what are committee assignments based on

Congressional Rules, Leadership, and Committee Selection

Published on January 31, 2023

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Every two years, at the beginning of each Congress, the House of Representatives is responsible for adopting rules that govern the procedure and process of the chamber, while the Senate uses its traditional rules and procedures. The adoption of these rules is necessary for sessions of Congress to run as smoothly as possible. Standing rules also dictate how party leadership and committee membership are selected. This is a basic guide to rules and procedures in both chambers of Congress.

Rules and Procedures in the House

At the beginning of each Congress, the House of Representatives must vote on a new rules package to determine the rules that will govern the body for the next two years. Before these rules are adopted, the House operates based on general parliamentarian rules. The House usually adopts the rules of the previous Congress and makes amendments the body feels are necessary. The rules package lays out the guidelines for the daily procedure in the House, how the chamber passes legislation, and other rules of decorum.

The House Committee on Rules is among the oldest standing committees and is the mechanism by which the Speaker maintains control of the House Floor. The House Rules Committee has two types of jurisdiction–special orders and original jurisdiction. Special orders, or special rules, determine the rules of debates on a matter or measure on the Floor and are the bulk of the Committee’s work. Original jurisdiction refers to changes being made to the standing rules. The Rules Committee can create or change almost any rule as long as a majority of the House agrees.\

Reporting a special rule to the House Committee on Rules is a process that begins with the committee of jurisdiction requesting a hearing by the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee then holds a hearing in which Members of Congress from the committee of jurisdiction can make their case.

Rules and Procedures in the Senate

Unlike the House of Representatives, the Senate, as a continuing body, does not have to adopt or readopt its rules with each new Congress. A set of standing rules govern proceedings in the Senate in conjunction with a body of precedents created by rulings of presiding officers or by votes of the Senate, a variety of established and customary practices, and ad hoc arrangements the Senate makes. The standing rules guarantee rights to senators, however, these rights are sometimes foregone by senators in the interest of conducting business more quickly.

One rule that separates the Senate from the House is the use of cloture to end a filibuster. Senators can prolong voting on bills by debating at length or using other delaying tactics, but a cloture vote by 60 out of the 100 senators can end the debate and force a vote on the bill.

The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for upholding the rules of the Senate floor, the administration of Senate buildings, the credentials and qualifications of senators, and the development and implementation of strategic plans to improve the operations of the Senate. The committee has jurisdiction over any matters relating to the rules and procedures of the Senate rules and regulations. Unlike its counterpart in the House, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee does not need to develop a rules package for each new Congress.

Selection of House and Senate Leadership

Leadership in the House is decided by internal party elections. These elections typically take place behind closed doors via secret ballot in November following the general election. Leadership elections also determine the chairs of the Democratic Caucus and the Republican Conference and the chairs of the two parties’ campaign committees. The parties also elect their nominees for Speaker of the House. The Speaker is elected by a simple majority in a vote put to the entire House of Representatives.

The Speaker is the most powerful member of leadership, followed by the majority leader, minority leader, majority and minority whips, and finally the assistant speaker

In the Senate, leadership consists of the president pro tempore, the majority and minority leaders, conference chairs, policy committee chairs, conference secretaries, and campaign committee chairs. These positions are elected or appointed by their separate parties.

The vice president of the United States serves as the president of the Senate, but the president pro tempore presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president. The president pro tempore is traditionally, but not always, the most senior member of the majority party in the Senate who is elected to the role by the chamber. Responsibilities of the president pro tempore include appointing the director of the Congressional Budget Office with the Speaker of the House, making appointments to various national commissions and advisory boards, and receiving reports from certain government agencies.

The Democratic leader in the Senate serves as chair of the party conference, but the Senate Republicans divide those duties, electing one person to serve as conference chair and another to serve as leader.

Selection of Committees in the House and Senate

Both parties in both chambers use steering committees, also known as committees on committees, to determine leadership and membership of committees. The Republican Steering Committee and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee are selected during meetings in November and December after an election. The steering committees then make recommendations to the Republican Conference and Democratic Caucus respectively on committee chairs, ranking minority members, and general committee assignments.

