Committee System

Seniority Rule• This custom (not a rule or law) says that the most

important Congressional leadership roles go to the members who have served the longest

• Seniors have privileges over Freshmen

Introduction to Committees• Committee• Chairperson• Committee Appointment• Appointment Considerations:

1. Background

2. Party Affiliation

3. Seniority Rule

Steering Committee

Committee on Committees

Types of Committees• Standing Committee

• Select Committee

• Joint Committee

• Conference Committee

Standing Committee• Permanent Committee

• Specializes in one subject, and handles bills relating to that subject (subject matter)

• May be broken down into smaller sub-committees

Example (U.S. Senate Committee)

U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Western

Hemisphere

Near Eastern and South and Central Asia

African

Affairs

Eastern Asia and Pacific

European

Affairs

Committee

Sub Committees

Example (U.S. Senate Committee)

U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee

Air Land Emerging threats and capabilities

Personnel Readiness and

Management Support

Sea

Power

Committee

Sub Committees

Strategic

Forces

House Standing Committees• Agriculture• Appropriations• Armed Services• Budget• Education/Workforce• Energy/Commerce• Financial Services• Government Reform• House Administration• International Relations

• Judiciary• Resources• Rules• Science• Small Business• Standards of Conduct• Transportation and

Infrastructure• Veterans Affairs• Ways and Means

Senate Standing Committees• Agriculture• Appropriations• Armed Services• Banking, Housing, and

Urban Affairs• Commerce, Science,

and Transportation• Energy and Natural

Resources• Environment and

Public Works

• Finance• Foreign Relations• Government Affairs• Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions• Indian Affairs• Judiciary• Rules and Administration• Small Business• Veterans Affairs

Select Committee• Usually Temporary

• Created for a specific purpose, such as conducting an investigation

• Examples:

US Senate (Select Committees)

• Select Committee on Aging

• Select Committee on Intelligence

• Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction

Joint Committee• Permanent or Temporary

• Includes members of both the House and Senate so that both houses do not duplicate work

EconomicLibraryPrintingTaxation

Conference Committee• Temporary Committee

• Formed to work out a compromise on a bill when the House and Senate have passed different versions of the same bill

Caucuses• Caucuses are informal groups formed by members

of Congress who share a common purpose or a set of goals. They elect the party leadership. Examples:

• Congressional Black Caucus• Women’s Caucus• Democratic Caucus• Republican Caucus