . . . . most copyright legislation is passed in the very last minutes of a Congress, much like most labor deals struck right before a threatened strike, or court house [sic] steps settlements.” [13] He cites examples of legislative blunders ranging from the 1909 Copyright Act that was signed five minutes before President Theodore Roosevelt’s term expired, to federal legislation containing amended parts of a statute that no longer existed and which the Senate passed, despite knowing about the error, because of time constraints. [14]

4. Do not automatically rush to recreate the wheel . You might receive an assignment that appears mind-bogglingly difficult; we have all been there. Take a deep breath and relax. Chances are high that some other jurisdiction has faced the same issue. Examine how other states have drafted similar legislation. States obviously have different laws and different formats for legislative drafting. Yet, researching how other states have worded their legislation can serve to lend general ideas that you may not have previously considered. Be careful, however, to use those models only for that purpose; those laws are specific to their jurisdictions.

Consider the following example. Imagine that you are a bill drafter in New York State and you are tasked with drafting legislation regarding gambling. Without knowing the laws of gambling in New York, you may be strongly tempted to copy the laws of another state when drafting. However, jurisdictions vary widely with regard to gambling laws. New York State, for instance, would require a constitutional amendment to enact legislation regarding gambling, as Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution of the State of New York prohibits gambling with certain enumerated exceptions, such as a sanctioned lottery for educational funds. [15] Compare that with Nevada, which ironically, does not legally permit lotteries. [16] As the contrast between the two states’ legal systems regarding gambling and lotteries shows, you must be very careful not to inappropriately rely on the laws of other jurisdictions when drafting because their legal systems may prove inapposite. Additionally, specific terms may be different across various states’ legal systems. You may want to imbue a state official with certain powers to enforce the objectives of a bill; that person may be called a superintendent in one context or a commissioner in another context. Ensure that you are using the correct terminology in your own jurisdiction.

5. Do not be afraid to ask questions, both substantively and stylistically. Especially as a newly admitted attorney, chances are that whatever kind of assignment comes your way, your colleagues have already encountered a similar challenge in their professional experiences. Always clarify with the office sponsoring the bill if you need further guidance on issues such as the timing of the bill (including whether it should go into effect with a sunrise provision or expire with a sunset provision), or regarding the severity of a criminal penalty, which can have tremendous consequences on people’s lives.

6. Keep in mind the bigger picture and your role in the process . You may not necessarily agree with the purpose of the bill that you are drafting, but broadly speaking, it is your job to draft it if the legislator wants it drafted, while advising on the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. The people elected the legislator, not you, to represent their societal needs and interests. As a legislative attorney, you will have to take your ego out of the equation and always remember the bigger picture: you are playing a role in helping society by respecting the legislative process. Additionally, the first time that many people draft legislation, they are concerned that what they are being tasked with drafting is not currently in state law. For example, I heard of an otherwise talented drafter who began her career by protesting on her first assignment that she could not add a certain penalty to a bill regarding the penal code. The drafter stated that the law did not have that specific penalty anywhere in the entire penal code for that particular action. That is absolutely correct, because the objective in drafting legislation is to help develop future laws! Rather than worrying if something is currently in the law, drafters should instead be concerned with whether it would be constitutional.

7. Masterful legislation requires teamwork . Depending on your position, you may need to be in touch with legislators, your coworkers or fellow drafters, and the administrative assistants whose daily efforts ensure that your office runs smoothly. Working in legislative law can present time-sensitive deadlines, so you need to work together with others to achieve the best results possible.

8. Develop your drafting style . There is a certain magic to the process of being able to transform concepts into law. As you become increasingly comfortable honing your drafting skills, you will recognize that everyone has a different style of drafting. Conceivably, “if five drafters were set on the same Bill, each might emerge with a different product,” suggesting that “legislative drafting is an art rather than a precise science.” [17] Read through legislation drafted by others in order to develop a sense of what techniques work well in your own constantly developing drafting style.

Consider the example of Robert Moses, arguably the most famous bill drafter of the twentieth century, who developed his own drafting style to strongly influence the infrastructure and development of New York State. [18] Known as the “master builder,” Moses was a political scientist who utilized his powerful drafting skills to affect society. Much ink has been spilled over the controversial legacy of Robert Moses, but what is certain is that he was able to harness his legislative drafting skills to accomplish his goals, such as setting up the Jones Beach State Park Authority, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, and unifying the five boroughs’ parks departments in New York City. The unification of the parks departments resulted in the fact that, within months, 1,700 projects were finished, including the rebuilding of the Central Park Zoo. [19] His drafting abilities allowed him to draft legislation for public authorities and affect city planning both in New York City and throughout the nation. The accomplishments that stemmed from Robert Moses’ skilled drafting were lauded at the time by the New York Times as “little short of miraculous.” [20]

9. Be patient. Drafting can be tedious and frustrating, especially as a newly admitted attorney with little or no experience. Know that you are not alone. Even the Founding Fathers took the time to master the drafting process; the Declaration of Independence went through several rough drafts. [21] Originally, Jefferson referred to the people of the colonies in a rough draft as “subjects” before replacing that term with “citizens.” [22] With one stroke of the proverbial pen, the colonists formed a “people whose allegiance was to one another, not a faraway monarch.” [23] The fact that the drafter took the time and effort to revise the work and replace a singular word shapes our very understanding of what it means to be Americans centuries later. After all, today we quote the inimitable words promising “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” [24] for the immeasurable impact that this document has had upon our nation’s history. We do not think of the prior drafts over which the drafter of these words labored, because the end result is what matters most.

If Thomas Jefferson, a future President of the United States, cut his teeth drafting that language, then you are in good company as you rework your own legislative drafts. Have patience and remind yourself that not all the bills that you will draft will be passed, especially in their early forms. However, what will later pass into law might surprise you, so treat everything you draft with significance and the gravitas as if it might one day become law. Perhaps the legislation that you will draft may one day become a law that will better society for decades or centuries to come.