In the House, once the steering committees make recommendations to their parties, the relevant party caucus approves the recommendations of the selection committee. Then the House approves the recommendations of the caucuses, which are brought before the House as privileged resolutions.

Traditionally, though not exclusively, committee chairs have been selected by seniority, so that the longest-serving Members of the committee from the majority and minority parties become the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the committee. Members of the House are typically limited to service on two committees and four subcommittees, with exceptions for particular committees.

In the Senate, the committee assignment process is guided by Senate rules as well as party rules and practices. The Senate governs committee operations through its Standing Rules XXIV-XXVIII.

Senators are formally elected to standing committees by the entire membership of the Senate, but in practice, each party conference is largely responsible for determining which of its members will sit on each committee. Just as they do in the house, steering committees from both parties make recommendations on committee leadership and assignments. In both party conferences, the floor leader has the authority to make some committee assignments, which can provide the leader with a method of promoting party discipline through the granting or withholding of desired assignments. The number of seats a party holds in the Senate determines its share of seats on each committee.

Senate rules divide committees into three categories based on their importance: Class A, Class B, and Class C. Each senator may serve on no more than two Class A committees and one Class B committee, unless granted special permission. There are no limits to service on Class C committees.

In both chambers, the Republican party has term limits on committee leadership roles.

Links to Other Resources

• Congressional Research Service – ​ Commonly Used Motions and Requests in the House of Representatives
• Congressional Research Service – ​ House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison
• Congressional Research Service – House Standing Committee Chairs and Ranking Minority Members: Rules Governing Selection Procedures
• CNN – What to know about upcoming House leadership elections
• GovInfo – Congressional Calendars
• Office of the Historian of the United States House of Representatives – House Committees
• Roll Call – ​ House adopts rules package for 118th Congress
• United States Congress – ​Glossary of Legislative Terms
• United States House of Representatives – ​ A Guide to the Rules, Precedents, and Procedures of the House
• United States House of Representatives – ​ The Legislative Process
• Unites States Senate – Rules and Procedure
• United States Senate – ​When a New Congress Begins

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U.S. Senate

It can be challenging to keep up with what’s going on in Washington - especially with the long, confusing and seemingly complicated legislative processes. But once you understand the process you can have a voice. This brief is designed to explain the legislative branch of our government, specifically the inner workings of the Senate, and how you can participate in and even influence the legislative process.

Table of Contents

Introduction, what is the legislative branch, size and structure of the senate, what does the senate do, additional resources, ways to get involved/what you can do.

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View the Executive Summary for this brief.

The United States spent eight long years of desperate fighting for independence from 1775 to 1783. By 1789, the Founding Fathers had set about constructing a government “built on the cardinal conviction of revolutionary-era republicanism: that no central authority empowered to coerce or discipline the citizenry was permissible , since it merely duplicated the monarchical and aristocratic principles that the American Revolution had been fought to escape. The United States is now the oldest enduring republic in world history, with a set of political institutions and traditions that have stood the test of time.”

According to House.gov , “To ensure a separation of powers, the U.S. Federal Government is made up of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. To ensure the government is effective and citizens’ rights are protected, each branch has its own powers and responsibilities, including working with the other branches.” This is often referred to as “ checks and balances ,” and prevents any one part of government from wielding too much political power.

Why it Matters

America benefits from a judicial branch positioned to halt executive branch overreach. The President of the United States cannot stay in power indefinitely and is unable to force the U.S. Congress to pass laws. From the very beginning, and still to today, the American people have access to and influence over their elected representatives.

The House of Representatives tends to reflect popular passions and passing enthusiasms, while the Senate is expected to provide advice and consent on presidential appointments and treaties and to temper enthusiasm with wisdom and experience. Together they form Congress, the legislative branch of our federal government. Understanding the structure of our government is essential to understanding how policy translates into law.  The policy choices our legislators make can shape the direction of our country.  

