How A Bill Becomes A Law Lyrics

Whew, you sure gotta climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol building here in Washington.
Well, I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is...?

I'm just a bill, yes, I'm only a bill. And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill. Well it's a long, long journey to the capitol city. It's a long, long wait while I'm sitting in committee. But I know I'll be a law someday, at least I hope and pray that I will, but today I am still just a bill.

Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.

Well, I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill,I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local congressman, and he said, "You're right, there oughta be a law." And he sat down and he wrote me out, and introduced me to congress, and I became a bill. And I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.

I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill, and I got as far as Capitol Hill. Well, now I'm stuck in committee and I'll sit here and wait while a few key congressmen discuss and debate whether they should let me be a law.
How I hope and pray that they will, but today I am still just a bill.

[Congressmen arguing]

Listen to those congressmen argue. Is all that discussion and debate about you?

Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on me favorably, otherwise I may die.

Die?

Yeah, die in committee! Ooh! But it looks like I'm gonna live. Now I go to that House of Representatives and they vote on me.

If they vote, "yes," what happens?

Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again.

Oh, no.

Oh, yes. I'm just a bill, yes, I'm only a bill, and if they vote for me on Capitol Hill, well, then I'm off to the White House where I'll wait in a line with a lot of other bills for the President to sign. And if he signs me, then I'll be a law.
How I hope and pray that he will, but today I am still just a bill.

You mean even if the whole congress says you should be a law, the President can still say, "no"?

Yes, that's called a "veto." If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to congress and they vote on me again and by that time, this...

And by that time, it's very unlikely that you'll become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?

No! But how I hope and pray that I will, but today I am still just a bill.

He signed you, Bill, now you're a law.

Oh, yes!