Law New
Most ideas for new laws are introduced formally as bills. They are generally labeled H.R. (House of Representatives) or S. (Senate), and numbered in the order they are introduced during each Congress. Once a bill is approved by both the House and Senate, it becomes a public law known as an Act. A bill’s legislative history is preserved in a committee report, which describes the bill’s purpose and scope and explains why the committee recommends its approval. This history is used by courts and executive departments to interpret the meaning of a law. A committee report must contain an analysis of existing law as well.