[*] Deborah Beth Medows is a Senior Attorney in the Division of Legal Affairs at the New York State Department of Health, where she delivered the 2015 CLE on Ethics. She has additionally served as an Associate Counsel to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, and as an Assistant Counsel to the New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission. She edited a written symposium through Harvard Law School’s Journal of Law and Technology Digest , delivered various legal presentations, published a number of articles in various law journals, and serves as a mentor to law students. She can be reached at [email protected]. This information reflects solely the opinion of the author and does not speak for the views of any current or prior employers.

[1] Dan Amira, By President Obama’s Own Standard, This is a Bad Compromise , N.Y. Mag. (Aug. 1, 2011), http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2011/08/debt_ceiling_compromise_barack_obama.html [https://perma.cc/C8L5-4TP9].

[2] Reed Dickerson, Legislative Drafting: a Challenge to the Legal Profession , 40 Ind. L.J. 635, 635 (1954). http://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/facpub/1494/ [https://perma.cc/9R95-FRJ3].

[3] Robert Pear, Four Words That Imperil Health Care Law Were All a Mistake, Writers Now Say, N.Y. Times (May 25, 2015), http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/26/us/politics/contested-words-in-affordable-care-act-may-have-been-left-by-mistake.html?_r=0 [https://perma.cc/ZYS6-CAD6].

[5] 135 S. Ct. 2480 (2015).

[7] Laura Murray-Tjan, U.S. v. Texas : How the Supreme Court Got Tangled in Immigration Law , Huffington Post (May 16, 2016), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-murraytjan/us-v-texas-how-the-suprem_b_9979566.html [https://perma.cc/GJ9X-ZFUE].

[9] George Bainton, The Art of Authorship 87–88 (1890).

[10] Bryan Garner, Shall We Abandon Shall?, ABA J.: Bryan Garner on Words (Aug. 1, 2012), http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/shall_we_abandon_shall/ [https://perma.cc/KHY3-PD6Y].

[11] Id . (quoting Gutierrez de Martinez v. Lamagno, 515 U.S. 417, 432 n.9 (1995)).

[12] Vivian Yee & Jesse McKinley, Budget Deadline Keeps New York Legislators Up All Night , N.Y. Times (April 1, 2016), http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/02/nyregion/budget-deadline-keeps-new-york-legislators-up-all-night.html [https://perma.cc/Z3NM-V56D].

[13] William Patry, Legislative Drafting Gaffes , The Patry Copyright Blog (Dec. 15, 2005), http://williampatry.blogspot.com/2005/12/legislative-drafting-gaffes.html [https://perma.cc/6JJZ-RB94].

[15] N.Y. CONST. art. I, § 9.

[16] Sean Whaley , No Nevada Lottery Because Gaming Doesn’t Want Competition , Las Vegas Rev. J. (Jan. 12, 2016), http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/no-nevada-lottery-because-gaming-doesnt-want-competition [https://perma.cc/Q7XH-WCQA].

[17] Geoffrey Bowman, The Art of Legislative Drafting , 64 Amicus Curiae 2, 2 (2006).

[18] Paul Goldberger, Robert Moses, Master Builder, is Dead at 92 , N.Y. Times (July 30, 1981), http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/1218.html [https://perma.cc/CWS7-6E52].

[21] The Declaration of Independence (U.S. 1776), reprinted in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson 429 (Julian P. Boyd ed., 1950).

[23] Marc Kaufman, Jefferson Changed ‘Subjects’ to ‘Citizens” in Declaration of Independence , Wash. Post (July 3, 2010) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/02/AR2010070205525.html [https://perma.cc/K36N-9SNL].

[24] The Declaration of Independence para. 2 (U.S. 1776).

Student Congress Bill Ideas

Questions to Ask in a Classroom Presidential Debate

In competitive speech and debate at the high school level, student congress is one of the most exciting and realistic events offered. Students are required to write and debate pieces of legislation as actual legislators do while in session. Specifically, students may draft legislation that proposes a law and explains how the implementation of the bill will occur.

Lower the Drinking Age

A bill to lower the drinking age works only at the state level, but is a great piece of legislation in that it provides for good debate on both sides. Many college administrators claim that the current drinking age leads to higher rates of binge drinking. A bill to lower the drinking age must specify what the current drinking age is, what the lowered drinking age will be, how this change will interact with existing laws and how the bill will be funded and enforced.

Abolish No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a federal policy that monitors the quality of K-12 education across the United States. Since its inception in 2001, NCLB has received strong criticism and support, making it an ideal topic for legislative debate. It is important to remember that because NCLB is a federal policy, this bill will only be viable at the national level. A bill to abolish NCLB must specify the time frame for phasing out the legislation, what system if any will replace NCLB, and who will oversee the phasing out of NCLB.

Legalize Marijuana

A bill to legalize marijuana is applicable at both the state and national levels of competition because both the federal government and individual states have laws regarding marijuana. Best of all, the debate over the legalization of marijuana is full of diverse opinions and has been a topic of frequent national debate. A bill to legalize marijuana must address the current legal status of marijuana, how the bill will change existing laws on drug charges for marijuana, and how the bill will be enforced and regulated at the state or federal level.

Establish an Official Language

Many states, particularly those along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the federal government have contemplated establishing English as the official language. The establishment of English as the official language means that all government business and documents will only be offered in English. A bill of this nature must specify the time frame for transitioning to English as the official language, how this will interact with other laws at the state and national levels, and the extent to which English will be used primarily.

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• CBS News: The Debate on Lowering the Drinking Age
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Jessica Furgerson has been researching and writing for over four years. Her notable publications include freelance writing for Picket Fence Publications. After completing her Bachelor of Arts in 2010 at Western Kentucky University, Furgerson is now working on her Ph.D. in rhetoric and communication studies as well as advanced certification in women and gender studies.

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How to Write a Bill for the United States Congress

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 11 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 167,970 times. Learn more...

