Markup

A markup is a committee session in which members go through a bill section by section, offer amendments and vote on whether to report it to the full House or Senate. The word comes from the old practice of marking up the text of a bill with changes.

The committee usually starts from a draft prepared by the chair, often called the "chairman's mark" or "base text." Members offer amendments, which the committee debates and votes on, and then vote to report the bill, with or without amendment. A committee report may explain the bill and state minority views. Staff and the Congressional Budget Office provide information along the way.

Markups are a core element of regular order, where bills are developed in committee, not drafted by party leaders in private. Observers on both sides complain when major legislation skips markup, as happened with large spending or health bills written in leadership offices. Bills reported by committee typically proceed to the floor via the House Rules Committee in the House. Differences between chambers may later be resolved in a conference committee.