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APPROPRIATIONS BY CONGRESS. The power to appropriate funds gives Congress influence over all activities of the federal government. Article 1, section 9 of the U.S. Constitution specifies that "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." Through appropriations Congress can fund or frustrate a president's programs, dictate policy to government agencies, and reward members with federal projects in their home districts and states. Writing in the Federalist Papers, James Madison described appropriations as Congress's "most complete and effective weapon … for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure."

Congress first enacted all appropriations in a single bill. As spending grew, it divided appropriations into bills with specific purposes. Until the Civil War, the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Finance Committee both raised and appropriated federal funds. To establish better control over spending, the House of Representatives in 1865 and the Senate in 1867 created their own Appropriations Committees. Each has thirteen subcommittees to handle specific appropriations. The chairs of these subcommittees hold such authority that they are known as the "cardinals" of Capitol Hill.

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1. The Bill is sent to the President

When a bill passes in the House and Senate and is sent to the President for a signature, it is said to be enrolled.

The President can take one of several possible actions:

1. The president may take no action. If Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after ten days.

2. A pocket veto occurs when the president takes no action and Congress has adjourned its session. In this case, the bill dies and does not become a law.

3. The president may decide that the bill is unwise or unnecessary and veto the bill.

4. The president may sign the bill, and the bill becomes law.

The Congress Bill Search website indicates when a bill is sent to the President and whether it becomes law.

2. The Bill Becomes a LawOR

If the President signs the bill, or takes no action while Congress is in session, then the bill becomes a law.

If Congress overrides a presidential veto, the bill becomes a law.

New public and private laws are prepared and published by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Congress Bill Search lists public laws by law number.

3. The Bill is Vetoed

If the President decides a bill is unwise or unnecessary, the President does not sign the bill, but issues an official statement of objections to the bill called a veto.

The President can veto a bill indirectly by withholding approval of the bill until Congress has adjourned sine die. This informal way of preventing a bill from becoming a law is called a pocket veto.

When the President issues a veto, the bill returns to its House of origin.

Objections to the veto are read and debated on the House Floor.

If there are enough objections in the House to the presidential veto, a vote is taken to override (see Step 13), or overrule, the veto.

If the House does not vote on a veto override, the bill is stalled and does not become a law.

A tally of presidential vetoes and pocket vetoes is available on the Clerk's website in Historical Highlights.

4. The Veto is Overridden

If enough Members object to the presidential veto, a vote is taken to override, or overrule the veto.

A two-thirds vote or greater is needed in both the House and the Senate to override the President's veto. If two-thirds of both houses of Congress vote successfully to override the veto, the bill becomes a law.

If the House and Senate do not override the veto, the bill "dies" and does not become a law.

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1. Introduction of a Bill

Bills can be introduced whenever the House is in session.

In the House, bills are officially introduced by placing them in a special box known as the hopper, which is located at the rostrum, or Speaker's platform. In the Senate, a bill is introduced by placing it on the presiding officer's desk or by formally introducing it on the Senate Floor.

In the House, a bill clerk assigns the bill a number. House bills begin with "H.R." Resolutions begin with "H. Res.," "H. Con. Res.," or "H. J. Res," depending what type they are. Senate bills begin with "S."

The first reading of a bill means the bill's title is read on the House Floor. The bill is then referred to a committee for markup.

The Library of Congress then receives an electronic copy of the bill and posts the bill and its status on Congress Bill Search, a public website.

2. Committee Action

The bill is referred to the appropriate committee. The 19 House standing committees and 16 Senate committees each have jurisdiction over different areas of public policy, such as agriculture, education and the workforce, and international relations.

The bill is placed on the committee's calendar.

The committee debates on and marks up the proposed bill, and may or may not make changes to it.

Committee members vote to accept or reject the changes made during the markup session.

If a bill includes many amendments, the committee may decide to introduce a "clean bill" with a new number.

The committee votes on the bill after it has been debated and/or amended.

A committee may stop action, or "table" a bill it deems unwise or unnecessary.

Congress Bill Search, a Library of Congress website, posts the status of the bill and updates on major action taken on the bill. Each version of the text of a bill is posted on Congress Bill Search, under Text of Legislation.

If the bill is not tabled, it will be sent either to a subcommittee for intensive study, or reported back to the House Floor.

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1. Beginning of a Bill

An idea for a bill may come from anybody, however only Members of Congress can introduce a bill in Congress. Bills can be introduced at any time the House is in session.

There are four basic types of legislation: bills; joint resolutions; concurrent resolutions; and simple resolutions.

A bill's type must be determined. A private bill affects a specific person or organization rather than the population at large. A public bill is one that affects the general public.

2. Proposal of a Bill

After the idea for a bill is developed and the text of the bill is written, a Member of Congress must officially introduce the bill in Congress by becoming the bill's sponsor.

Representatives usually sponsor bills that are important to them and their constituents.

Representatives who sponsor bills will try to gain support for them, in hopes that they will become laws.

Two or more sponsors for the same bill are called co-sponsors.