Music & Words by Dave Frishberg

 

GIRL: Whew! You sure gotta climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol Building here in Washington! But I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?

 

I'm just a bill

Yes, I'm only a bill

And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill

Well, it's a long, long journey

To the capitol city

It's a long, long wait

While I'm sitting in committee

But I know I'll be a law someday

At least I hope and pray that I will

But today I am still just a bill

 

GIRL: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage!

 

BILL: Well I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill. I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local congressman and he said, "You're right, there oughta be a law." Then he sat down and wrote me out and introduced me t Congress, and I became a bill. And I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.

 

I'm just a bill

Yes I'm only a bill

And I got as far as Capitol Hill

Well, now I'm stuck in committee

And I'll sit here and wait

While a few key congressmen discuss and debate

Whether they should let me be a law

How I hope and pray that they will

But today I am still just a bill

 

GIRL: Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?

 

BILL: Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on my favorably, otherwise I may die.

 

GIRL: Die!

 

BILL: Yeah, die in committee. Ooh! But it looks like I'm gonna live! Now I got the House of Representatives and they vote on me.

 

GIRL: If they vote yes, what happens?

 

BILL: Then I got the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again.

 

GIRL: Oh no!

 

BILL: Oh yes!

 

I'm just a bill

Yes, I'm only a bill

And if they vote for me on Capitol Hill

Well, then I'm off to the White House

Where I'll wait in a line

With a lot of other bills

For the President to sign

And he signs me then I'll be a law

How I hope and pray that he will

But today I am still just a bill

 

GIRL: You mean even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the President can still say no?

 

BILL: Yes, that's called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress, and they vote on me again, and by that time you're so old...

 

GIRL: By that time, it's very unlikely that you become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?

 

BILL: No!

 

But how I hope and pray that I will

But today I am still just a bill

 

CONGRESSMAN: He signed you, Bill! Now you're a law!

 

BILL: Right on!