Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-07
Conference Committees.

Conference Committees.
Almost every appropriation bill that
is passed by Congress is:referred, before
it can be agreed upon, to q conference
committee. Other bills are also re-
ferred to such committees from time to
time, but no other class of measures is
80 invariably referred as are these.
All appropriation bills originate in
the House of Representatives. They
are reported by the committee on ap-
preparations, and the House refers them
to o -" committee of the whole, that
is, to the House itself, but to House
governed by very different rules.
The Committee of the Whole consid
ers AID amends the bill, and reports it
back to the House, which then goes
through with the form of adopting the
amendments, and then passes the bill.
1t is next sent to the Senate, where it
goes through much the same process.
Some parts of the bill are struck out,
and new matter is added. Some appro-
priations are reduced, others are in
creased. The Senate, of course, takes
the bill as it comes from the House,
not as it was originally reported,--an
amends that. All the amendments are
numbered.
When the bill has been passed by the
Senate, thus amended. it goes back to
the House. Sometimes the proposed
changes are considered, and certain of
them are agreed to; but towards the
close of the session this is not done.
On the motion of member of the
committee on appropriation the Honse
votes to non concur in all the Senate
amendments-tha is, it rejects them all
without knowing what they are. This
is done to save tire.
The bill is sent over to the Senate
again, where vote is passed to sin.
sist" spon all the amendments and
propose u conference. To this the
House always agrees. 1t is part of the
courtesy OF the two hoNses to each other
which is never disregarded.
A conference committee consists OF
three members from each branch.
These members are chosen from among
those who have taken special interest
in the subject on which there is disa-
greement. Two mem bers are appointed
from the majority and one from the
minority party. Thus, in this Con-
gress, the House has two Democrats
and a Republican, the Senate two Re-
politicians AID Democrat.
If the disagreement is on some prin-
ciple about which the two branches are
Mt variance, the same lule is observed.
Suppose it was bill passed by the
Senate in which the House had inserted
section abolishing capital punish
ment. Then the Senate would have
two conferees in favor of capital pun.
ishment and one against it the House
would reverse the proportions.
To return to Our appropriation bill.
The six men meet and discuss and COM
promise. If they are successful, they
report t. each branch the result. They
advise that the Senate "recede from
certain amendments that tie House
| recede from its disagreement to certain
amendments and that other amend
ments be adopted by both houses.
Perhaps they cannot agree upon all
the amendments. If they do not reach
an agreement, they report that fact to
the two houses, which appoint another
ommittee-sometimcs the same men.
There may be another disagreement,
and third or even o fourth conference
committee.
Occasionally there is difference af-
ter all, and the bill fails but in great
majority of cases there is ut last re-
port signed by at least two of the mem
bers of each branch. This report, when
brought in, takes precedence of all
other business, and is Immediately
acted upon.
It is usual for the Chairman of the
Conference Committee to explain the
effect of the bill as it would be if the
report should be adopted, and then
each member can decide for himself
whether he is willing to accept the
compromise. The report must be &C.
cepted or rejected as a whole. lit is
accepted, the bill is passed, and only
needs to be signed to become law. If
rejected, another conference is had.
It will be seen that very great pow
er is placed in the hands of the six
members who constitute these COM
mittees. In the closing hours of ses-
sion, the power is almost absolute, for
then members will agree to the report
whether it pleases them or not, SO as to
close the session.
The system is a useful one, but it
oan easily be carried too far. 1t is
much better to reduce the points of
difference to very few by careful dis
cussion but in order to secure full de-
bate. Congress m ust abandon the prac-
tice of delaying appropriation bills
until the last moment. Youths Com
paaiOm.
MARYLAND CHowDER. - Take the
shoulder of large cod, or good-sized
haddnck Clean we'll and cnt in mi.