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The US Legislature is bicameral, with both houses able to introduce legislation, but revenue bills limited to the House of Representatives. Bills must be passed by both houses and go through a conference committee to create a compromise version. This process is also used in most states. Conference committees can also be used in a corporate setting to foster communication.
Like many democratic countries, the United States Legislature is a bicameral system, meaning it has two houses or chambers. While many nations allow only one house to introduce legislation, the United States Constitution allows both houses to introduce legislation, although it limits revenue bills to the House of Representatives. It also requires each bill to be passed by both houses before it can be passed to the executive to be signed into law. Once a bill has gone through both houses, it generally exists in two versions, the one passed by the original party and the amendments added by the other party. At this point, a conference committee is formed with representatives from both houses to create a compromise version that can get final Senate and House approval.
Both the House and Senate are divided into committees to aid in the expeditious handling of legislative matters. When a bill is introduced, it is typically sent to the committee that handles the type of issues addressed in the bill. If the committee approves the bill and refers it to the plenary assembly, then the representatives or senators will vote. Once a bill has passed in the house of origin, it will be sent to the other house for approval. If the bill is accepted without changes, it is sent to the President, but if changes have been made, it must go back to the originating chamber to be passed in the new revised version.
If the changes are relatively minor, the originating house can simply hand it over and submit it for executive approval. If the changes are significant, a conference committee is convened. In practice, very few pieces of federal legislation in the United States pass without having to go to a conference committee.
Senior members are chosen from each house to defend their chamber’s version as they try to reach a consensus. The commission itself is not allowed to make significant changes or add new amendments that change the substance of the bill. Committee members from each house vote separately and prepare a committee report for their respective houses. A final version must be approved by both houses, or the bill will die for lack of consent.
In the United States, every state except Nebraska also has a bicameral legislature. Most states make similar use of a conference committee to reconcile the two houses’ differences in legislation. Some states add some restrictions regarding the selection of committee members. For example, Texas requires that the conference committee consist of five members from each house and that at least two of the members of the Senate belong to the committee that introduced the bill.
A conference committee can also be used in a corporate setting. Hospital organizations often appoint a joint conference committee with board members, administrative staff, and medical staff representatives. The purpose of such committees is generally to foster communication between the different business segments of the organization.
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