Either the National Council or Council of States can recommend to the Federal Council that it shall prepare and present for its consideration certain bills; or a member can suggest one to his own House, and, if agreeable, the matter will be referred to the Federal Council with instruction to draft the necessary bill; or the Federal Council itself presents bills upon its own initiative. The Assembly recommends to the Federal Council by motions, called _postulats_, such alterations or reform in bills submitted by it as seem to them to be proper. If the Federal Council does not assent to a particular _postulat_ coming from one of the Houses, it makes a report to that effect to the House, and if the latter insists upon its view, then a formal proposition is drawn up, and if carried in both Houses, the Federal Council is bound to execute its provisions. It must be understood that every bill must pass through the hands of the Federal Council, and by it laid before the Assembly. When a bill is presented by the Federal Council, the House, which has first to take it up, appoints a committee to examine and report upon it. These committees or commissions are appointed as the occasion arises,--there being no standing committees,--by the President of the House and the _scrutateurs_; constituting together what is called a _bureau_. These _scrutateurs_, four in the National Council and two in the Council of States, are elected every session from the members of their respective Houses; and it is also their duty to determine and to announce the result, whenever a vote is had, either by ballot, division, or _viva voce_; they occupy an elevated position to the right of the President. On the submission of a committee’s report, the bill is discussed, and ultimately either passed with or without amendments, or rejected. If passed, it goes to the other House, where a similar process is undergone. When passed by both Houses it becomes law, and is published as such by the Federal Council in the _Feuille fédérale Suisse_; subject, however, to the _Referendum_, if duly demanded. The Federal Council, in publishing a law, decree, or resolution not subject to the _Referendum_, fixes the date when it shall go into force, if this is not done in the text of the bill. Generally, this date is the day of publication. For all measures liable to the _Referendum_, what is termed _délai d’opposition_ is named, being a period of three months, during which the appeal to the popular vote can be demanded. In case of no appeal being taken, the law goes into force after the expiration of the three months.