What happens if both chambers of Congress pass different versions of the same bill?

When both chambers of Congress pass different versions of the same bill, a conference committee is formed to reconcile the differences. This committee is made up of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and its primary role is to negotiate and create a unified version of the bill that incorporates the relevant elements from both chambers’ proposals.

Once the conference committee reaches an agreement, they produce a compromise bill, which is then sent back to both the House and the Senate for approval. Only if both chambers agree on this revised bill will it move forward to the President for signing into law. This process is an essential part of how legislation is crafted and ensures that both chambers can participate in shaping the final product of a bill.

The other options do not accurately reflect legislative procedures: discarding the bill would mean it does not advance at all, voting on separate versions would not resolve the necessary reconciliation, and the President does not decide among versions; their role comes after Congress has agreed on a single version of the bill.