Congressional Committees Flashcards
Name three functions of committees?
Help Congress perform “advise and consent” powers
Perform role in checks and balances
Investigative function
What are the impacts of committees?
90% bills killed by committees
Comprehensive network highly specialised committees- 17senate + 19HoR
What are standing committees?
Permanent committees that amend legislation
They conduct investigations within the policy area
They help parents chambers but are limited- can’t legislate
How many functions do standing committees have?
2 in the house
And 3in the senate
What are the three functions of standing committees?
Conduct committee stage of bills in legilslative process
Conduct investigation within committee policy area
Begin confirmation of numerous presedential appointments
What do house rules committees do?
Timetable bills on floor and attach “rule” to each bill
Priorities bills on the floor of house for 2nd reading
Why are house rules committees different than other committees?
They have a smaller membership and have a more skewed majority party
Three reasons why committees are powerful?
Committee members tend to be more independent from party
Exec scrutiny accepted as main function
Scrutinise legislation
Give an example of executive scrutiny accepted as the main function of committees?
Hilary Clinton appearing in front of the house select committee about using personal e-mail
Give an example of committees scrutinising legislation?
Affordable care act stripped down
Give 2 reasons why committees are too powerful? Examples?
Some committees are more popular- ways and means committee
Committees are unrepresentative chamber- agricultural committees staffed by flyover states
Give three reasons why committees are not too powerful?
Committees bypassed- little influence Trump reapeal Obamacare 2017
Party Influence - republicans abolish seniority rule
What is the seniority rule?
Tied promotions to the le by the of services in Congress
What are committee chairs?
Chair determines agenda, choosing what issues get considered
Manage writing the bill and vote on it in committee itself
What is proxy voting that proves committees have been reformed?
Chairs casting votes on behalf on absent members - this has ended
