1. Chapter 12:2 Committees in Congress

2. Role of committees screen bills placed before Congress hold public hearings so that government officials and private citizens can offer opinions and/or expert testimony

3. Types of Committees standing committees select committees joint committees conference committees

4. Standing committees have jurisdiction over bills of a certain type are often divided into smaller subcommittees

5. Select committees conduct studies and investigations rather than consider legislation

6. Joint committees staffed by an equal number of members from both the House and Senate give full congressional overview of a complex subject -report on findings to the Congress and the public

7. Conference committees adjust differences between the House and Senate versions of bills -produce a version of the bill that is acceptable in both houses

8. Appropriate to provide the money necessary to enact legislation -failure to provide such funds can effectively kill a bill

9. House Rules Committee organizes the flow of legislation from committees to the House floor provides rules for the bill: -when it will be considered -how long the debate may last -how to divide debate time

10. Committee assignment(s) Republican and Democratic parties both have a Steering Committee: help make assignments try to assign members based on the expertise they could bring to the proceedings

11. Chairpersons usually achieve and/or maintain position based on seniority schedule meetings draw-up agendas decide which bills will be heard decides who goes on fact-finding trips

12. Recent reforms of committee procedures chairpersons now elected by secret ballot no member is allowed to chair more than one committee a majority of a committee can call special meetings

13. New committee procedures (continued) committee members who disagree with the chairperson can have time to present their views and call witnesses all meetings are to be open to the public*

14. Subcommittees are increasingly more independent now draft major laws play a major role in managing bills on the floor of the House and Senate