What is the relationship between the Senate's lawmaking function and committee work?

The lawmaking function of the Senate is closely tied to its system of committees. When a bill is introduced in the Senate, it is typically referred to one or more committees that have jurisdiction over the pertinent subject matter. The relationship between the Senate's lawmaking function and its committee work follows several steps:

1. Referral: Once a bill is introduced to the Senate, the presiding officer refers the bill to the appropriate committee(s) based on the subject of the legislation.

2. Consideration: The committee(s) will then consider the bill. This can involve holding hearings where experts, government officials, and stakeholders may be invited to provide testimony and information relevant to the bill.

3. Markup: After the hearings, the committee may proceed to "markup," which is a session where committee members review the bill's text and propose amendments or changes. Markups are a critical phase where the details of the legislation are debated and refined.

4. Reporting: If a committee votes in favor of the bill, the legislation is reported back to the full Senate, often along with a written report that explains the committee's decisions and rationale.

5. Floor action: A reported bill is placed on the Senate's calendar for consideration by the full Senate. The full Senate debates the bill, and further amendments may be made. Upon concluding the debate and making all the changes, the Senate votes on the bill.

6. Conference: If the House of Representatives has passed a similar but not identical bill, members from both the Senate and House may work together in a conference committee to reconcile the differences.

7. Final votes: After the conference committee resolves any discrepancies between the House and Senate versions of the bill, both chambers vote on the final unified version.

8. Enactment: If both the Senate and the House pass the bill, it is sent to the President for signature or veto. The bill becomes law if signed by the President or if the veto is overridden by Congress.

Through this process, Senate committees play a vital role in shaping, debating, and deciding the fate of legislation before it reaches the entire Senate for final consideration.