This overview explains only the most common ways legislation is considered on the House floor, and it describes the types of propositions most likely to be voted on and the opportunities for legislative debate most frequently available to and used by Members. This method has evolved as a way for measures that enjoy widespread support to be quickly processed by the House. Members cannot offer amendments from the floor. The motion to suspend the rules is debatable for 40 minutes. The majority party Member making the motion controls 20 minutes of the time, and another Member, typically the minority party committee leader, controls the other 20 minutes of time. Voting on Motions to Suspend the Rules

When debate has concluded, a single vote is held on the question of suspending the rules and passing the measure with any amendment that might have been included in the motion. Many suspension bills are passed by voice vote. A special rule is a procedural proposal reported by the Committee on Rules (in the form of a House resolution) that sets the terms for debating and amending a measure. Under this method of proceeding, the House first approves a special rule and then it considers a bill under the terms of that rule. This is the second most common method, after suspension of the rules, used to consider bills. Special rules allow the House to customize procedures for considering each bill. At the end of an hour, the Rules Committee majority floor manager will "move the previous question," and the House votes on the motion. If Members of the House are allowed, under the terms of the special rule, to offer amendments to the bill, then the first step in the process is for the Speaker to declare the House "resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union." The so-called Committee of the Whole is a parliamentary device designed to allow more efficient consideration of legislation than is available in the House in its different forms. After general debate on the bill, there might be an opportunity to offer amendments to it, although this depends on the special rule. As noted, closed rules do not allow amendments to be offered from the floor. Under an open rule, in contrast, Members can offer any amendment that does not violate a House rule, including statutory provisions that the House has designated to function as House rules, such as the Budget Act. More commonly in the contemporary House, amendments are offered under a structured rule. Before the House votes on final passage of a measure considered pursuant to a special rule, there is typically a record vote on a motion to recommit. In its most common form, the motion to recommit is made with instructions, which is effectively a last opportunity for a Member of the minority party to offer an amendment to the bill. Reaching Agreement with the Senate

Passage of a measure through the House is a crucial stage of the legislative process, but a bill or joint resolution must pass both the House and the Senate in precisely the same form before it can be sent to the President. Conference Committee

Historically, the House has resolved its differences with the Senate on major legislation through conference committees, or panels of Representatives and Senators from the committees of jurisdiction who meet to negotiate a compromise version of the bill. The resulting recommended legislation—the conference report—must be approved by both the House and Senate. Amendments Between the Houses

Sometimes, the House and Senate resolve their differences not through conference committee, but through amendments between the houses, or what is popularly known as "ping pong." In this process, the House and Senate shuttle a measure back and forth between them, each proposing alternatives in the form of amendments until they both agree to the same text.
This brief overview explains the most common ways legislation is considered on the House floor, and it describes the types of questions most likely to be voted on and the opportunities for legislative debate that are most frequently used by Members.
The most common method used to consider bills and resolutions in the House is suspension of the rules. This method has evolved as a way for measures that enjoy widespread support to be quickly processed by the House. A motion to suspend the rules and pass a bill is debatable for 40 minutes. The Member making the motion controls 20 minutes of the time, and another Member controls the other 20 minutes of time. When debate has concluded, a single vote is held on the question of suspending the rules and passing the measure. Members cannot offer amendments from the floor, but an amendment might be included in the motion. A two-thirds vote is required to pass a measure under suspension. Many suspension motions are passed by voice vote.
Most major bills, however, are considered through a multi-stage process involving the Committee on Rules. Special rules are House resolutions reported by the Committee on Rules that set the terms for debating and amending measures. Through special rules, the House majority can customize floor procedures for considering each bill. The House first approves a special rule and then considers the bill under the terms of that rule. After an hour of debate on a special rule, a Member typically moves the previous question, a motion that proposes to end consideration of a matter. The previous question is almost invariably agreed to, and the House then votes on approving the special rule.
When a measure is considered under the terms of a special rule, there is first a period for general debate on the bill. After general debate, there might be an opportunity to offer amendments to the bill, but it depends on the special rule. A closed rule is one that does not allow amendments to be offered from the floor. Under an open rule, in contrast, Members can offer any amendment that does not violate a House rule, including statutory provisions that the House has designated to function as House rules, such as the Budget Act. More commonly today, amendments are offered under rules that allow specific amendments identified in the report of the Rules Committee accompanying the special rule. If several amendments will be considered, the rule provides that the House resolve into the Committee of the Whole, a parliamentary device designed to allow more efficient consideration of legislation than provided when the House meets in other forms. Before the House votes on final passage of a measure, it rises from sitting as Committee of the Whole and returns to sitting as the House. There is then typically a record vote on a motion to recommit. In its most common form today, the motion to recommit is made with instructions, which is effectively a last opportunity for a minority party Member to offer an amendment.
A bill or joint resolution must pass both the House and the Senate in precisely the same form before it can be sent to the President. Historically, the House has resolved its differences with the Senate on major legislation through conference committees (panels of Representatives and Senators from the committees of jurisdiction who meet to negotiate a compromise version of the bill). The resulting recommended legislation—the conference report—must be approved by both the House and Senate and cannot be amended. Sometimes, the House and Senate resolve their differences not through conference committee, but through amendments between the houses. In this process, the chambers shuttle a measure back and forth until they both agree to the same text.