[20080519]98-708_会议委员会审议.pdf

Order Code 98-708Updated May 19, 2008Conference Committee DeliberationsWalter J. OleszekGovernment and Finance DivisionThe Constitution requires that proposed laws must pass the House and Senate inabsolutely identical form before they can be sent to the White House for presidentialconsideration. Different procedural techniques are used to achieve “bicameral ignition,”but the one usually employed for controversial measures is to establish a conferencecommittee. Composed of conferees chosen from each chamber usually from thecommittee(s) that reported the legislation the conference committees job is to iron outdifferences when the House and Senate pass dissimilar versions of the same bill. Becauseconference committees make significant policy decisions, it is little surprise that thesebicameral units are sometimes called “the third house of Congress.”To understand the work of conference committees, it is useful to discuss (1) severalfeatures common to inter-chamber negotiations, (2) how conferences are organized, and(3) the authority of conferees. Worth noting is that many lawmakers anticipate thatcertain legislation will eventually reach the conference committee stage, and they will t