# How a bill becomes a law (US)

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv0kpicg001ljn06oe9ai8ve
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 34 steps across 4 layers
- Persona: A member of Congress, The House, The Senate, The President, A committee, The public

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **Are there 60 votes to end debate (cloture)?** (The Senate floor; painful): Debated: critics say the 60-vote rule lets a minority block a majority; supporters say it forces compromise

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How a bill becomes a law (US)

Lanes:
- A member of Congress: person / role (id `member`)
- The House: person / role (id `house`)
- The Senate: person / role (id `senate`)
- The President: person / role (id `pres`)
- A committee: person / role (id `cmte`)
- The public: person / role (id `public`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **An idea becomes a bill with a sponsor** [start; A member of Congress; id `b1`]
   - then The bill is introduced and sent to a committee
2. **The bill is introduced and sent to a committee** [task; The House; id `b2`]
   - then Hearings, expert testimony and a markup
3. **Hearings, expert testimony and a markup** [subprocess; A committee; id `b3`], opens the detail layer "Inside the committee"
   - then Does the committee advance it?
4. **Does the committee advance it?** [decision; A committee; id `b4`]
   - if "Yes" go to Floor debate and a vote: a simple majority passes it; if "No" go to It dies in committee, which is where most bills end
5. **Floor debate and a vote: a simple majority passes it** [task; The House; id `b5`]
   - then Does it pass?
6. **Does it pass?** [decision; The House; id `b6`]
   - if "Yes" go to The Senate takes it up: committee, then the floor; if "No" go to The bill fails
7. **The Senate takes it up: committee, then the floor** [subprocess; The Senate; id `b7`], opens the detail layer "The Senate floor"
   - then Does it pass in exactly the same form?
8. **Does it pass in exactly the same form?** [decision; The Senate; id `b8`]
   - if "Yes" go to The President signs or vetoes; if "No — different versions" go to The two chambers negotiate one version
9. **The President signs or vetoes** [task; The President; id `b9`]
   - then Signed?
10. **Signed?** [decision; The President; id `b10`]
   - if "Signed" go to It becomes law; if "Vetoed" go to Do two-thirds of both chambers override the veto?
11. **It becomes law** [task; The public; id `b11`]
   - then Courts may review it later
12. **Courts may review it later** [subprocess; The public; id `b13`], opens the detail layer "Constitutional challenge"
   - (no next step recorded)
13. **Do two-thirds of both chambers override the veto?** [decision; The House; id `b12`]
   - if "Yes" go to It becomes law; if "No" go to The veto stands
14. **The veto stands** [end; The President; id `b12a`]
15. **The two chambers negotiate one version** [task; The Senate; id `b8a`]
   - then Both chambers vote on the final text
16. **Both chambers vote on the final text** [task; The House; id `b8b`]
   - then The President signs or vetoes
17. **The bill fails** [end; The House; id `b6a`]
18. **It dies in committee, which is where most bills end** [end; A committee; id `b4a`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_member["A member of Congress"]
    n_b1(["An idea becomes a bill with a sponsor"])
  end
  subgraph l_house["The House"]
    n_b2["The bill is introduced and sent to a committee"]
    n_b5["Floor debate and a vote: a simple majority passes it"]
    n_b6{"Does it pass?"}
    n_b6a(["The bill fails"])
    n_b8b["Both chambers vote on the final text"]
    n_b12{"Do two-thirds of both chambers override the veto?"}
  end
  subgraph l_senate["The Senate"]
    n_b7[["The Senate takes it up: committee, then the floor"]]
    n_b8{"Does it pass in exactly the same form?"}
    n_b8a["The two chambers negotiate one version"]
  end
  subgraph l_pres["The President"]
    n_b9["The President signs or vetoes"]
    n_b10{"Signed?"}
    n_b12a(["The veto stands"])
  end
  subgraph l_cmte["A committee"]
    n_b3[["Hearings, expert testimony and a markup"]]
    n_b4{"Does the committee advance it?"}
    n_b4a(["It dies in committee, which is where most bills end"])
  end
  subgraph l_public["The public"]
    n_b11["It becomes law"]
    n_b13[["Courts may review it later"]]
  end
  n_b1 --> n_b2
  n_b2 --> n_b3
  n_b3 --> n_b4
  n_b4 -->|"Yes"| n_b5
  n_b4 -->|"No"| n_b4a
  n_b5 --> n_b6
  n_b6 -->|"Yes"| n_b7
  n_b6 -->|"No"| n_b6a
  n_b7 --> n_b8
  n_b8 -->|"Yes"| n_b9
  n_b8 -->|"No — different versions"| n_b8a
  n_b8a --> n_b8b
  n_b8b --> n_b9
  n_b9 --> n_b10
  n_b10 -->|"Signed"| n_b11
  n_b10 -->|"Vetoed"| n_b12
  n_b11 --> n_b13
  n_b12 -->|"Yes"| n_b11
  n_b12 -->|"No"| n_b12a
```

### Inside the committee (detail of step "Hearings, expert testimony and a markup")

Lanes:
- A committee: person / role (id `cmte`)
- The public: person / role (id `public`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **The chair schedules a hearing** [start; A committee; id `c1`]
   - then Witnesses and experts testify
2. **Witnesses and experts testify** [task; The public; id `c2`]
   - then Members propose amendments
3. **Members propose amendments** [task; A committee; id `c3`]
   - then Markup: vote on each amendment
4. **Markup: vote on each amendment** [task; A committee; id `c4`]
   - then Report the bill to the full chamber
5. **Report the bill to the full chamber** [end; A committee; id `c5`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_cmte["A committee"]
    n_c1(["The chair schedules a hearing"])
    n_c3["Members propose amendments"]
    n_c4["Markup: vote on each amendment"]
    n_c5(["Report the bill to the full chamber"])
  end
  subgraph l_public["The public"]
    n_c2["Witnesses and experts testify"]
  end
  n_c1 --> n_c2
  n_c2 --> n_c3
  n_c3 --> n_c4
  n_c4 --> n_c5
```

