Just A Bill Lyrics

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!