Congressional Committees Flashcards
Bone up on your U.S. congressional committees, from Armed Services to Ways and Means.
What is a congressional committee?
A group of Congress members who research and vote on bills in a smaller setting before the bills are presented to the full House or Senate
What is a subcommittee?
a smaller committee within a larger one and that has a more specific interest
e.g., the House Appropriations Committee has smaller committees on Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, etc.
How is the representation in committees determined?
Representation in committees reflects the party representation in the respective house.
e.g., if Democrats have majority in the Senate, more Democrats will serve on almost every committee
each committee is chaired by a member of the majority party
What is a select, or special, committee?
a committee used for researching specific issues not in the jurisdiction of the standing committees already in Congress
What is a joint committee?
a bicameral committee consisting of members from both houses of Congess
What is the difference between a select and a joint committee?
A select committee is formed for a specific goal or purpose while a joint committee is comprised of members from both houses of Congress.
What is the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry?
Senate committee that handles agriculture issues
What is the Committee on Appropriations?
a committee in both the House and Senate that controls total expenditures
What is the Committee on Armed Services?
a committee in both the House and Senate that handles issues regarding:
- the Army
- the Navy, etc.
What is the Committee on Budget?
a committee in both the House and Senate that helps draft the budget and monitor non-budget spending
What is the Committee on Education and Labor?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- safety and fair compensation for the working population
- primary and continuing education, etc.
What is the Committee on Energy and Commerce?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- tourism
- energy sources
- public health
- biomedical research, etc.
What is the Committee on Foreign Affairs?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- Peace Corps
- deployment of troops on foreign soil
- adhering to the rules of the UN, etc.
What is the Committee on Homeland Security?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- border control
- health pandemics and prevention
- civil liberties, etc.
What is the Committee on the Judiciary?
a committee in both the House and Senate that handles issues regarding:
- federal law enforcement
- civil liberties
- constitutional amendments, etc.
What is the Committee on Natural Resources?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- natural resources
- waters and marinas
- Native American Affairs, etc.
What is the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- investigations of government programs and executive misconduct
- subpoenas to implicated officials
What is the Committee on Science and Technology?
House committee that handles issues regarding research in:
- space exploration
- weather
- science, etc.
What is the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct?
Nonpartisan House committee with equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans that monitors gifts received by Representatives
What is the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure?
House committee that handles issues regarding:
- public government buildings
- transportation of goods
- roads and marinas, etc.