What is the legislative process?

The legislative process refers specifically to the series of steps that a proposed law, known as a bill, goes through in order to be enacted into law. This process typically involves several key stages, including drafting the bill, committee review, debate, and voting in both houses of Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate—before it can be sent to the President for approval. The definition encompasses all the procedural aspects involved in transforming an idea or proposal into an official statute.

Other options focus on different aspects of government. For example, a sequence of presidential decisions pertains mainly to actions taken by the Executive Branch, while judicial review relates to the ability of courts to examine laws and their constitutionality. The methods of tax collection refer to the processes employed by the government to gather revenue, which is a financial aspect rather than a legislative one. Thus, the first option accurately captures the essence of how legislation is created and enacted in the United States.