Most people know that the U.S. Congress passes laws for the nation. However, not everyone realizes that anybody may write proposed legislation, in the hope of having it become law. This is a lengthy process that requires a great deal of research, dedication and effort. You also need to generate public support and, ultimately, get one of your Congressional representatives to accept the bill that you have written and introduce it to Congress.

Determining the Need for a New Law

• Issues that affect everyone in everyday life are good candidates. For example, you might consider topics related to our national food supply, energy use, national security or other general topics of concern.

• For example, if your state has a major fishing industry, a law that limits pleasure boats in designated fishing waters would probably be supported by many residents of your state.
• Consider setting up an online petition or survey tool to measure public opinion on your question.

• For example, if you are the parent of a special needs student, research special education laws, then draft a bill that enhances the required services for such students.

Researching the Issue

• Start your research with a reference librarian at your public library. From there, you can investigate specialized sources of information, visit law libraries, or speak with experts in the field.

• Conduct informal gatherings of neighbors.
• Organize a small town meeting at a community center, church or library meeting room.
• Ask to speak at meetings of your local school PTA, civic organizations, chamber of commerce or other organized groups.

• For example, the Attorney General of Massachusetts initiated a social media campaign to gain support for legislation that was being proposed for a law in that state. [1] X Trustworthy Source State of Massachusetts Official website for the State of Massachusetts Go to source
• Gather data from your online presence, such as the number of signatures on your petition or the number of followers or likes that you get on social media. This data can help generate support among legislators.

• For example, if you want to propose gun control legislation, but your representative is opposed to gun control, consider tailoring your bill to be more moderate. This may build stronger support for it.

• Congress.gov is a free, publicly accessible database. It has information about committee debates, bills currently before Congress, and upcoming hearing schedules. You can find this information at www.congress.gov.
• National Journal is a source that provides current research and information on a wide range of political topics in and around Washington, D.C. You can find the access to the National Journal at www.nationaljournal.com. [2] X Research source

Drafting the Bill

• For example, a bill titled “A Bill in Favor of Increased Gun Control” may turn away many people. In contrast, the same issue presented as “A Bill to Improve Safety in Public Places” may garner more positive support.

• For example, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 gave as its purpose: “The purpose and intent of this title are to ensure that all children have a fair and equal opportunity to obtain a high-quality education.”

• Alternatively, you could define the bill’s application with a statement of exception, and define those who aren't covered by the proposed legislation. For example, a gun control bill might state, “The requirements of this legislation do not apply to members of any local, state or federal law enforcement agency.”

• For example, it is not unusual for a word as common as “individual” to be defined, particularly if an “individual” might include not only living people but also corporations, partnerships or other legal entities.

• Plan the organization of your bill. Each main requirement should be written as a separate section and should be introduced using the labels "Section One," "Section Two," and so on. More specific, defining statements should be inserted as subsections.

• For example, if you're proposing a change to the national minimum wage, requiring the change to take immediate effect would cause chaos for many businesses, who would need to make changes to payroll systems and budgets and determine how the new wage would change their workforce.
• It's common for a bill to include a section that says, “This legislation becomes effective six months after the date of enactment.” If no effective date is provided, then the bill becomes effective immediately upon being signed by the President.

• As an example, your bill might include an appropriations section that says, “Congress shall appropriate such funds as necessary for up to ten years from the date of enactment of this legislation.” This would limit funding for ten years, unless Congress takes additional action within that time to extend the provision.

Getting Your Bill into Congress

• The link will lead you to the legislators’ Washington, D.C., addresses and official email addresses. Legislators also have local, in-state offices. For this information, search directly for your legislator's name, or check your state’s official government website.
• Some representatives conduct open office hours specifically to meet constituents. If that is not available, contact your legislator's office and schedule a meeting. You may need to meet or speak with an aide first, however.

• You should present your information as concisely as possible, and then offer more detail if the legislator wishes to review it.

• ↑ https://www.mass.gov/ago/news-and-updates/press-releases/2016/ag-healey-launches-social-media-campaign.html
• ↑ https://www.nationaljournal.com/bp/48249/about-national-journal
• ↑ https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
• ↑ https://www.genome.gov/12513982/how-a-bill-becomes-law/

Community Q&A

• Find and read examples of other bills online to get a feel for the language and body used in bill-writing. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• When conducting your initial investigation into your proposed measure, first check if there is conflicting enacted legislation with your idea. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you are passionate enough about the issue you are pursuing, don't let conflicting legislation defeat your efforts. You will, however, have to focus first on reconciling the legislative conflict before you can resume the pursuit of passing your bill. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• This is not a quick and easy process. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

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About This Article

Writing a bill for the United States Congress requires time and effort, but you don’t need to be a politician or lawyer to do it. Choose a bill for something that's already in the media and getting people talking so you can easily gather the support you'll need. You should also speak to people in your community about the issue and research the current data and statistics online. Then, draft your bill, including your suggested rules, provisions, and exceptions. When you're finished, meet with your congressional representative, who can help you get publicity for your bill and put it before congress. For more tips, including how to include funding details in your bill, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Legislative Process

"All Legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."

(Article I, Section 1, of the United States Constitution )

How Are Laws Made?

Laws begin as ideas. First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if released, debated and voted on. Again, a simple majority (51 of 100) passes the bill. Finally, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. The Government Publishing Office prints the revised bill in a process called enrolling. The President has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill.

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The first amendment, constitution 101 resources, 7.5 activity guide: building consensus.

This activity is part of Module 7: The Legislative Branch: How Congress Works from the  Constitution 101 Curriculum . 

Consensus building is not easy; it means that you have to stand by what you believe is right, and, simultaneously, let go of things you may want. When successful, the process may end with solutions that meet the needs of the larger community but may not be everything you want as an individual. Consensus building begins with establishing rules, norms, and assigning roles for discussion of the issue at hand.

The role of a member of Congress is to craft laws that are consistent with the Constitution and that promote the common good. However, the Constitution itself lays out a demanding process—one that slows politics down, promotes deliberation and debate, and (often) requires compromise. In this activity, you will explore what the Constitution says about how Congress works and get to experience how a bill becomes a law.

