When a bill is introduced, the Senate Parliamentarian is responsible for deciding which Committee should review the legislation. The chair of the committee may decide to hold a hearing in order to examine the legislation.

During a hearing, committee members invite policy experts, agency representatives, and other stakeholders to testify on how the bill will affect the country. 

After holding a hearing or hearings, the chair of the committee can decide to hold a "markup" during which committee members debate, modify, and ultimately vote for or against the bill. 

If the majority of the committee members vote favorably for the bill, it is advanced to the Senate floor, where every Senator has an opportunity to review and debate the legislation. Sometimes, less controversial pieces of legislation will be included in related larger bills as amendments in order to help speed up the legislative process.