How a Congressional Conference Committee Works
Sometimes, the U.S. Congress needs matchmakers for two to become one.
House and Senate Work on Compromise Tax Bill
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Sometimes, the U.S. Congress needs matchmakers for two to become one. The House of Representatives passed a tax bill on Nov. 16. The Senate passed a different one on Dec. 2. For tax cuts to become law, both the House and Senate need to approve the same bill. The tricky job of marrying the two falls, officially at least, to the members of a conference committee, which meets today.
It’s a temporary panel of lawmakers from the House and Senate formed to reconcile the differences in the legislation passed by each chamber and negotiate one bill that, they hope, will be acceptable to both.