Because of the Constitution’s demanding lawmaking process, members of Congress have to work with other representatives to ensure that new laws are crafted in a way that draws broad support. This often requires representatives to balance the concerns of their own constituents—the members of their own community—and those held by voters in other communities. Many conversations (and debates) go into this process. To succeed, representatives must use this process to learn about the concerns of the other representatives, negotiate any factional divisions in Congress, reach a compromise, and build a law that attracts broad support. They must also ensure that their new law is consistent with the Constitution. This process is slow. This process takes time. However, the founders predicted that it would lead to better laws. Overall, the goal of the system is to ensure the passage of (good) laws that serve the common good and the rejection of bad ones that are the product of factional interests.

The process of this activity, where we create a new law, includes:

• Assign each group a region of the country to represent.
• Establish roles.
• Identify an issue.
• Paraphrase.
• Discuss in small groups (committees).
• Research (Constitution check).
• Develop solutions (draft legislation).
• Work in committees.
• Discuss in a large group.
• Send it to the president for signature.

Assigning Groups   

Your teacher will assign you a group and let you know which region of the country you will be representing.

Establishing Roles

Now that you have been assigned your group, work with one another to assign each member of the group a role—each role will come with a task to complete during the exercise. 

• Recorder: Completes KWL (described below), drafts group consensus on issue.
• Facilitator: Keeps conversation moving within small groups.
• Spokesperson: Summarizes group consensus and presents during small and whole group discussion. 
• Moderator: Facilitates whole group discussion.

Select the issue that your group will focus on. Think about a problem facing the country, or a program that you’d like to see implemented. 

Paraphrase the Issue in Your Own Words

Clearly and transparently state the issue at hand. For this assignment, we will be examining constitutional issues. Remember, the constitutionality of our proposal will turn on whether the Constitution grants Congress the power to address the issue.

• Paraphrase it in your own words to ensure your individual understanding of the problem. 
• Next, share with your small group; each member should check that they agree with the paraphrase. Is everyone saying the same thing?

Now it’s time to discuss the issue. This can be fun, but it can also be taxing on participants, as issues of national importance are often complex and having strongly held views is normal. To help, use the KWL method to guide you as you share your thoughts, ideas, and questions about the issue at hand.

• K now: What I know
• W ant: What I want to know
• L earned: What I learned

Research: Constitution Check

Focus on how to fix the issue at hand. Again, think about how you address the issue and proposed solutions through a constitutional lens. 

We begin by asking questions about the issue’s connection to the powers that the Constitution grants to Congress. 

• Where does the Constitution grant Congress the power to address this issue? 
• Does our approach conflict with any constitutional limits on the powers of the national government (e.g., the Bill of Rights, previous Supreme Court decisions)?
• Do we need to amend the Constitution to address this issue? What are the prospects of building a broad enough base of support to secure the ratification of a new constitutional amendment?

Research past cases, congressional proposals, state laws, and policy proposals that others have offered in the past. What has worked, and where did they stall? Were there any constitutional arguments offered on either side of the issue? In small deliberative group sessions, discuss ideas and options that you want to propose for the larger group. 

As a small group, you will begin to write your proposed bill. Get started by summarizing how your legislation will address the issue that you identified earlier in the assignment. Most legislation is pretty long, but a brief 3–5 point outline will work for this assignment.

Next, write a short persuasive paragraph summarizing why your proposal is consistent with the Constitution and the best solution to the problem. (Hint: Cite the specific constitutional text/clause that grants Congress the power to address this issue.) Include a list of the other options that the group considered, and why they were abandoned.    Committee Phase: Combine Groups

Generally speaking, before a bill is voted on by the full Senate, it first goes through the committee process. This is a smaller group of senators focused on a specific area of legislation. Your fellow committee members are there to debate your bill, offer amendments, and decide whether to recommend it to the full Senate. 

Work with another group, preferably one working on a similar issue. Share your solution with them and ask them for two to three ideas that could help improve it. If possible, try to combine the group's individual solutions into a single bill. 

Large Group Discussion

Now it’s time to bring your bill before the full Senate! Reconvene for a full class discussion. Share the solutions that your smaller groups decided to propose. Explain why they are consistent with the Constitution. Listen to the proposals from the other groups.

As a large group, your new goal is to narrow the list of proposals and identify bills that earn enough votes to pass both houses of Congress.  

Begin by aligning solutions that are similar, and compare and contrast the unique solutions. Combine the most popular ideas, and cut anything that is not gaining consensus. This will give you the best chance of creating a strong bill. Analyze the proposal(s) and ensure that they are consistent with the Constitution.

Constitutional Lens

• Does our approach conflict with any constitutional limits on the powers of the national government? (e.g., the Bill of Rights, previous Supreme Court decisions) 
• Do we need to amend the Constitution to address this issue? 
• Former Ideas/Past Congressional Proposals

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Model House of Representatives Project

Create a simulation

• Students will participate in a mock House of Representatives session where they write bills, introduce bills, debate and discuss bills in committees, take votes, and understand overrides of vetoes.
• Students will understand the process of how a bill does or does not become a law.

Expand Materials Materials

Student handouts, handout a: house bill writing directions, handout b: house bill sample 1, handout c: house bill sample 2, handout d: model house grading overview, handout e: bill-writing rubric, handout f: house folder, handout g: two party folders, handout h: four committee folders, handout i: bill introduction – speaker and clerk briefing, handout j: assignment of bills to committees – information for the speaker of the house, handout k: committee procedures, handout l: witness form, handout m: amendment form, handout n: committee tally sheet, handout o: house session procedures, handout p: caucus procedures, handout q: caucus position, handout r: house tally sheet, handout s: veto, handout t: override procedure, expand key terms key terms.

