<P> Although it cannot originate revenue bills, the Senate retains the power to amend or reject them . Woodrow Wilson wrote the following about appropriations bills: </P> <P> (T) he constitutional prerogative of the House has been held to apply to all the general appropriations bills, and the Senate's right to amend these has been allowed the widest possible scope . The upper house may add to them what it pleases; may go altogether outside of their original provisions and tack to them entirely new features of legislation, altering not only the amounts but even the objects of expenditure, and making out of the materials sent them by the popular chamber measures of an almost totally new character . </P> <P> The approval of the Senate and the House of Representatives is required for a bill to become law . Both Houses must pass the same version of the bill; if there are differences, they may be resolved by a conference committee, which includes members of both bodies . For the stages through which bills pass in the Senate, see Act of Congress . </P> <P> The President may veto a bill passed by the House and Senate . If he does, the bill does not become law unless each House, by a two - thirds vote, votes to override the veto . </P>

Members of the house of representatives are elected by the different states on the basis