### Constitutional challenge (detail of step "Courts may review it later")

Lanes:
- The public: person / role (id `public`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Someone sues, claiming the law violates the Constitution** [start; The public; id `k1`]
   - then Courts review it
2. **Courts review it** [task; The public; id `k2`]
   - then Is it upheld?
3. **Is it upheld?** [decision; The public; id `k3`]
   - if "Yes" go to It stays in force; if "No" go to Struck down in whole or in part
4. **It stays in force** [end; The public; id `k4`]
5. **Struck down in whole or in part** [end; The public; id `k5`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_public["The public"]
    n_k1(["Someone sues, claiming the law violates the Constitution"])
    n_k2["Courts review it"]
    n_k3{"Is it upheld?"}
    n_k5(["Struck down in whole or in part"])
    n_k4(["It stays in force"])
  end
  n_k1 --> n_k2
  n_k2 --> n_k3
  n_k3 -->|"Yes"| n_k4
  n_k3 -->|"No"| n_k5
```

### The Senate floor (detail of step "The Senate takes it up: committee, then the floor")

Lanes:
- The Senate: person / role (id `senate`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **The leader schedules floor time** [start; The Senate; id `s1`]
   - then Debate can continue with no time limit
2. **Debate can continue with no time limit** [task; The Senate; id `s2`]
   - then Are there 60 votes to end debate (cloture)?
3. **Are there 60 votes to end debate (cloture)?** [decision; The Senate; id `s3`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Debated: critics say the 60-vote rule lets a minority block a majority; supporters say it forces compromise
   - if "Yes" go to Final vote: a simple majority passes it; if "No" go to A filibuster blocks it, or it is negotiated and changed
4. **Final vote: a simple majority passes it** [end; The Senate; id `s4`]
5. **A filibuster blocks it, or it is negotiated and changed** [task; The Senate; id `s3a`]
   - then Try again for 60 votes
6. **Try again for 60 votes** [task; The Senate; id `s3b`]
   - then Are there 60 votes to end debate (cloture)?

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_senate["The Senate"]
    n_s1(["The leader schedules floor time"])
    n_s2["Debate can continue with no time limit"]
    n_s3{"Are there 60 votes to end debate (cloture)?"}
    n_s3a["A filibuster blocks it, or it is negotiated and changed"]
    n_s3b["Try again for 60 votes"]
    n_s4(["Final vote: a simple majority passes it"])
  end
  n_s1 --> n_s2
  n_s2 --> n_s3
  n_s3 -->|"Yes"| n_s4
  n_s3 -->|"No"| n_s3a
  n_s3a --> n_s3b
  n_s3b --> n_s3
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
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```