• House of Representatives
• United States Representative
• Speaker of the House
• Appropriations
• Ways and Means
• Political parties
• Party Clerk
• Party Leader
• House Clerk
• Committee Chair
• Committee Clerk

Expand Activities Activities

Activity I: How to Write A Bill » 45 minutes plus time to write bill

• Distribute student handout packet to each student and have them read and review the requirements silently.
• Review the step by step directions for writing a bill including topic, process, structure, appropriations, and penalties. Have students refer to the sample bills for clarification. Answer clarifying questions about the process.
• Also discuss the grading procedures and rubric with students.
• If time remains, have students begin to research and write their bills using the format provided in the handouts. You may assign bill writing as homework or as an in-class activity depending on the time allotted.
• Filibusters
• Representation of states versus districts
• Advice and consent on treaties, foreign policy, and executive branch nominations
• Trying impeachments
• Term length
• Committee structure
• Leadership and parties

Activity II: Convene and Organize the House » 45 minutes

• Box or tray to be used as the Hopper
• Tent cards for students
• Party pins for students
• Bill Roster
• House Calendar
• House Clerk Job Description
• Speaker of the House Job Description
• Republican Party Roster or Democratic Party Roster
• Republican Party Platform or Democratic Party Platform
• Party Clerk Job Description
• Party Leader Job Description
• Party Whip Job Description
• Nametags for students
• Committee Signs (one for each committee)
• Blank Committee Roster
• Blank Hearing Calendar
• Committee Chair Job Description
• Committee Clerk Job Description
• Place the Republican Party and Democratic Party signs on each side of the room.
• Place the Committee Signs in each corner of the room.
• Have students pick up a nametag as they enter the classroom. They should put Representative and their last name on the nametag (leaving room for their role title) and take out their completed bill as they sit down.
• Collect the students’ bills and instruct students that they should address each other as “Representative [Last Name]”. Remind students that each one of them is a full voting member of the House of Representatives, though the Speaker is not a voting member except in the case of a tie.
• On the board, list the titles of the jobs that will need to be filled. The elected positions will be the Party Clerk, Party Leader, Party Whip, Speaker , and House Clerk. The selected positions will be four Committee Chairs and four Committee Clerks . After the election, ask students to pick up the name tag with their new role listed on it.
• You may divide the class randomly into Democratic and Republican Parties. Or, for extra challenge, you might consider assigning students to the opposite party than the one they actually prefer. Mirror the real House by designating the party that currently holds a majority as the Majority Party. Give that party a thin majority of members. For example, with a class of 22, 12 majority and 10 minority members
• Direct students to move to the area of the room where their party sign is located and form a Party Caucus. Explain that a Party Caucus is a meeting of the party.
• Direct Party Clerk to conduct election of Party Leader, Whip, and (only for the Majority Party) Speaker per instructions on their job descriptions in the Party Folder.
• Hand out additional job descriptions to Party Leaders, Whips, and the Speaker as they are elected. Explain to students how the Speaker is elected in the real House.
• Conduct an election for House Clerk and give the House Clerk job description and House Folder.
• Have students determine the Committee Chair, who must be a majority party member. A suggestion is to use a variation of the seniority system by designating as Chair the oldest majority party member of the committee who does not yet have an additional office (Leader, etc.).
• The Chair selects the Committee Clerk. This can be anyone from either party who does not yet have an additional office.
• Give each Chair and Clerk their job description. Give the Clerk the Committee Folder and direct the Clerk to complete the Committee Roster with help from the other committee members.
• The remaining time should be used for parties to develop a tentative platform using research materials to determine your assigned party’s platform.
• The Party Leader will recognize party members to propose issues (not specific bills) to vote on. The Party Clerk will write them on Platform Sheet in the Party Folder.
• The Party Clerk then conducts a vote on each issue and records result on Platform Sheet.
• Vote is nonbinding on individual members (straw poll).
• At end of class, give the Speaker and House Clerk Handout F: Bill Introduction—Speaker and Clerk Briefing . Direct them to review for homework.
• Give the Speaker Handout G: Assignment of Bills to Committees—Information for the Speaker of the House to study.

Activity III: Bill Introductions and Committee Hearing Registrations » 60 minutes

• Have House, Committee, and Party folders, nametags, and party pins ready in a basket for each class to pick up as they enter the room.
• Students will have one minute each to introduce their bill.
• Students will explain to members why their bill should be supported. They should focus on the big picture as the details will be discussed in hearings.
• Each committee will compete for bills to be assigned to them.
• Direct the Speaker and the House Clerk to take out Handout F: Bill Introduction—Speaker and Clerk Briefing and Handout G: Assignment of Bills to Committees—Information for the Speaker of the House from the previous lesson. Answer any questions the Speaker and House Clerk may have about the procedures.
• The Speaker and House Clerk should have Handouts F and G in front of them.
• Explain to the members that as bills are introduced the Speaker will assign them to a committee. The sponsor will deliver the bill to the assigned committee.
• Each bill should have three witnesses—the sponsor, a proponent, and an opponent.
• Each bill sponsor should determine the proponent and opponent witnesses for their bill and remind them that they will need to read and research this.
• Continue until each bill has been introduced and is assigned to a committee.
• If one or more committees do not have bills assigned to them, the Speaker may decide whether to allow those committee members to join other committees, act as witnesses, or perform other tasks.
• The Speaker and House Clerk should complete Handout G: Assignment of Bills to Committees—Information for the Speaker of the House .
• At the end of class, give the Committee Chair and the Committee Clerk Handout H: Committee Procedures . Any participants who will be acting as witnesses should receive and complete Handout I: Witness Form .

Activity IV: Committee Hearings » 20-45 minutes

• Have House, Committee, and Party folders and nametags ready in a basket for each class to pick up as they enter the room.
• Members should sit with their committees.
• Distribute many copies of Handout J: Amendment Form and Handout K: Committee Tally Sheet to the Committee Clerk .
• Brief the House Clerk and ensure that he or she has the Bill Roster and House Calendar available. Direct them to steps two and three in their job description when committees bring them the completed bills.
• Brief all members on the general procedures from Handout H: Committee Procedures . Urge students to strictly follow the written procedures step-by-stop for each bill.
• Direct the Committee Clerks to read Handout H: Committee Procedures aloud to the members before the Chair selects the first Bill to be heard. Each committee will work to review the bills assigned to their committees simultaneously.
• When the hearings end, give the S peaker, House Clerk, Party Leaders, Party Whips, and Party Clerks Handout O: House Session Procedures to study for homework.

