How does a law gets passed in the United States?

To get a law passed in the United States, there are multiple steps involved.

First, a house member formally introduces a bill in Congress. Usually the bill was written to reflect the desire of the constituency that the house member serves. The bill is usually written with help of one or more staff members. Multiple Congressional members can jointly introduce or sponsor a bill. Members from both houses (House of Representatives and Senate) may introduce a bill.

Then, the bill will be sent to one of the many committees in Congress. Each committee is made up of several members of Congress and is responsible for one area of law. A committee may decide to "table" a bill - meaning that the bill is rejected. Or, the committee can choose to make amendments to the bill and release the law onto the floor for voting. The committe may also hold hearings to discuss the pros and cons of the bill. These hearings are attended by experts on the subject and/or other interested persons or organizations.

After the committee members have discussed and debated the bill, with or without amendments, a vote is taken. If the bill is passed, it will then be sent to the other house of Congress. During the voting process, the opponents of the bill may use filibuster (by holding the floor) to prevent the bill from getting passed.

The bill will then be sent to the other house of Congress, where it may be defeated, or passed with or without amendments. If the bill is defeated in the other house, then it dies right there. Sometimes a bill is passed with amendments; if so, a joint congressional committee is appointed by both houses to work out the differences.

If a bill is finally passed by both houses, the bill is sent to the president. The president may approve and sign the the bill to become law. If the president refuses to sign the bill, he will send it back to the house of origin with his reasons for the rejection. This is called a "veto." The bill will then be debated ad voted on again. If the bill receives less than a two-thirds vote, its "death" will be final. However, if it receives a two-thirds vote or greater, it is sent to the other house for a vote. If that house also passes it by a two-thirds vote, the president's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.

Sometimes the president neither signs nor vetos a bill. If so, the bill becomes law automatically after the president keeps it for ten days. However, if Congress is adjourned within those ten days (except Sundays), the bill will automatically die. Such indirect rejection of a bill by the president is called a pocket veto.