A Conference Committee Could Take A While
If the health care bill ends up in a conference committee between the House and the Senate, it could be a while before a final bill is agreed to by both chambers. Since 1980, reconciliation bills that have passed both chambers and then gone to a conference committee have taken anywhere from three days to 126 days between original passage (the date that the second chamber passed the bill) and final passage.
Reconciliation bills that went to conference committee
| FISCAL YEAR | ORIGINAL PASSAGE BY BOTH CHAMBERS | FINAL PASSAGE BY BOTH CHAMBERS | DAYS ELAPSED | DAYS ELAPSED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | September 17, 1980 | December 3, 1980 | 77 | |
| 1982 | July 13, 1981 | July 31, 1981 | 18 | |
| 1983 | July 23, 1982 | August 19, 1982 | 27 | |
| 1983 | August 11, 1982 | August 18, 1982 | 7 | |
| 1986 | November 14, 1985 | March 20, 1986 | 126 | |
| 1987 | September 25, 1986 | October 17, 1986 | 22 | |
| 1988 | December 11, 1987 | December 22, 1987 | 11 | |
| 1990 | October 13, 1989 | November 22, 1989 | 40 | |
| 1991 | October 19, 1990 | October 27, 1990 | 8 | |
| 1994 | June 25, 1993 | August 6, 1993 | 42 | |
| 1996 | October 28, 1995 | November 20, 1995 | 23 | |
| 1997 | July 23, 1996 | August 1, 1996 | 9 | |
| 1998 | June 25, 1997 | July 31, 1997 | 36 | |
| 1998 | June 27, 1997 | July 31, 1997 | 34 | |
| 2000 | July 30, 1999 | August 5, 1999 | 6 | |
| 2001 | July 18, 2000 | July 21, 2000 | 3 | |
| 2002 | May 23, 2001 | May 26, 2001 | 3 | |
| 2004 | May 15, 2003 | May 23, 2003 | 8 | |
| 2006 | November 18, 2005 | February 1, 2006 | 75 | |
| 2006 | February 2, 2006 | May 11, 2006 | 98 | |
| 2008 | July 20, 2007 | September 7, 2007 | 49 | |
| Average | 34 |