<P> Once a bill is approved by one house, it is sent to the other, which may pass, reject, or amend it . For the bill to become law, both houses must agree to identical versions of the bill . If the second house amends the bill, then the differences between the two versions must be reconciled in a conference committee, an ad hoc committee that includes both senators and representatives . One mechanism Congress uses to work within revenue constraints is called the reconciliation process which is a multiple step way to keep new budgets within the bounds of existing ones . In addition, both Houses use a budget enforcement mechanism informally known as pay - as - you - go or paygo which discourages members from considering acts which increase budget deficits . </P> <P> In many cases, conference committees have introduced substantial changes to bills and added unrequested spending, significantly departing from both the House and Senate versions . President Ronald Reagan once quipped, "If an orange and an apple went into conference consultations, it might come out a pear ." If both houses agree to the version reported by the conference committee, the bill passes; otherwise, it fails . </P> <P> There are a variety of means for members to vote on bills, including systems using lights and bells and electronic voting . Most votes, including quorum votes, are done electronically, and allow members to vote yea or nay or present . They light up when the vote is in process . Members insert a voting ID card and can change their votes during the last five minutes if they choose; in addition, paper ballots are used on some occasions (yea indicated by the color green, nay by red .) To conduct a voice vote the chairman asks As many as are in favor say Aye, as many as are opposed, say No . Rules permit live media coverage of voting, although prohibit use of these broadcasts for political purposes or political advertisements . House rules require a three - fifths vote to pass a ruling that contains a specified federal income tax rate increase . One member can't cast a vote for another member . It's possible for citizens to learn how congresspersons voted by consulting an online database . </P> <P> After passage by both houses, a bill is considered to be enrolled and is sent to the president for approval . The president may sign the bill and make it law . The President may also choose to veto the bill, returning it to Congress with his objections . In such a case, the bill only becomes law if each house of Congress votes to override the veto with a two - thirds majority . Finally, the president may choose to take no action, neither signing nor vetoing the bill . In such a case, the Constitution states that the bill automatically becomes law after ten days, excluding Sundays, unless Congress is adjourned during this period . Therefore, the president may veto legislation passed at the end of a congressional session simply by ignoring it; the maneuver is known as a pocket veto, and cannot be overridden by the adjourned Congress . </P>

Terms of office in the house of representatives begin and end at the same time for all members