Bill (United States Congress)

Ideas for legislation and drafts of legislation can come from many areas, including members of Congress, Congressional committees, constituents, lobbyists, state legislatures, the president, federal departments, and federal agencies.

[2][3][4] In the House, a bill is introduced by a member placing a hard copy into a wooden box called a hopper.

Additional co-sponsors to bills are printed in the Congressional Record in a section designated for that purpose.

Thousands of bills are introduced in every session of Congress, and no single member can possibly be adequately informed on all the issues that arise.

Committees only very rarely are deprived control of a bill, although this kind of action is provided for in the rules of each chamber.

First page of the version of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act as introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives , June 25, 2003, as H.R. 1