In serving the people, the Senate works at its own pace and sometimes in conflict with the other branches of government.  In this brief we will look at the U.S. Senate, its structure, its unique role in government and what you can do to influence your senator in the legislative process. For a brief on the U.S. House of Representatives, click here .

Through the “ Great Compromise ” of July 16, 1787, it was decided that House seats would be apportioned by population and directly elected by the people, and that each state would have at least one representative. The Senate would be composed of two senators from each state elected by the state legislatures and thus indirectly by the people; in 1913, that changed so that senators would be directly elected by the people of each state.

Congress carries the “ power of the purse, ” which is the ability to tax and spend public money for the national government. But it also means that Congress can block activity by refusing to authorize public funding for an agency, program or entity.  The Senate in particular was designed to serve as a counterbalance to the House of Representatives and as a brake on executive power from the president.

CrashCourse U.S. Government and Politics, produced in collaboration with PBS, explains the Bicameral Congress (9 min):

There are two senators from each state serving in Congress . Small and large states alike each have two Senators, so there is no differentiation in representation based on population, unlike the House, and there are fewer senators (100) compared to representatives in the House (435).

Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures, but that process began to break down in the 1850s. “ Intimidation and bribery marked some of the states’ selection of senators,” with forty-five deadlocks in twenty states between 1891 and 1905. In 1899, in fact, “ problems in electing a senator in Delaware were so acute that the state legislature did not send a senator to Washington for four years.” In order to “remove control of government from the influence of special interests and corrupt state legislators,” reform came with the 17th Amendment to the Constitution in 1913, which provided for the direct popular election of Senators.

A senator must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and a resident of the state they represent.

Life of a Senator

A senator generally carries more power than the average individual member of the House because a senator represents an entire state while a House member represents only one district within a state. In representing an entire state, a senator is in most cases responsible for more constituents than a House Representative – except in the states where Senators outnumber House Representatives, as is the case in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming, with each having one representative. Also because there are fewer of them, senators carry a larger megaphone to bring attention to a particular issue.

The day-to-day activities of a senator are not entirely different from a House representative. They spend their days meeting with constituents, discussing policy issues in committee meetings and making public appearances to convey their message to the public. The House of Representatives passes legislation more frequently than the more deliberative Senate, so senators spend less time voting on the Senate floor and more time negotiating compromises before a bill reaches the Senate floor for a vote.

The framers originally created the Senate “to protect the rights of individual states and safeguard minority opinion in a system of government designed to give greater power to the national government.”

Responsibilities of the Senate

The Senate has two important and specific duties . Senators are empowered to conduct impeachment proceedings of high federal officials, are tasked with exercising the power of advice and consent on treaties, and play an important role in the confirmation (or denial) of certain appointments including ambassadors and judicial court justices.

Impeaching High Officials

Article I, section 3, clause 6 of the Constitution explains, “The Senate shall have the sole power to try all Impeachments… And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.”

The Senate presides over impeachments of the president or other high officials and can remove them by a two-thirds vote. An official is impeached once the House votes to approve an article of impeachment. The House then sends an indictment – the articles of impeachment – to the Senate, which forms itself into a jury.

If the official accused is below the level of the president, the vice president acts as the presiding officer of the impeachment. But if the official being impeached is the president, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides over the Senate proceedings.

The Senate could vote to acquit the accused official, but if two-thirds of the Senate finds the official guilty, that official is removed from office and then subject to the regular penalties of law.

Providing Advice and Consent

Article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution says, “[The president] shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States.” Senators have this unique role based on the idea that “senators as statewide officials ‘ would be uniquely qualified to identify suitable candidates’ .” The particular duty came about as a compromise between the framers who wanted the President to have the sole power of appointment and those who wanted the power to reside with the Senate.

Article II, section 2, clause 2 also says the president “shall have Powers, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur.” Originally , the Continental Congress dispatched agents to negotiate treaties, which could only be approved if nine of the thirteen states consented. The individualized nature of the process, complicated by the fact that states also had the ability to enter into treaties themselves, made that particular system inefficient.

