Once upon a time in a land far away there was a princess named Stella and her cat Sir meow a lot. Her cat was her best friend, she told him absolutely everything. So when she came home from school very upset she found Sir Meow a lot and started to rant to him.

Today at school Stella got in trouble for not doing her homework. The teacher sent home a note for Stella to give to her dad. When Stella got home she took the note and crumbled it up.

"Sir Meow a lot I'm never doing my homework again, i'm making it a law!!"

Little did Stella know her father was standing in her doorway.

Stella's dad walked in her room and looked disappointed.

"Stella I just got a call from your teacher saying you did not do your homework. Whats that about?"

"I'm never doing my homework again. I'm making it a law." said Stella

"Honey, you can't just make a law." said her dad

"Why not?" Stella replied

"There are many steps you have to take before a law is made" her father said before they both left to take a walk

As Stella and her father were walking he started to explain to her how laws are made.

"A law starts off as a bill and it is introduced to the House of Congress by a Senator or a Representative who sponsors it."

"Then is it a law?"

"Not yet, Representatives or Senators will meet in small groups to discuss, research or make changes to it."

"Then what happens to it?"

Stella said very excited.



Her dad looked at her and smiled "Well the bill is then put before the house to be voted on"

"Are you kidding me they have to vote, they just can't say it's a law already" Stella said bewildered

"No sweetheart that's not how it works everyone gets a say before it goes on to become a law" said her dad

Stella was getting very upset that she would have to go through all of this to make a law against never having to do her homework again. "Dad can you finish explaining how laws are made?" asked Stella

"Of course" her dad replied

"If the bill passes one body of Congress, it is then presented to the other body to go through a similar process to be proposed, discussed and voted on.

"Why does it have to go through both bodies?" Stella asked.

"Well both of the bodies have to accept the bill." Stella's dad replied.

"After they both agree does it finally become a law? Stella asked.

"Almost but it has to be presented to the President first."

"The President?" Stella gasped.

Stella couldn't believe the bill went all the way to the president! "What happens after the president gets it?" asked Stella

"Well the president then considers the bill. The president can approve the bill and sign it into a law or not approve the bill which is called a veto" Stella's dad explained

"You mean it has to go through all of that and the president can still not approve it!" yelled Stella