Why must a bill pass both houses of Congress in the same form?

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President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Medicare Bill at a table beside former President Harry S. Truman, with Lady Bird Johnson and others standing behind them. — Legislation Former U.S. president Harry S. Truman (right) looking on as U.S. Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Medicare bill at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, July 30, 1965.

Under the constitutional framework of the United States, a bill must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate in identical form before it can be presented to the president to become law.12

This requirement ensures that both chambers of Congress have reached a formal, unified agreement on the specific language and provisions of the legislation. Because the two houses often introduce different versions of a bill—reflecting their distinct political compositions and priorities—they must reconcile any differences to produce a single, consistent text. This process is a fundamental procedural safeguard, ensuring that the legislative branch speaks with one voice before a measure is sent to the executive for approval or veto.231