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Glossary of Legislative Terms - What is a Bill?

By , About.com Guide

Definition: In the legislative process, a bill is proposal that is the first step in creating a new law. Every bill is assigned a unique number that either begins with "HR" (to show the bill started in the House of Representatives) or "S" (to show it originated in the Senate).

Most bills never become law. To become a law, a bill must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and then approved by the President.

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