Law New
The process by which a bill becomes law is an important part of legislative history and provides the public with a way to understand how Congress makes laws. A bill can be proposed by any member of the House or Senate, during an election campaign, or by citizens who petition a legislator to make a change in existing law. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee where its staff writes a comprehensive report which explains why the legislation should be approved. In addition, all changes in existing law must be clearly identified and any executive communications about the bill must also be included in the committee report.