Joan Osborne: I'm just a Bill

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!