Leadership in the Senate

Vice president.

The vice president is designated as the “‘ ex-officio President of the Senate .’” The vice president has a “ constitutional duty” to “preside over the Senate, ” although the vice president cannot vote in the Senate (except to break a tie) or formally address the Senate without the senators’ permission. “To secure definitive resolutions, the Senate’s president must be able to cast tie-breaking votes, yet be denied a vote at all other times. Therefore, the Senate’s presiding officer must not be a member of the Senate,” explains Senate.gov ’s interpretation of Alexander Hamilton’s The Federalist , No. 68.

From John Adams in 1789 to Richard Nixon in the 1950s, presiding over the Senate was the chief function of vice presidents, who had an office in the Capitol, received their staff support and office expenses through the legislative appropriations, and rarely were invited to participate in cabinet meetings or other executive activities. In 1961, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson changed the vice presidency by moving his chief office from the Capitol to the White House, by directing his attention to executive functions, and by attending Senate sessions only at critical times when his vote, or ruling from the chair, might be necessary. Vice presidents since Johnson’s time have followed his example.

President Pro Tempore

The “ president pro tempore ” presides over the Senate in absence of the vice president and is third in the line of succession to the presidency, behind the vice president and Speaker of the House. The Senate elects one senate member to serve as president pro tempore.

Majority & Minority Leadership

The minority party, with fewer than 50% of the Senate seats, also has a minority leader position . Similar to the majority leader, the minority leader represents his/her party on the Senate floor, but does not have the right of first recognition or the ability to set the floor agenda. The minority leader and majority are meant to consult one another to come to agreements on floor debate rules and to equally divide debate time between the parties.

Other important positions for both the majority and minority parties include:

• Party Whips , who are assistant leaders responsible for “rounding up party members for votes and quorum calls,” as well as for sometimes standing in for their majority or minority leaders in the case of their absence.
• Conference Chairpersons preside over closed sessions known as party conferences (or party caucuses), during which members of each party meet to elect floor leaders, determine committee assignments, and set legislative agendas. The Democratic floor leader serves as his/her party’s chair, while the Republican Party elects a chairperson that is not the floor leader.
• Policy Committee Chairs serve as leaders of their respective party’s policy committees. The Republican and Democratic Senate policy committees were created in 1947 “ to achieve policy integration and to promote party unity through the dissemination of information about policy and other Senate matters.” Each serves as “ an analytical arm of its respective party leadership ” and provides analysis of policy issues, solutions, and alternatives, as well as a forum for policy discussions.

The Role of Committees

Like the House, the Senate has committees that study issues in depth. Committee membership “enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction.” The role of committees is to “monitor on-going governmental operations, identify issues suitable for legislative review, gather and evaluate information, and recommend courses of action” to the Senate as a whole.

There are a few restrictions on committee membership , which are intended to treat senators equitably in the assignment process. First, when a state is represented by two senators from the same party, they may not serve together on the same committee. Additionally, each senator is limited to service on two of the “A” committees, and one of the “B” committees. Service on “C” committees is unrestricted.

More prestigious committees (“A” committees) are generally more powerful (and are therefore an advantageous platform for potential political fundraising). For example, a senator that serves on the Appropriations Committee has more power over what programs get what level of funding.

For a full list of committees and their classifications, see this Congressional Research Service report .

Legislation in the Senate

During the course of each two-year congressional session, the Senate will refer approximately 3,000 bills and resolutions to its committees . Committees act on a small proportion of these, as some are only meant to call attention to issues or test future support. Approximately 500 bills and resolutions are reported to the full Senate.

Committee Process

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to one of the Senate’s standing committees by the Senate Parliamentarian. The Senate committee studies the bill and summons numerous witnesses to hearings on the bill, including members of Congress, administrative officials, representatives from the business sector, and the general public. After hearings, the committee “marks-up” the bill, meaning the members debate, modify, and ultimately vote for or against the bill (similar to the House committees). Once released from the committee, the bill goes to the Senate floor for consideration.

