A conference committee is a temporary joint committee formed to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. The committee is composed of members from both chambers, and it meets to negotiate a compromise version of the bill that can be passed by both chambers.

A conference committee is typically convened after a bill has passed one chamber but not the other. The committee is tasked with resolving the differences between the two versions of the bill so that it can be passed by both chambers.

The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate jointly appoint the members of a conference committee. The committee is typically composed of an equal number of members from each chamber.

The conference committee members negotiate a compromise version of the bill that can be passed by both chambers. The committee members may consider amendments to the bill, and they may also make changes to the language of the bill.

After a conference committee reaches a compromise, the compromise version of the bill is sent back to the House and Senate for a vote. If both chambers pass the compromise version of the bill, it is sent to the President for signature.

Conference committees face a number of challenges, including resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill, reaching a compromise that is acceptable to both chambers, and getting the compromise version of the bill passed by both chambers.

The success of a conference committee can be influenced by a number of factors, including the political climate, the strength of the leadership in both chambers, and the level of public support for the bill.

If a conference committee fails to reach a compromise, the bill dies. This means that the bill will not become law.

Conference committees have been used to address a number of controversial pieces of legislation in recent years, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Affordable Care Act of 2010, and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

Conference committees have been criticized for being undemocratic, too powerful, and not transparent.

There have been a number of proposals for reforming conference committees, including making them more transparent, limiting their power, and eliminating them altogether.

The future of conference committees is uncertain. Some believe that they will continue to play an important role in the legislative process, while others believe that they will be reformed or eliminated.

There are a number of arguments in favor of conference committees, including that they allow for compromise and consensus-building, help to ensure that legislation is carefully considered and debated, and prevent gridlock in the legislative process.

There are a number of arguments against conference committees, including that they are undemocratic, too powerful, and not transparent.

Eliminating conference committees could have a number of potential consequences, including making it more difficult to pass legislation, leading to more gridlock in the legislative process, and making the legislative process more transparent.