The greatest problem of the committee stage however, is their power to significantly alter legislation. Committees can have a very distorting effect, legislation emerging can take a very different form to that which was submitted. The way in which legislation is allocated to Committees can also add to the incoherent nature of the institution. A partisan Speaker could send a bill to a committee with a known hostile chairperson. Giving such responsibility to one person to refer the bill wherever he chooses will inevitably lead to problems.
Further obstacles arise when, and if a bill makes it through the committee stage.
In the House, the powerful Rules Committee sets the agenda, and its subjectivity is clear. Bills can be subject to continual amendment, even after they have been changed in the committee stage. In the Senate, there is the provision for filibuster, and if left unturned, can prevent a vote, and if the bill runs out of time, can be killed. It is very easy for a President to veto legislation that has been passes by Congress, and it is very difficult to overturn such a veto. When the Legislative is separated from the Executive, there are two different agendas, and this fragmentation usually leads to a inconsistent, confrontational legislative process.