The House Judiciary Committee hears White House arguments as part of the hearings to determine whether President Clinton's conduct merits impeachment. A majority committee vote in favor of one or more articles of impeachment would send the matter to the House floor.
The full House reviews any recommended article of impeachment forwarded by the committee. If the House declines the recommendation, the impeachment effort ends. If a majority of those present vote to approve one or more articles, the matter moves to the Senate The Senate conducts a trial to determine whether the president should be removed from office. The chief justice presides and managers appointed by the House function like prosecutors. The defendant is permitted to have legal counsel and has the right to testify and cross-examine witnesses. There is a separate vote for each article of impeachment. A "yes" vote by two-thirds of the senators present is needed to convict; a conviction on even one article is enough to remove the president from office.