To save time, you may reduce the time to testify or question witnesses, and/or reduce the number of amendments allowed for each Bill.

Activity V: Party Caucus » 90-135 minutes

• Members should sit with their party caucus.
• Give each Party Leader and Party Clerk Handout P: Caucus Procedure .
• Give each Party Clerk Handout Q: Caucus Position .
• The Party Leader and Party Clerk of each party should review the procedures form with their party members.

Activity VI: House Session » 45 minutes

• Have House and Party folders, nametags, and party pins ready in a basket for each class to pick up as they enter the room. Ensure that the Speaker has a gavel.
• Have students sit with their party in the House Session.
• The Speaker and the House Clerk should be in the front of the room.
• Distribute many copies of Handout R: House Tally Sheet to the House Clerk .
• Brief other members quickly on the general House Session procedures.
• Yield to the Speaker .
• The Speaker will then follow the directions on Handout O: House Session Procedures to conduct the House Session to discuss and vote on surviving Bills.

Activity VII: Veto/Override/Adjourn » 30-45 minutes

• Prior to this step, review the Bills passed in the House Session and determine which to sign and which to veto using Handout S: Veto . Have the vetoed Bills ready to give to the Speaker.
• Give the Speaker and the House Clerk Handout T: Override Procedure and review it with them away from other students.
• Give the Speaker the first vetoed Bill.
• Yield to the Speaker to follow Handout T: Override Procedure .
• Continue until all Bills are reviewed.
• The Speaker will adjourn the House.
• Debrief the activity with students by having them reflect on their experiences as Members of the House and the roles they played on committees, in parties, or in administrative roles.

Note: You may ask for students’ help to reassemble the materials in the folders to use for the activity in the future.

Related Resources

Handout B: How A Bill Becomes A Law

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Lesson Plan: How A Bill Becomes A Law

Senator Boxer Explains How a Bill Becomes a Law

Senator Barbara Boxer (D), from California explains in simple terms how a bill becomes a law.

Description

The Legislative Branches powers are enumerated in Article I of the United States Constitution. But their main power is to make laws as identified in Sections One and Seven. How do they do this? How does the Senate and the House of Representatives pass laws for the entire nation? Using the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and C-SPAN videos as an example, students will identify and analyze the process of how a bill becomes a law. Students will be able to explain and order seven basic steps for how a bill becomes a law.

Background Information:

Have the students review the following background information about how a bill becomes a law.

Students should be able to explain the following steps. Student can use the graphic linked below to review this.

Graphic: 7 Steps: How A Bill Becomes A Law (Google Slide)

1) Introduction of bill in either the House or Senate

2) Work on bill is done in committees

3) Debate on bill on the House or Senate floor

4) Vote on the bill

5) Send bill to other chamber

6) Repeat process (steps 1-4)

• 7) If bill has passed both houses, send to President to sign or veto

Vocabulary Preview:

After reviewing the background information, have students test their understanding of the following vocabulary words. You may print this out or you may assign it to each student individually using Google Classroom or Schoology or another classroom platform. This activity is divided into two pages.

Activity: Vocabulary Drag and Drop (Google Slide)

Chambers of the U.S. Congress

House of Representatives

• Floor Debate
• Roll Call Vote

INTRODUCTION:

Depending on the students' comfort level with this topic, choose one of the following two video clips to provide an explanation of the lawmaking process:

Video Clip 1: Senator Boxer Explains How a Bill Becomes a Law (0:36)

Video Clip 2: How a Bill Becomes a Law (9:55)

After viewing the clips, review the 7 basic steps for how a bill becomes a law.

Then, have students complete the sorting activity linked below. Remember to make a copy of the sorting activity before assigning to each student. You will be able to post this assignment in Google Classroom, Schoology, or other platforms.

Activity: Sorting the Steps in the Lawmaking process (Google Slide)

Before moving on to the next step, have students pair up and tell each other the 7 steps in the correct order.

Assign students to complete the How A Bill Becomes A Law H.R. 6201 Assignment linked below. Students will independently work through the Google Slides presentation, viewing video clips and accessing sites to answer questions within the presentation.

Assignment: How A Bill Becomes A Law H.R. 6201 (Google Slides)

Remember to make a copy of the document before assigning to each student. You will be able to post this assignment in Google Classroom, Schoology, or other platforms.

Teachers can find the answer key to this assignment here .

Video Clips and Links:

Historical Context

1) Introduction of bill in either the House or Senate (Congressional Chronicle)

2) Work on bill is done in committees (Congressional Chronicle)

3) Debate on bill on the House or Senate floor (2 Clips) Rep. Brady (R-RX) & Rep. Lowey (D-NY)

5) Send bill to other chamber (0:59)

6) Repeat process (steps 1-4) (Congressional Chronicle)

Students will use C-SPAN’s Congressional Chronicle Site to research a current bill in Congress identifying the stages the case has gone through in the lawmaking process and present to the class. Students will complete the Current Bill Graphic Organizer .

EXTENSION ACTIVITY:

Students can create an infographic or comic of the process of How a Bill Becomes a Law, illustrating the 7 steps.

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• House Of Representatives

Learn by doing: A bill passage simulation for Intro to American Politics students

Renée Van Vechten , Professor of Political Science, University of Redlands

This essay originally appeared in the Political Science Educator’s Summer 2018 issue.

Why lecture when your students can practice to learn? Realizing that lecturing alone is the least effective method for teaching “how a bill becomes a law,” I regularly incorporate a three-day bill passage simulation in my Introduction to American Politics class so that students learn more about a policy of interest, remember the steps in the lawmaking process, and get a taste of power—as wielded by the House majority party. We usually limit the process to the House alone but the Senate process can be added if time permits. Along the way, action is interspersed with short lectures or explanations about the process and key terms (outlined in lecture slides).

