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How Congress Deals With Processing Thousands of Pieces of Legislation a Year

Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, Congress divides its tasks among approximately 250 committees and sub committees. The House and Senate each have their own committee system, which are similar. Within chamber guidelines, however, each committee adopts its own rules; thus, there is considerable variation among panels.

Standing committees generally have legislative jurisdiction. Subcommittees handle specific areas of the committee’s work. Select and joint committees generally handle oversight or housekeeping responsibilities.

The chair of each committee and a majority of its members represent the majority party. The chair primarily controls a committee’s business. Each party assigns its own members to committees, and each committee distributes its members among its subcommittees. The Senate places limits on the number and types of panels any one senator may serve on and chair.

Committees receive varying levels of operating funds and employ varying numbers of aides. Each hires its own staff. The majority party controls most committee staff and resources, but a portion is shared with the minority.

Several thousand bills and resolutions are referred to committees during each 2-year Congress. Committees select a small percentage for consideration, and those not addressed often receive no further action. The bills that committees report help to set the Senate’s agenda.

When a committee or subcommittee favors a measure, it usually takes four actions. First it asks relevant executive agencies for written comments on the measure. Second, it holds hearings to gather information and views from non-committee experts. At committee hearings, these witnesses summarize submitted statements and then respond to questions from the senators. Third, a committee meets to perfect the measure through amendments, and non-committee members sometimes attempt to influence the language. Fourth, when language is agreed upon, the committee sends the measure back to the full Senate, usually along with a written report describing its purposes and provisions.

A committee’s influence extends to its enactment of bills into law. A committee that considers a measure will manage the full Senate’s deliberation on it. Also, its members will be appointed to any conference committee created to reconcile its version of a bill with the version passed by the House of Representatives.

Other types of committees deal with the confirmation or rejection of presidential nominees. Committee hearings that focus on the implementation and investigation of programs are known as oversight hearings, whereas committee investigations examine allegations of wrongdoing.

Source: The Committee System in the U.S. Congress, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. August 29, 1994, revised by the Senate Historical Office, September 2002.


Senate Committees

Standing

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
http://agriculture.senate.gov/
Appropriations
http://appropriations.senate.gov/
Armed Services
http://armed-services.senate.gov
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
http://banking.senate.gov/
Budget
http://budget.senate.gov
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
http://commerce.senate.gov
Energy and Natural Resources
http://energy.senate.gov
Environment and Public Works
http://enp.senate.gov
Finance
http://finance.senate.gov
Foreign Relations
http://foreign.senate.gov
Governmental Affairs
http://govt-aff.senate.gov
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
http://health.senate.gov
Judiciary
http://judiciary.senate.gov
Rules and Administration
http://rules.senate.gov
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
http://sbc.senate.gov
Veterans Affairs
http://veterans.gov

Special, Select, and Other

Indian Affairs
http://indian.senate.gov
Select Committee on Ethics
http://ethics.senate.gov
Select Committee on Intelligence
http://intellegence.senate.gov
Special Committee on Aging
http://aging.senate.gov

Joint

Joint Committee on Printing
http://jcp.senate.gov/
Joint Committee on Taxation
http://house.gov/jct
Joint Committee on the Library
http://www.senate.gov/general/committee_membership/committee_memberships_JSLC.htm
Joint Economic Committee
http://jec.senate.gov

US Senate Caucuses

Informal congressional groups and organizations of Members with shared interests in specific issues or philosophies have been part of the American policymaking process since colonial times. Typically, these groups organize without official recognition by the chamber and are not funded through the appropriation process. In the Senate there is one officially recognized caucus -- the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control http://drugcaucus.senate.gov/index.html established by law in 1985.


To see an Interactive Organizational Chart of the relationships among Senate leaders and officers who manage the flow of legislative and administrative business in the Senate, please visit http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/e_one_section_no_teasers/org_chart.htm
(WARNING: May not to be updated to reflect the November 2004 elections and the changes for the 109th Congress)

Learn about the history of the Senate committee system, and how it has evolved since the Senate created its first permanent committees in 1816.
http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Committees.htm



House Committees

Committee on Agriculture
http://agriculture.house.gov
Committee on Appropriations
http://appropriations.house.gov/
Committee on Armed Services
http://armedservices.house.gov
Committee on the Budget
http://www.house.gov/budget/
Committee on Education and the Workforce
http://edworkforce.house.gov
Committee on Energy and Commerce
http://house.gov/commerce
Committee on Financial Services
http://www.house.gov/financialservices
Committee on Government Reform
http://reform.house.gov/
Committee on House Administration
http://www.house.gov/cha/
Committee on International Relations
http://www.house.gov/international_relations/
Committee on the Judiciary
http://www.house.gov/judiciary
Committee on Resources
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/
Committee on Rules
http://www.house.gov/rules
Committee on Science
http://www.house.gov/science
Committee on Small Business
http://www.house.gov/smbiz
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
http://www.house.gov/ethics/
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
http://www.house.gov/transportation
Committee on Veterans Affairs
http://veterans.house.gov/
Committee on Ways and Means
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/
Joint Economic Committee
http://www.house.gov/jec/
Joint Committee on Printing
http://www.house.gov/jcp/
Joint Committee on Taxation
http://www.house.gov/jct
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
http://intelligence.house.gov/
Select Committee on Homeland Security
http://hsc.house.gov/

For House Committee Quick Links to:
Membership, Subcommittees, Schedules, Hearings, Jurisdiction, Hot Topics, and Web Casts, please visit http://www.house.gov/house/CommitteeWWW.shtml