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CVC HS ActivitySheets Committees

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13 views

CVC HS ActivitySheets Committees

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daslipu75
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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ESSAY

Committees
Committees improve the organization of the Senate and House
of Representatives. Members of Congress can’t be experts on all
issues. For this reason, the Senate and House of Representatives
developed committees that focus on particular subjects. Committees
look at the way that government functions; identify issues that
require review; gather and evaluate information; and make legislative
recommendations to the full House or Senate.

T
he committee system has expanded and developed along with the size of the
federal government. The committees have evolved over time, reflecting changes in
Congress as well as in American society.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate maintain three types of committees:
standing; select (in the Senate these are called special and select); and joint. Standing
committees are permanent committees with specific responsibilities outlined in the rules of
each chamber. Special and select committees are created for specific purposes, such as an
investigation. Joint committees are formed with members of both the House and Senate.

Currently, the House has 20 standing committees and the Senate has 16 standing
committees. In the early 20th century, the House had 59 standing committees! The
Legislative Reorganization Acts of 1946 and 1970 decreased the number of committees
but added subcommittees and professional staff to assist members.

Generally, members are assigned to committees by their party based on their particular
interests and the committee requirements. Traditionally, the most senior member of the
committee from the majority party became the chair of a committee, and the most senior
member of the minority party was called the “ranking member” of the committee. More
recently, there have been some changes to the method of choosing committee chairs.

Why are committees so important? Thousands of bills are introduced in Congress each
year; however, only a few hundred are considered by the full House or Senate. After bills
are introduced, they are sent to the appropriate committee (and possibly, subcommittee)
where the hard work of writing legislation is done. Most bills are never passed out of
their committees and must be re-introduced in the next Congress for consideration. For
instance, in the 112th Congress, Second Session, 5,395 measures were introduced, and 148
public bills were enacted into law.

Bills “die” in committee for various reasons. Some bills are duplicative; some bills are
written to bring attention to issues without expectation of becoming law; some are not
practical ideas. Committees use professional staff, and experts representing business,
labor, the public and the executive branch to obtain information needed by members in
writing legislation.
STUDY QUESTIONS
Committees
Begin by reading Article I of the Constitution. What is meant by the majority and
1 Is there any mention of legislative
4
minority parties?
committees in the Constitution?

5 The Senate website states, “…committees


2 The first committees in both the Senate became policy-making bodies instead
and House were select committees. The of merely technical aids to the chamber.
Committee on Ways and Means became Whereas the Senate formerly set the
the first standing committee in the House agenda, the committees came to be, in
during the Fourth Congress, whereas the effect the Senate’s agenda-maker.” What
first standing committees in the Senate were does this mean?
established during the Fourteenth Congress
in 1816. What is an advantage of standing
committees over select committees?

3 The Ways and Means Committee is the


tax-writing committee in the House of
Representatives. The term “ways and
means” refers to the ways and means that
are adopted to raise funds for the use of
government. What does the Constitution
state about bills for raising revenue (income)?
Why did the founders make this decision?
ANSWERS
Committees
1 Section 8 of the Constitution lists the 4 The majority party is the party with the
powers of Congress but does not suggest most members in the House or Senate.
how the Senate or House should be The minority party has fewer members. In
organized. Committees are not mentioned in the U.S. we have a two-party system, and
the Constitution. most members of Congress are members of
either the Republican or Democratic Party.
Standing committees allow for more equal
2 An agenda is the list of things to
distribution of work among members as 5
well as for specialization among members. be discussed by a legislative body.
In addition, the establishment of standing Committees have become very powerful
committees allowed for long-term studies because committees generally determine
and investigations. which legislation is considered by the
Senate or House of Representatives. Bills
Article I, Section VII of the U.S. Constitution that receive consideration and a majority
3 vote in committee can then be scheduled
declares, “All Bills for raising Revenue shall
originate in the House of Representatives.” for floor consideration.
When the Constitution was written, only
the House of Representatives was directly
elected by the people (the state legislatures
elected members to the Senate).The
founders decided that this important
responsibility should be left to the members
closest to the people.

SOURCES:
U.S. Senate Website:
http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Committees.htm
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/Resumes.htm
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm
U.S. House of Representatives Website:
http://history.house.gov/Education/Fact-Sheets/Education-Fact-Sheets/

RESOURCES:
U.S. Capitol Website:
http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/about-congress/making-laws
http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/exhibition-hall/timeline

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