Congressional Committees

Purpose of CommitteesPurpose of Committees

• To divide work of Congress into smaller specialized groups

• To select bills that will be allowed to move forward

• To hold public hearings and investigations

General Truths AboutAll Committees

General Truths AboutAll Committees

• Party in power selects chairperson

• Membership in each committee is divided in proportion to percentage of control in House/Senate

• All committees havesubcommittees

• Members of Congress fight for certain chairperson positions.

• Chairpersons often have great power.

• Certain committees are more prestigious.

• Each member of Congress can only serve on a limited number of committees.

General Truths AboutAll Committees

General Truths AboutAll Committees

Unwritten Rule:

Seniority System

General Truths AboutAll Committees

General Truths AboutAll Committees

Kinds of CommitteesKinds of Committees

• Standing Committees

• Subcommittees

• Select Committees

• Joint Committees

• Conference Committees

          

   

Standing CommitteesStanding Committees

• They are permanent committees.

• They represent major areas of government.

SubcommitteesSubcommittees

• Work with a smaller part of the larger committee’s responsibilities.

• These subcommittees are usually permanent but change occasionally.

Subcommittee ExampleSubcommittee Example

Ways and Means Committee• Health• Human Resources• Oversight• Select Revenue Measures• Social Security• Trade

Select CommitteesSelect Committees

• Usually created to study one specific issue

• Usually deal with some large issue of great concern

• Usually temporary

• Purpose: Investigate and report findings to House or Senate

Joint CommitteesJoint Committees

• Have members from both House and Senate

• Serve as study groups

• Report findings to House and Senate

• Limited authority since representing both House and Senate

Conference CommitteesConference Committees

• Members from both House and Senate

• Temporary – for one bill only

• Only Job = Negotiate the final form of a bill

• Report the bill back to both House and Senate

Powerful CommitteesHouse• Rules• Ways and Means

(taxation, tariffs and other revenue raising legislation)

• Appropriations (where the money goes, how much)

Senate• Foreign Relations• Finance (like the Ways

and Means, but also deals with Social Security)

• Appropriations

Support Agencies

• Library of Congress– Congressional Research Service (CRS)

• Congressional Budget Office (CBO)• General Accounting Office (GAO)• Government Printing Office (GPO)

Group Work

• When was it established?• What is an interesting fact about it?• What kind of staff does it have and what do are

their responsibilities?• What is its purpose?

• Your group will share it with the class so everyone in your group must know the information above.

Library of Congress

• Library of Congress– Established in 1800’s to purchase books as may be

necessary for Congress.

– One of the largest in the world with over 100 Million items.

• Include: books, journals, music, films, photographs and maps.

– Congressional Research Service (CRS):• Their staff answers thousands of requests for information from

lawmakers.

Congressional Budget Office

• CBO– Established in 1974 to coordinate the budget- making

work of Congress study the budget proposals put forward by the President each year.

– It is a counterbalance to the Executives budget making organization.

– Staff studies: Economic trends, how much Congressional Committees are spending, and prepare a report on budget each April.

General Accounting Office

• GAO– Established in 1921

– “nations watch dog” over spending of funds Congress Appropriates.

– Agency has 3,300 people

• What do they do?– Review financial management of Government

programs

– Testify before committees, Develop questions for committee hearings, and provide legal opinions on bills under Consideration.