1) Allows for the division of labor so Congress can consider
a vast number of bills each year.
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110th Congress Bills= House: 7,336 & Senate: 3,741
2) Members develop specialization- gain expertise in specific
areas (do not have to depend on professional staff and
executive agencies for background information).
3) Subcommittees share specific tasks with the “parent”
committee. Subcommittees are responsible to, and work
within the guidelines established by, the parent
committee.
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Senate: 21 committees, over 65 subcommittees
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House: 20 committees, over 100 subcommittees
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There are 4 joint committees between both houses of
Congress
Standing Committees:
- permanent subject matter committees
- have legislative jurisdiction
- consider bills and issues
- recommend measures for consideration.
- oversight responsibility of agencies,
programs, and activities within jurisdictions.
- oldest standing committee = House Ways
and Means Committee (1802)
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Select (Special) Committees:
formed for specific purpose; temporary
conduct investigations, studies, and,
consider measures.
examine emerging issues that don’t fit
within existing standing committee
jurisdictions.
handle some oversight or “housekeeping”
responsibilities.
Joint Committees:
Permanent
include members of House and Senate.
Four joint committees: Economic, Library,
Printing, Taxation.
conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks
rather than consider measures.
Conference Committees:
- temporary
include House and Senate negotiators
created to resolve differences between versions
of similar House and Senate bills.
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Members express preferences to a party selection
committee.
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Members usually go to areas where they have
experience or concern their districts.
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Committees dealing with appropriations, taxes, and
finance are always sought after because they deal with
allocation of money.
Controlled by parties in particular the majority party.
Chairperson for standing committees usually comes
from majority party; seniority usually prevails. Most
influential member of the committee. Arranges
meetings, controls staffing and funding, sets agenda.
Senate= Steering Committee makes assignments for
both parties.
House= Committee on Committees= Republicans;
Steering and Policy Committee= Democrats
Senate Committees
Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education and Labor
Energy and Commerce
Financial Services
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
House Administration
Intelligence (Permanent Select)
Judiciary
Natural Resources
Oversight and Government Reform
Rules
Science and Technology
Small Business
Standards of Official Conduct
Transportation and Infrastructure
Veterans' Affairs
Ways and Means
(Whole)
House Committees
Aging (Special)
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science and Transportation
Energy and Natural Resources
Ethics (Select)
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs
Indian Affairs
Intelligence (Select)
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans' Affairs
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1. Pigeonholed- when congressional committees that deal with new bills
introduced in the United States congress decide to ignore a new bill, never make it
out of committee
2. Marked up- refers to the process by which a U.S. congressional committee or
state legislative session debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation.
3. Closed rule- “gag rule” strict limits on debates and forbids amendments from
the floor, except those from committees, members have little choice but to vote for
or against
4. Open rule- permits amendments and has less strict time limits, allowing input
from other members
5. Committee chairmen- most important person shaping the agenda, chosen
usually by seniority, voted by members of the house with a secret ballot
6. Caucuses with Congress- members of congress joins specific groups that share
their same interests or points of view. More than 70 groups, their goal is to shape
the agenda of Congress
7. Incumbency- The incumbent, in politics, is the holder of a political office. It is a
person who already holds political office. 95% of incumbents win re-election
Voters typically know incumbents well and have strong opinions about their
performance.
Challengers are less familiar and invariably fall short on straightforward
comparisons of experience and (in the presidential arena) command of foreign
policy.