Floor Debate

Unlike in the House, bills in the Senate are not subject to the same type of parameters set by the House Committee on Rules. The Senate does not have a rules committee like the House Rules Committee that exists to manage floor procedures because the Senate was meant to have a more open, deliberative method of exploring policies, which allow senators to offer amendments that have no relation to the underlying bill. This makes the Senate almost a leaderless body in the sense that any senator can take control of the agenda by offering an amendment and then force a debate on that amendment. As a result, it can be very difficult to get a bill passed in the Senate. For example, if most Republicans and Democrats want to pass a transportation bill, but one senator is against the bill, that one senator can bring up an amendment on a divisive issue (e.g., gun control) that ends up killing the underlying bill.

During a typical floor debate on an individual piece of legislation, every senator is given the opportunity to speak for or against a bill, and each has the right to unlimited debate. To ensure legislation continues to move in a timely fashion, the Senate works out unanimous consent agreements that set parameters around debates. Non-controversial bills can also be “hotlined,” meaning the majority and minority leaders – after consulting with their Senate colleagues – agree to pass the legislation by unanimous consent and without a roll-call vote in order to save time by moving legislation more quickly.

Motion to Proceed

The Senate must first agree to consider a piece of legislation by voting on a motion to proceed , which requires 60 votes. The Senate majority leader attempts to get all senators to agree by unanimous consent to take up the bill he wishes to have debated. If senators withhold their consent, they are implicitly threatening extended debate on the question of considering the bill. Senators may do this because they oppose the bill or because they wish to delay consideration of one measure in the bill in the hope of influencing the fate of some other, possibly unrelated, measure. Senators can also place a hold on a bill , by which they ask their party’s floor leader to object on their behalf to any unanimous consent request to consider the bill, at least until they have been consulted.

A filibuster is a method of extending debate by introducing extraneous or unrelated issues to a legislation, an appointment or other issue that the Senate is debating.

The idea behind the filibuster was that “unlimited debate continued on the grounds that any senator should have the right to speak as long as necessary on any issues.” As long as a senator kept talking on the floor, a bill could not move forward. Throughout the 19th century, the Senate left ending the filibuster up to the filibustering senators. When they felt they had been adequately heard, they could give up the floor and allow debate to move on to a vote.

There is a debate over the filibuster. One side argues it is not needed because our Founding Fathers structured the Senate in such a way that the minority view is protected. Others disagree, saying the filibuster is required to protect the minority.

The Federalist Society explains the filibuster further (4 min):

Conference Committee

When the Senate and House pass the same bill with different policy language, the differences are worked out in a conference committee . A conference committee is a temporary committee made up of members from both the Senate and the House who work together to come to a consensus about the different provisions in the bill. Each chamber then has to approve the final compromise legislative text and it is then sent to the President to be signed into law.

Once sent, the president has ten days to sign or veto the bill. If the president vetoes the bill, it can still become a law if two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House then vote in favor of the bill.

Khan Academy dives deeper into the Senate (6 min):

Glossary of Terms

Ballotpedia

Measure & Identify : Who influences policy that affects your state, county, or community? Learn about their priorities and consider how to contact them.

• Do you know who your Senator is ? Find out who they are and what committee(s) they serve on.
• Find out what bills your senators have sponsored, and track their votes with GovTrack .

Reach out: You are a catalyst. Finding a common cause is a great opportunity to develop relationships with people who may be outside of your immediate network. All it takes is a small team of two or three people to set a path for real improvement. The Policy Circle is your platform to convene with experts you want to hear from.

• Find allies in your community or in nearby towns and elsewhere in the state.
• Foster collaborative relationships with colleagues, neighbors, friends, and local organizations to mobilize an effort to bring attention to your issue to your local Congressional office. Also reach out to community leaders to educate them and request their engagement on the issue.

Plan: Set some milestones based on your state’s legislative calendar .

• You can find the legislative calendar for the Senate here .
• Don’t hesitate to contact The Policy Circle team, [email protected], for connections to the broader network, advice, insights on how to build rapport with policy makers and establish yourself as a civic leader.

