Federal Bill Tracker

1. A member of Congress has an idea

   A member of the House or the Senate (the sponsor) turns an idea into a bill. Other members can join as cosponsors. Having many cosponsors, from both parties, is a sign a bill has support. It does not guarantee a vote.

2. The bill is introduced and gets a number

   In the House, a member drops the bill in a box called the "hopper." In the Senate, a senator offers it on the floor. The bill gets a number: H.R. for a House bill, S. for a Senate bill. Numbers keep going up for the two years of a Congress. Other labels: H.J.Res. and S.J.Res. (a joint resolution, which works like a bill), and H.Res. and S.Res. (one chamber only, never becomes law).

3. A committee gets it

   The bill is sent to a committee, a small group of members who work on one subject. For schools and labor, the House uses Education and Workforce and the Senate uses Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). Tax bills go to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance. Many bills go first to a subcommittee, a smaller group inside a committee, which may hold a hearing. Most bills stop here and never get a vote.

4. Markup: the committee edits and votes

   In a markup the committee goes through the bill, votes on changes called amendments, then votes on whether to send ("report") the bill to the full chamber. A written committee report explains the bill. The bill then waits on a calendar (a to-do list for the full House or Senate). Leaders decide which bills get floor time.

5. The full House votes

   The House has 435 voting members. The Rules Committee sets the rules of debate. A bill generally passes with a majority of the members who vote. Popular, non-controversial bills can use a fast track called suspension of the rules, which needs 2/3 of those voting. Votes are either roll call votes (every member's yes or no is recorded) or voice votes (no record of who voted how).

6. The Senate votes (and the filibuster)

   The Senate has 100 members, 2 from each state. Senators can talk for a long time to delay a bill. This is the filibuster. It takes cloture, a vote of 60 of the 100 senators, to end debate on most bills. Then a majority passes it. That is why many bills pass the House but die in the Senate. Budget bills called reconciliation bills can pass the Senate with a simple majority.

7. Both chambers must agree on the exact same words

   If the House and Senate pass different versions, one chamber can agree to the other's changes (this is how H.R. 7148 and H.R. 6500 finished). Or a conference committee of members from both chambers works out one version, and both chambers vote on it again.

8. The President decides

   The President can sign the bill or veto it. Congress can override a veto with a 2/3 vote in both the House (290 of 435 if everyone votes) and the Senate (67 of 100). The President has 10 days (not counting Sundays) to act.

9. It becomes a law

   A new law gets a Public Law number such as Public Law 119-21 (the 21st law of the 119th Congress).

New Jersey has 2 U.S. senators (they represent the whole state) and 12 U.S. House members (one for each district). That is 14 people. Not sure which district you live in? Use the House "Find Your Representative" tool.

Former Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) appears on some older cosponsor lists and votes. She is no longer a member. Rep. Analilia Mejia now holds the NJ-11 seat.

The "Windfall Elimination Provision" (WEP) and "Government Pension Offset" (GPO) cut Social Security checks for many people who also get a public pension, including some teachers. Congress repealed both in the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82 of the 118th Congress). It became Public Law 118-273 on Jan. 5, 2025. It passed in the last Congress, so it is not tracked as a bill in the 119th. H.R. 82 (118th Congress) on Congress.gov

House of Representatives

The larger chamber of Congress, with 435 voting members. Each member represents one district. Bills start with H.R.

Senate

The smaller chamber, with 100 senators, 2 per state. Bills start with S.

Congress and session

Each Congress lasts two years. The current one is the 119th Congress (2025-2026). It has two one-year sessions. The 2nd session began Jan. 3, 2026.

Congress ending = bills die

A Congress ends at noon on Jan. 3 of the odd-numbered year (the 20th Amendment). The 119th ends at noon on Jan. 3, 2027. Any bill that is not law by then dies. It must be introduced again in the next Congress with a new number.

Sponsor / cosponsor

The sponsor introduces a bill. Cosponsors add their name to show support.

Committee / subcommittee

A group of members that works on one subject. A subcommittee is a smaller group inside it.

Hearing

A public meeting where a committee hears from experts and officials.

Markup

A committee meeting where members edit a bill with amendments and vote on whether to send it to the full chamber. Congress's version of what New Jersey calls committee amendments.

Committee report

A written explanation of a bill from the committee that approved it. Numbered like H. Rept. 119-106 (House, 119th Congress, number 106).

Calendar

The list of bills waiting for a vote by the full chamber. The House Union Calendar holds spending and tax bills.

Roll call vote / voice vote / unanimous consent

A roll call vote records every member's yes or no. A voice vote is a shout of "yea" or "nay" with no record of who voted how. Unanimous consent means no senator objects.

Suspension of the rules

A House fast track for bills with wide support. Needs 2/3 of those voting.

Discharge petition

A way for 218 House members to force a vote on a bill that is stuck in committee.

Filibuster and cloture

The Senate rule that lets a minority delay a bill. Cloture (60 votes of 100) ends the delay.

Reconciliation

A special budget process. A bill that follows its rules can pass the Senate with a simple majority instead of 60. H.R. 1 (2025) was one.

Conference committee

A group from both chambers that negotiates one final version of a bill.

Veto / override

The President says no to a bill. Congress can override with 2/3 of each chamber.

Public Law (P.L.)

The number a bill gets when it becomes law.

Authorization vs. appropriation

An authorization says a program may exist and may get up to a set amount. An appropriation is the actual money. Appropriations bills must pass every year.

Continuing resolution (CR) and shutdown

A CR is a short-term spending law that keeps agencies open at last year's levels. If neither a CR nor the regular bills pass by the deadline, parts of the government shut down. The current CR (H.R. 6500) ends Dec. 11, 2026.

Title I

The biggest federal K-12 program. Part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It sends money to schools with many low-income students.

IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal special education law. Part B sends money to states and districts.

ESEA

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the main federal K-12 law. Title I is part of it.

ED

The U.S. Department of Education.

FLSA

The Fair Labor Standards Act. The federal law on minimum wage and overtime. It has special rules for public employers.

FLRA, NLRB and FMCS

FLRA: the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which handles labor relations for federal employees. NLRB: the National Labor Relations Board, for private-sector workers. FMCS: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which helps settle labor disputes.

PERC

New Jersey's Public Employment Relations Commission. The state agency for public-sector labor disputes.

CBO and CRS

CBO: the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates what bills cost. CRS: the Congressional Research Service, which writes plain summaries for Congress.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the federal student records law.

SHBP / SEHBP

New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program and School Employees' Health Benefits Program.