Committees and Staff in Congress CP – Ch.5 sec.4
1. Standing Committees – They continue from one session of Congress to the next. They study
current bills and recommend if the bill should become a law.
a. The House has 22 standing committees
b. The Senate has 16 standing committees
The majority party in each house controls the standing committees and selects the chairperson for
the committee
1b. Sub-Committees – They also continue from one Congress to the next and are on more specific
issues than the Standing Committees. This allows Congressmen to specialize their knowledge
House of Reps:
Committee on Agriculture
Committee on Appropriations
Committee on Armed Services
Committee on the Budget
Committee on Education and Labor
Committee on Financial Services
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on the Judiciary
Committee on Homeland Security
Committee on House Administration Committee on Small Business
Committee on Natural Resources Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Rules
Committee on Science and Technology
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Committee on Ways and Means
Senate:
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Energy and Natural Resources
Foreign Relations
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Veterans' Affairs
Look up the current chairperson of the following important committees in Congress:
+ Appropriations Committee – deals with any topic where the government has to give money
House of Appropriations -
Senate Appropriations –
+ Budget Committee – this sets up the money distribution for the year in government
House Budget -
Senate Budget –
+ Armed Services – deals with the military and appropriate actions by them
House Armed Services -
Senate Armed Services –
+ House Rules – deals with the laws in the House of Representatives and the ruling body there
+ Senate Judiciary – deals with the Judicial Branch and following the law laid out by the
Supreme Court
House Rules -
Senate Judiciary –
Committees and Staff in Congress CP – Ch.5 sec.4
 Find these specific Congressmen and which committees they are on for PA.
Committees Charlie Dent is on in the House:
Committees Pat Toomey is on in Senate:
Committees Bob Casey Jr. is on in Senate:
2. Select Committees – These are temporary.
a. Deal with issues of great public concern (poverty/hunger)
b. Overlooked problems (organized crime)
c. Problems specific to interest groups (Senior Citizens)
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What are the 2 Senate and the 1 House Select Committees?
3. Joint Committees – Consist of members of BOTH the House and Senate and are temporary
a. The study certain issues and report back to either the House or the Senate
b. They are used to coordinate the work between the House and Senate
-
What are four Joint Committees found on both websites?
4. Conference Committee – Temporary Committee
a. Formed when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill. They come
to an agreement as to what the bill should say, so it can be re-voted on and sent to the
President.
Why are committees so important to Congress (especially the House)?