What’s a Senate Bill?

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Senate bills are introduced into the US legislature by citizens, lawmakers, or the president. Bills are assigned a number and sponsor, then sent to committees for review. If passed, they go to the House of Representatives or VP for signature. Copies can be found online or in libraries.

In the federal government of the United States, a Senate bill is a tool to introduce a bill into the legislature. From introduction to passage or defeat, every bill in the Senate follows an official agenda, although not all bills pass the Senate. There are two types of bills: public and private. Officially each is assigned a number and at least one promoter, and the president of the Senate refers the bill to the competent committee for hearings and investigative sessions. People can find bills in a number of places, including the Senate Document Room and most depository libraries.

There are several ways people can submit bills to the United States Senate. Citizens, special groups, and lobbyists can propose them through their lawmakers, or lawmakers can draft legislation on their own initiative. Other times, the president can recommend bills through his party leaders or directly to the Senate. Every Senate bill has an individual sponsor or a group of sponsors, such as an organization. Invoices are labeled with the sponsor’s name and an assigned number.

Once the secretary of the Senate introduces a bill to the Senate, the bill is sent to the appropriate committee or committees. Some examples of Senate committees are those on agriculture, nutrition, forestry, as well as appropriations and veterans’ affairs. Other groups are considered select or special committees. These include the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, among others. Typically, the Senate has 20 committees, with 68 subcommittees and four joint committees, such as the Joint Committee on Taxation.

After the Senate bill goes through the committee process, the Senate Clerk gives it a new issue and reintroduces it on the Senate floor to read it in full. The Senate then reviews each committee’s recommendations and debates the bill. If the vote passes, the bill goes to the House of Representatives or the Vice President for signature. If the Senate amends the Senate bill, it goes back to the House for further debate.

If a person wants to read a copy of a Senate bill, they can find copies in several places. Online access to invoices includes official websites, such as THOMAS, offered by the US Library of Congress, and the Government Printing Office (GPO). Printed copies are generally available at depository libraries, the GPO, and the Senate Document Room. Congressional Record also publishes some bills.




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