Preparation Stage

Choose a bill . We begin at least one class period ahead of the scheduled simulation by generating a list of possible bills. What does the class want to legislate? It’s best to ask students first to think about what kind of law they would enact if they had the power to do so, and tell them you’ll soliciting ideas for a bill that the entire class will consider. The guidelines are simple: (a) it needs to be short, which excludes complex health care reform and farm bills for example, as ideally the proposal should fit onto one page; (b) it should be an issue that will make it through the process, i.e. has the support of the majority party (we’ve fudged this in the past, given their strong preferences).

I’ve found that written suggestions yield more variety than verbal suggestions. If you’d like your students to get to know the website where current bill files are available and past bills are archived ( https://www.congress.gov/ ) you could assign the task of finding an actual bill for consideration. In a smaller class, you can collect and quickly organize their suggestions and have students vote on them. With a larger class, you may need to organize their suggestions and return with a list of

possibilities for a vote. If few ideas are flowing, you might prompt them with a short list. Many issues can help promote clearer understanding of federalism and the power Congress exerts over state affairs through grants and unfunded mandates (see the short list of bills my students have considered over the years).

Assign Parties. That same day, divide your class into Democrats and Republicans, giving a proportional advantage to the current majority party in the House. We follow current party divisions. Explain what a caucus is and allow them to regroup into their respective party caucuses. Set aside about 20 minutes for them to get to know each other, quickly discuss how their party would like to approach the bill and consider volunteers for leadership positions.

Prep the Bill. Take at least a day or two to organize your resources. Before the next class you’ll need to redraft the (real) bill they’ve selected or create one quickly. I use a template that contains the usual legal jargon and, using actual bill language either in whole or in part, I formulate a one-page document. Use your best judgment about what to include, such as definitions, subsections, and so on. Vague terms, suspect wording, and dollar amounts can be amended later. Later in class I distribute hard copies with the bill passage process outlined on the reverse, and key discussion questions listed as well—items on which they should reflect throughout the exercise.

Usually I email the bill to students and post it to the course webpage immediately (within a day) so that they can start preparing a position statement, an assignment that’s included in the syllabus. Students may assume the identity of a Congress person or a lobbyist who must make the case either for or against the bill in a committee hearing. The statement must be plausible and evidence-based. All are invited to address the committee in a soon-to-be-held “formal” hearing (a good place for a few extra points to incentivize participation, if that’s part of your approach; otherwise, they may be randomly called).

Introduce the bill passage process. By this point in the semester we have already generally discussed the concept of representation, reelection strategies, and how the House is organized. Before the simulation commences, with the help of lecture slides I introduce the bill passage process specifically, starting with the typical sources of bills, the importance of staff, historical rates of bill passage, and so forth.

Second caucus meeting. Next, they break for their second caucus meeting, during which they will select their speaker, majority leaders, and the committee chairs (one for the standing committee and another for Rules). You may opt to choose certain students for those these roles, including those of committee members, as students don’t usually succeed in spontaneously choosing an inclusive set of participants. In caucus, which should last about 15 to 20 minutes, they should also discuss their legislative strategy. Are they happy with the way the bill is written? What changes do they want to engineer? Who should suggest amendments? What are their collective goals?

Bill introduction. The simulation begins with the bill’s introduction. A student from the majority party who claims authorship of the bill puts it “across the desk” (i.e. puts it in the hopper; i.e. hands it to the clerk—the professor—for processing). The bill is assigned a number and given a summary reading, and the Speaker is asked to refer it to the appropriate committee. At this point, as a class we visit the https://www.house.gov/committees list and identify the proper referral. With more time it’s appropriate to explore the phenomenon of multiple referrals and the role of subcommittees; we also discuss the Speaker’s role and majority party’s control over the process. Our classes are 80 minutes long; depending on the depth of discussion, sometimes we are able to appoint committee members and convene the first hearing without delay. The chair (or the professor) compiles a list of witnesses who will appear at the hearing. This concludes the first day.

Hearing in standing committee. Students should arrive the second day with a hard copy of their prepared statements for or against the bill. The committee hearing takes on an air of legitimacy when the committee members convene at the front of the classroom and face the audience (witnesses should always be seated). With prompting from the clerk (professor), the chair gavels the meeting to order and calls witnesses to testify for or against the bill, beginning with the bill’s author. Remarks are generally limited to three minutes, and committee members are expected to ask follow-up questions. As committee members become more comfortable in their roles, the questioning tends to become more targeted. If necessary, as committee clerk I may pass a note suggesting a question or a direction in which to take the discussion. A hearing can last as long as there are witnesses and questions that need answering.

In some semesters I have arranged for a final witness or two to appear as “experts”—either a willing colleague, residence life staff members, or others who can bring a sense of realism to the simulation. Although the information they offer can be invaluable, their testimony can easily intimidate students, so it’s important to hold their contributions until last.

Mark-up session in committee and vote. During the mark-up session that follows the hearing, the entire audience is welcome to suggest how to amend the bill. If mark-ups are limited to the committee members only, disinterest among the class sets in quickly. Changes to the bill are tracked on a large screen, and the committee hearing will conclude once acceptable changes are made or the time is up. Here students start to understand the meaning of the phrase, “the devil is in the details,” as passages are rewritten or new language is introduced, thereby changing the purposes or consequences of the bill. After the votes are taken—and the final bill should be acceptable to the majority so that it can get to the House floor—the bill is “reported out” (this step is merely explained) and it moves to the House Rules Committee, which either convenes immediately or on the third day of the simulation.

