Question
What happens if the House and Senate versions of a bill are different? The differences immediately cause the bill to die and it doesn't go any farther. The House and Senate try to work out differences in a conference committee. Each version is voted on in a joint session with all members of the House and Senate. The Senate can pass its version by majority vote, and the bill then goes to the president.
Answer
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Leonie
Elite · Tutor for 8 years
Answer
The House and Senate try to work out differences in a conference committee.
Explanation
When the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill, a conference committee is typically formed to reconcile the differences. This committee is made up of members from both the House and Senate. They work together to create a compromise version of the bill that both chambers can agree on. This compromise bill must then be approved by both the House and Senate before it can be sent to the president for signing into law. The bill does not immediately die if there are differences, nor is it voted on in a joint session with all members of the House and Senate. Also, the Senate cannot simply pass its version by majority vote and send it to the president; the House must also agree on the same version of the bill. Therefore, the process of resolving differences in a conference committee is the most accurate description of what happens when the House and Senate versions of a bill are different.