1 U.S.C. § 106a — Promulgation of laws

This section explains how a new law is sent to the National Archives for safekeeping. Normal case: Whenever a bill, order, resolution, or vote of the Senate and House of Representatives becomes a law or takes effect — either because the President approved it, or because the President did not return it with objections — it must immediately be sent to the Archivist of the United States by the President. Veto-override case: If the President does return the bill, order, resolution, or vote with objections (a veto), and Congress then reconsiders it and passes it again, approved by two-thirds of both houses, it becomes a law or takes effect that way instead. In that case, it is sent to the Archivist by whichever presiding officer — the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives — last approved it in their chamber. Either way, the Archivist of the United States must carefully preserve the original documents.