Making laws
bill
A proposed law introduced in the House (H.R.) or Senate (S.). It only becomes law if both chambers pass identical text and the President signs it, or Congress overrides a veto.
In full
The main form legislation takes. A bill introduced in the House is numbered H.R., one introduced in the Senate is numbered S., and the number stays with it through every stage. A bill dies if the two-year Congress ends before it passes; it must be reintroduced from scratch in the next Congress.
Where to go next
Keep going
Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.