How a bill becomes a law

However, the Governor’s failure to sign a bill within the 10 day period implies that it becomes a law automatically (McKay 2017). The vetoed bills are then returned to the house that first passed them together with a statement explaining the reason for their disapproval. Firstly a draft bill has to be formed that from which the bill will originate once all processes are passed. A draft bill can be written by anyone but only members of the Congress can introduce a bill for consideration. The actual text of proposed bills frequently is drafted by legislative aides working either for members of Congress or working for congressional committees. To quote the Act itself it states that “Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces of the United States, any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, the ribbon, button or rosette of any such badge, decoration, medal or any colorable imitation of such item shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than six months or both”.

The term Stolen Valor simply implies to the phenomenon of people falsely claiming military awards or badges they did not earn, services that they did not perform, prison of war experiences that never happened among other tales of military derring-do that only exists in their minds (McKay 2017). The current federal law is a revised version of a previous statute struck down by the supreme court of the United States in the United States V. Alvarez. Whereby the Supreme Court ruled the arrest and prosecution of a citizen for wearing unearned military awards who did so without criminal intent violates their constitutional right to freedom of speech. Bush on December 20th 2006. It was first introduced in the U. S House of representatives on July 19th 2005 by Representatives John Salazar, a democrat from Colorado (Wyson 2012).

It was then introduced in the senate by Senator Kent Conrad, a democrat from North Dakota on 10th November 2005. The Act majorly broadened the provisions of previous U. It is now designed to work within the ruling of the Supreme Court. In this new Act, the House recognizes the importance of the First Amendment and modified the law to make it illegal to claim military awards or decorations for the purpose of claiming some payments or other veterans’ benefits (McKay 2017). For instance, it would be legal to make a verbal claim of military service or awards but it would be illegal to do so for any personal or monetary gain. This made it convenient for both parties, both the one fighting for freedom of speech and the one protecting military honors and that’s why the Act was passed as a law.

The constitution of the United States is clear on the legislative process of how a bill becomes a law. The next legislative step is Floor Action. Here the House debates the bill and may add amendments, additional text or alter the bill. However, if the House rejects any of the changes, the bill goes to a conference committee of members from both houses. It works out a compromise. Therefore a vote of compromise has to be conducted whereby both houses must approve changes made by the conference committee (Wyson 2012). Rev. Gal, S. L. Resolving the Conflict Between the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 and the First Amendment.  Brook. McKay, D.  American politics and society. John Wiley & Sons. Parker, J. M. What is that Honor: Re-Thinking Free Speech in the Stolen Valor Case.