Anyone can come up with an idea for a law, but only members of Congress can introduce a bill to their fellow legislators. The person who introduces a bill is called its sponsor.
The bill is reviewed by a special committee from the House of Representatives. The committee can table2 the bill, or put it aside. Or, if they like it, they can send it back to the House for all representatives to consider.
Representatives make amendments, or changes, to the bill. Then they vote. A “yay” is a yes, a “nay” is a no, and a “present” means the representative was there but did not vote.
If the House approves the bill, it moves to the Senate, where it goes through a similar process. If senators pass the bill, it goes to the U.S. president at the White House.
The president can sign a bill into law, or he or she can veto3, or refuse to approve, the bill. Congress can override4 a veto if two-thirds of each house agree.
任何人都可以提出一个立法设想，但是只有国会议员才能向其立法院同仁提交法案。提交该法案的议员被称为提案人。
众议院下的一个特别委员会审查该法案。委员会可以把议案提交讨论，也可以将它搁置。又或者，如果他们愿意，他们可以将法案交回众议院供全体代表讨论决定。
代表们对法案进行修正或修改，然后投票表决。“yay“表示赞成，“nay”表示反对，“present”表示弃权。
如果众议院通过了此项法案，就会把它提交到参议院，在那里经过一个类似的程序。如果参议院通过了此项法案，就交到白宫总统手中。
总统可以签署该项法案，使之成为法律，他/她也可以行使否决权，拒绝批准该法案。但如果两院都有2/3的人同意通过该法案，国会也可以使总统的否决无效。
1. put the brakes on 遏制；阻止
2. table v. 搁置
3. veto n. 否决
4. override v. 不考虑（某人意见）