Fourth Grade
Worksheets
How Laws Are Made
Our nation's laws are made in Congress. One part of Congress is called the Senate. It has one hundred members. The other part is the House of Representatives. It has four hundred thirty-five members.
First, a bill is written. It may start out in the Senate or in the House of Representatives. The bill is given a number. In the Senate, the number has an "S" for Senate in front. If the bill starts in the House, the number has "HR" in front of it. We will look at a bill that starts in the Senate.
All senators are given a copy of the bill. The bill goes to a committee. This small group of senators looks over the bill. They talk to people about the bill in meetings called hearings. Then they decide what to do about the bill. Sometimes they keep it the way it is. Other times, they make changes. Then it is sent for a vote by all senators. A bill can also be tabled. When it is tabled, the bill does not get to be voted on.
