Congress and 49 state legislatures are bicameral, that is they are comprised of two houses. The smaller body is universally called the Senate. The larger one is known as the House of Representatives in Congress and many states-, some states use different names, such as Assembly, House of Delegates, etc. The Nebraska legislature and most local legislatures are unicameral, comprised of a single house, called the Senate in Nebraska, and in local governments by such names as city council, county legislature, board of supervisors or aldermen, and so on. A proposal for a new law is usually called a bill.
Subcommittees are further specialized.
Committees and subcommittees have great power over bills referred to them. They can hold public hearings to get the views of government officials, various interested organizations and individuals, and often the public in general. No action at all is taken on most bills, that are then said to have died in committee when the legislature adjourns. Finally, the bill must be passed by a majority of the members of the legislative body. This graphic shows the most typical way in which proposed legislation is enacted into low.