Party and Policy Committees in Congress
Overview
Party and Policy Committees in Congress
Political parties have long played a part in the American system of government even
though they are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. James Madison, a founding father,
Secretary of State and the fourth U.S. president, recognized the inevitability of political parties
by saying, in 1792, “In every political society, parties are unavoidable. A difference of interests,
real or supposed, is the most natural and fruitful source of them.” President George Washington
(1789-1797), recognized that, while it was natural for people to organize and operate in groups,
he warned against political parties noting, in his Farewell Address, that parties tended to distract
the government from its duties.
The Democratic and Republican parties have dominated American politics since the mid19 century. Both parties have a complex network of party and policy committees that assist in
fundraising, campaigning, leadership, organization, and creation of legislative policy in
Congress.
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Party National Committees
The Republican National Committee was founded in 1856 while the Democratic National
Committee was founded in 1848. These organizations are responsible for developing
fundraising and campaigning strategies, and serve as the principal organizing groups for the
parties.
Both parties have party caucuses (Democrats) and party conferences (Republicans) in
each house of Congress, which allow party members to meet in closed sessions to set legislative
agendas, hold elections for floor leaders, and select committee members and chairs. The chair of
the House Republican Conference (HRC) and the House Democratic Caucus (HDC) each hold
the third ranking position in each chamber’s party leadership. In the House, the Democratic
Caucus has a Steering and Policy Committee that assigns party members to House committees
and advising party leaders. By virtue of her role as her party’s leader in the House,
Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA, 1987-present) has chaired the Steering and Policy
Committee since 2003. The House Republican Conference divides these responsibilities between
two separate committees, the House Republican Policy Committee and the House Republican
Steering Committee. Representative Tom Price (R-GA, 2005-present) currently chairs the
Policy Committee and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH, 1985-present) chairs the Steering
Committee. The Senate Republican and Democratic Policy Committees, created in 1947, vary in
structure and procedure although both shape policy and promote party cohesiveness.
Party and Policy Committees in Congress
Each party in each house also sponsors campaign committees. The National Republican
Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
(DCCC) both recruit, raise funds for, and attempt to get members of their party’s elected to the
House. Likewise, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the National
Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) serve the same purpose in the Senate. These
campaign committees often make independent expenditures in House and Senate contests,
mostly in the form of television advertisements, and do not coordinate with Congressional
campaigns. These committees wield considerable power in the organizational and leadership
structure of both parties and in Congress.
Although political parties are not included in the text of the Constitution, the Democratic
and Republican parties have developed complex organizational structures with various party and
policy committees that influence local, state, and national elections and have permitted them to
impact the legislative process in Congress.