Committee Reports exist for bills which come out of committee with "do pass" recommendations. A committee report describes the purpose and scope of the bill, and explains the bill section by section as well as any amendments the committee has made to the original bill and may include the consensus of the committee on the intent of the bill and its application. Committee Reports are numbered with the Congress in which they are issued and then sequentially to identify the specific report. Committee Reports are usually thought to be the most persuasive legislative history source for interpretations of the bill's intent.
Conference Reports
Conference Reports result when there is disagreement on the final language of a bill. A Conference committee is appointed from both House and Senate to reach a compromise so that the bill will be enacted. The Conference Report summarizes the provisions of both bills and explains the compromises reached. These reports are found in the same sources as Committee Reports and many Conference Reports appear in full in the Congressional Record.