A conference committee is a temporary, bicameral (House and Senate) committee established to resolve differences between two versions of a bill. When the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill, a conference committee is appointed to draft a compromise bill that both houses can accept. The committee is usually composed of senior members of the standing committees of each house that originally considered the legislation. The conference committee process has steadily declined in recent decades, with only three conference reports produced in the 113th Congress (2013-14) .

The purpose of a conference committee is to reconcile differences in legislation that has passed both chambers. The committee is responsible for drafting a compromise bill that both the House and Senate can accept, so that identical legislation can be passed by both houses and presented to the president for signature. Conference committees can be contentious, particularly if the houses are controlled by different parties. One conference meeting must be open to the public, unless the House, in open session, votes to close a meeting to the public.