When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which type of committee?

• A. Conference
• B. Select
• C. Reconciliation
• D. Rules

Answer: (A)

When a bill has received approval from both the House of Representatives and the Senate but exists in different versions, a conference committee is established to resolve these discrepancies. This type of committee is composed of members from both chambers and is tasked with negotiating the differences in the proposed legislation. The goal is to create a singular version of the bill that can be presented for a final vote in both the House and Senate.

The conference committee plays a crucial role in the legislative process, as it ensures that both the House and Senate can agree on the same language and provisions of the bill. Once the committee reaches an agreement, the revised bill is sent back to both chambers for a vote. If approved, it can then be sent to the president for signature or veto.

Other types of committees, such as select, reconciliation, or rules committees, have different functions within Congress. Select committees typically investigate specific issues and report to the legislative bodies, reconciliation pertains to a legislative process for expedited consideration of certain budget-related bills, and rules committees are responsible for establishing the rules under which bills are debated or amended on the floor of the House. Therefore, the function of resolving differences between bill versions is distinctly aligned with the role of a conference committee.