The Bill

"The Bill"

While reading the book "The Bill" it was found that there was much value in the text. The book did not only give insight into the legislative process, but it also showed other vital aspects of the government. The media as well as the public play a role in the process of enacting a bill. The act of making a proposed idea a law is a long and complicated process involving many steps. As I first read the text, the process seemed very confusing. But I soon came to realize that rules and procedures I was reading clearly define the steps that apply to every bill.

Ideas for bills come from many different sources, and in the case of "The Bill" the proposal for the National Service Bill came from Charles Moskos and Will Marshall. As for the actual draft, Shirley Sagwa and Melanne Verveer wrote it by Clinton's inauguration. The proposed bill must also have a budget, because you cannot have a bill and no funding. The bill must also have sponsors and in the case of the National Service act it had over 200 co-sponsors and Edward M. Kennedy as a prime sponsor. The bill must be distributed and referred to any committees that it associates with. The National Service Bill had to be referred to the Labor and Human Resources Committee, the Senate Labor Committee, the House Education and Labor Committee, and the Senate Government Affairs Committee.

After the bill has been referred to its committee, the committee holds a public hearing. At the hearing the sponsors of the bill have an opportunity to explain its purpose to state officials, lobbyists, and the general public. If the public does not support the bill there is no point in trying to make it a law. This is also an opportunity for the media to put a positive or negative spin on the proposed bill.

The committee(s) is also allowed to suggest amendments to clarify, restrict, expand and or modify the bill. In the case of the National Service Bill, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, the ranking Republican on the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee prepared amendments to be added to the National Service Bill in order to modify and restrict the bill. But before the bill hits the floor, it must be assigned an (S) Senate number or an (H.R.) House of Representatives number. The bill is then put on the floor for debate and must be passed through the House and the Senate. The committee must approve