A sponsor or patron is a person, usually a legislator, who presents a bill or resolution to a legislature for consideration. Those who support it are known as cosponsors (sometimes co-sponsors) or copatrons.
U.S. Congress
A sponsor in the United States Congress is the first member of the House or Senate to be listed among the potentially numerous lawmakers who introduce a bill for consideration. Committees are occasionally identified as sponsors of legislation as well. A sponsor is also sometimes called a "primary sponsor."
In contrast to a sponsor, a "cosponsor" is a senator or representative who adds their name as a supporter to the sponsor's bill. An "initial cosponsor" or "original cosponsor" is a senator or representative who was listed as a cosponsor at the time of a bill's introduction, rather than added as a cosponsor later on. A cosponsor added later is known as an "additional cosponsor".
An unlimited number of cosponsors of a bill is permitted. Some bills have hundreds of cosponsors.
Footnotes
- "Bills Introduced / Bills Referred / Sponsor (CongressionalGlossary.com)". hobnob blog. TheCapitol.net. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ Johnson, Charles. "How Our Laws Are Made" Archived 2008-08-21 at the Wayback Machine, United States House of Representatives (2003).
- Fitch, Brad. "Media Relations Handbook for Agencies, Associations, Nonprofits, And Congress" (TheCapitol.Net 2004): "Some bills have hundreds of cosponsors, since members can easily add their support to any bill introduced and sometimes do it verbally without notifying staff."
External links
- Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, Sponsorship and Cosponsorship of House Bills
- Sponsor/Cosponsor Summaries from the Library of Congress: (2007-2008) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (2005-2006) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (2003-2004) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (2001-2002) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1999-2000) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine,(1997-1998) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1995-1996) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1993-1994) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1991-1992) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1989-1990) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1987-1988) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1985-1986) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1983-1984) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1981-1982) Archived 2009-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, (1979-1980) Archived 2008-10-16 at the Wayback Machine, (1977-1978) Archived 2008-10-16 at the Wayback Machine, (1977-1978) Archived 2008-10-15 at the Wayback Machine, and (1975-1976) Archived 2008-10-16 at the Wayback Machine.