House: One simplified example of the process for passing laws to appropriate funds and to govern the people, begins with a bill (a description of the law to be created or changed or of the funds to be approved) being drafted and then "introduced" by a Representative to the House. Anyone can draft a bill, but only a Member of Congress can introduce it for congressional consideration.
The House then sends the bill to a Committee to review and report back on whether it is a good or bad bill. If the Committee reports the House should approve the bill, the House leaders set up rules for debate on the bill and then the House votes on the bill. The process is the same if a bill is first introduced in the Senate--except all appropriations bills which must be introduced first in the House.
Once the House has approved a bill, it sends the bill to the Senate.
Senate:
The Senate refers it to a Committee, the Committee reviews and reports back on the bill, then
the Senate debates and votes on the bill. Frequently, though, the Senate will make changes to the bill, called amendments. When this happens, the bill must be sent back to get House approval for the amended bill.
If the House disagrees with the Senate amendment, then the House and Senate Committees meet in a Conference to work out the differences. When they have developed a compromise bill, it is sent to the House to approve, then to the Senate to also approve.
Once both Chambers have agreed to the same bill, it is sent to the President to sign.
(Resolving Differences)
If the Senate changes the language of the measure, it must return to the House for concurrence or additional changes. This back-and-forth negotiation may occur on the House floor, with the House accepting or rejecting Senate amendments or complete Senate text. Often a conference committee will be appointed with both House and Senate members. This group will resolve the differences in committee and
report the identical measure back to both bodies for a vote. Conference committees also issue reports outlining the final version of the bill.