Third party caucus and Rules Committee meeting. The class is introduced to types of rules (basic rather than complex) and recent patterns, and a visit to the Rules Committee website reveals what a package of rules looks like. Although almost all rules are “closed” today with the intention to shut out the minority party, we deliberately allow one or two amendments from the minority party (for the sake of argument), as well as any from the majority. They break for one more caucus meeting and strategize about possible amendments. Sometimes the majority party will have some fun by proposing a change simply to hype up the minority party, or vice versa, but overall the students suggest thoughtful changes because they’re invested in the outcome by this point. The Rules Committee quickly assembles a resolution to consider the bill immediately, designating the number of amendments that will be allowed, time for debate over amendments, and the time for general debate. (A pro forma vote on the resolution can be taken later.)

Floor session. We review yet again the steps we’ve traversed (repetition is essential) and proceed to floor session via Committee of the Whole. Departing slightly from normal procedures, we first dispense with amendments by debating them one by one (votes on amendments are usually held until after the Committee of the Whole dissolves), and then move to general debate. At this point every student in the class must rise to make at least a one-sentence statement explaining his or her position and urge a “yes” or “no” vote. Very large classes may preclude full participation, but a statement can take as little as 15 seconds per person, and this is the time for students to inhabit their roles and make an impassioned appeal to their peers (within time limits).

Following the last statement, the Speaker assumes the gavel, takes a vote, and the simulation concludes. Except when a poison pill has been creatively attached at the last minute, a bill usually passes with applause.

Wrap-up. Immediately after the simulation I explain how the bill moves through the Senate. Later, I allow plenty of time for the important questions students raise about lawmaking generally (usually I ask them to write them down). In turn I ask them to consider how the majority controls the process, the extent of minority party power in both chambers, where bipartisanship and compromise can be found, the importance and roles of different leaders, points at which bills can be killed, and the factors influencing Congress members’ decisions. I also show a short video (one and a half minutes, shown twice) about what Schoolhouse Rock missed in depicting how a bill becomes a law ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH0Hl31vdF4 ), which generates further clarification and discussion.

Whereas this simulation hews to the traditional bill passage process, “unorthodox” lawmaking paths could be introduced, and when I’ve had more time, on the night before the floor debates I have inundated my students’ inboxes with letters from “lobbyists” from both sides representing critical interests.

Evidence for the efficacy of this activity can be found in responses to midterm and final exam questions that require students to explain the major steps through which a bill passes to become a law. Almost invariably, the students who miss the exercise or any part of it are liable to confuse or omit large parts of the process from their responses—despite assigned reading that covers it. This foray into policy research also can motivate students to deepen their policy knowledge through upper division courses and internships, and it has helped inspire recruits for my Congress course. I’m certain that a more rigorous assessment tool would demonstrate wider benefits of this active learning exercise, and after almost fifteen years of bill passage simulations, I still highly recommend it.

Sample of Bills Suggested and Considered by Students in Introduction to American Politics

Political Science Educator: Editor’s Reading List   presents select PSE articles from the previous 15 years. APSA Educate is please to announce it will feature all future Political Science Educator ‘s issues.

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Writing your Elected Representatives

 Tips on Writing to Your Elected Officials

Letters and faxes are an extremely effective way of communicating with your elected officials. Many legislators believe that a letter represents not only the position of the writer but also many other constituents who did not take the time to write. 

These tips will help increase the effectiveness of your letter: 

Keep it brief: Letters should never be longer than one page, and should be limited to one issue. Legislative aides read many letters on many issues in a day, so your letter should be as concise as possible.

State Who You Are and What You Want Up Front: In the first paragraph, tell your legislators that you are a constituent and identify the issue about which you are writing. If your letters pertains to a specific piece of legislation, it helps to identify it by its bill number (e.g. H.R. ____ or S. _____).

Hit your three most important points: Choose the three strongest points that will be most effective in persuading legislators to support your position and flesh them out. 

Personalize your letter: Tell your elected official why this legislation matters in his community or state. If you have one, include a personal story that shows how this issue affects you and your family. A constituent's personal stories can be the very persuasive as your legislator shapes his or her position.

Personalize your relationship: Have you ever voted for this elected official? Have you ever contributed time or money to his or her campaign? Are you familiar with her through any business or personal relationship? If so, tell your elected official or his staff person. The closer your legislator feels to you, the more powerful your argument is likely to be.

You are the Expert: Remember that your legislator's job is to represent you. You should be courteous and to the point, but don't be afraid to take a firm position. Remember that often your elected official may know no more about a given issue than you do. 

You can get the contact information for your Members of Congress at Congress.org .

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Analyzing a Legislative Bill Student Activity

In this activity, activity overview, template and class instructions, more storyboard that activities.

• This Activity is Part of Many Teacher Guides

Use this lesson plan with your class!

Once students understand how bills become law, it's helpful for them to dig deeper and analyze legislative bills. In this activity, students are required to research a bill and create a Frayer Model that visualizes a bill or resolution in either the U.S Senate or House of Representatives .

Students should answer the following questions in corresponding boxes of their storyboard.

• Title of your bill and number
• Problem Your Bill is Addressing
• Description of your bill
• Should it be passed? Why?

Directions For Students:

• Go to this web address: https://thomas.loc.gov/home/bills_res.html
• Click “Search Bill Text”
• Click on “Browse By Bill Number” and choose one of the House or Senate lists
• (Optional) Using the search bar to find a topic of interest

Additional Information: In order to successfully accomplish this activity, teachers should browse the website beforehand to comfortably navigate the bills and resolutions page. Teachers should reinforce that most bills are created to either solve a problem or facilitate a facet of society. As the website is constantly updated with new bills and resolutions, teachers should encourage students to avoid certain bills (giving permission for a champion sports team to see the President of the United States, for example) and encourage them to find a bill or resolution that is truly geared at improving society.

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a frayer model analyzing a legislative bill that you chose from the website your teacher provided.

• Click "Start Assignment".
• In the first cell, identify the title and bill number.
• In the second cell, summarize the problem your bill is addressing.
• In the third cell, describe the bill.
• In the fourth cell, identify if the bill should be passed and why.
• Create an illustration for each cell using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
• Save and exit when you're done.

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-12

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Group

Type of Activity: Frayer Models

Legislative Branch

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