Execute: Give it your best shot. You can:

• Research : Make sure you know the facts about the issue you are raising. Government agencies, think tanks, and media outlets can all be good resources. Remember to research all sides of the issue to make sure you understand various angles. You can also talk with people who are affected by the issue with which you are concerned; anecdotal information combined with measured data can be powerful.
• See these tips for step-by-step instructions to write letters to elected officials, including how to address your representative, reference specific legislation, and properly send your correspondence.
• See these tips on how to make an appointment with your senator or their staff, and what to expect and how to prepare.
• Organize: Organize people to call in, follow-up on written material, and reach out to other community members to educate them on the issue. Demonstrating wide support can be very effective in influencing a legislator to support your position.

Working with others, you may create something great for your community. Here are some tools to learn how to contact your representatives and write an op-ed .

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Explore the series.

This brief is part of a series of recommended conversations designed for circle's wishing to pursue a specific focus for the year. Each series recommends "5" briefs to provide a year of conversations.

The Active Citizenship Series

• Lesson Plans
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Congressional Committees and the Legislative Process

U.S. Capitol dome.

Library of Congress

This lesson plan introduces students to the pivotal role that Congressional committees play in the legislative process, focusing on how their own Congressional representatives influence legislation through their committee appointments. Students begin by reviewing the stages of the legislative process, then learn how committees and subcommittees help determine the outcome of this process by deciding which bills the full Congress will consider and by shaping the legislation upon which votes are finally cast. With this background, students research the committee and subcommittee assignments of their Congressional representatives, then divide into small groups to prepare class reports on the jurisdictions of these different committees and their representatives' special responsibilities on each one. Finally, students consider why representation on these specific committees might be important to the people of their state or community, and examine how the committee system reflects some of the basic principles of American federalism.

Guiding Questions

What role do Committees play during the legislative process?

How is Committee membership determined?

What role do Committees play with regard to oversight and checks and balances?

Learning Objectives

Analyze the legislative process of the United States Congress by focusing on the role of Committees. 

Evaluate how Congressional representatives can influence legislation through their specific committee assignments.

Evaluate how Committees uphold the Constitutional responsibilities of the Legislative Branch. 

Lesson Plan Details

NCSS.D2.His.1.9-12. Evaluate how historical events and developments were shaped by unique circumstances of time and place as well as broader historical contexts.

NCSS.D2.His.2.9-12. Analyze change and continuity in historical eras.

NCSS.D2.His.3.9-12. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to assess how the significance of their actions changes over time and is shaped by the historical context.

NCSS.D2.His.12.9-12. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to pursue further inquiry and investigate additional sources.

NCSS.D2.His.14.9-12. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.

NCSS.D2.His.15.9-12. Distinguish between long-term causes and triggering events in developing a historical argument.

NCSS.D2.His.16.9-12. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.

Begin this lesson by guiding students through the basic process by which a bill becomes law in the United States Congress. The Schoolhouse Rock cartoon "I'm Just a Bill" below provides a look at the process and can be accompanied by a flow-chart diagram of this process.

A detailed explanation of the legislative process is available through EDSITEment at the CongressLink website. At the website homepage, click "Table of Contents" in the lefthand menu, then look under the heading, "Know Your Congress" for the link to How Our Laws Are Made , which describes lawmaking from the House of Representatives' point of view.

For a corresponding description from the Senate's perspective, look under the "Know Your Congress" heading for the link to "Information about Congress," then select "... The Legislative Process," and click " ... Enactment of a Law ." CongressLink also provides access to a more succinct account of the legislative process: on the "Table of Contents" page, scroll down and click "Related Web Sites," then scroll down again and click THOMAS , a congressional information website maintained by the Library of Congress. Click "About the U.S. Congress" and select "About the U.S. Congress" from the list that follows for a chapter from the U.S. Government Manual that includes this outline of the process:

• When a bill ... is introduced in the House, [it is assigned] to the House committee having jurisdiction.
• If favorably considered, it is reported to the House either in its original form or with recommended amendments.
• If ... passed by the House, it is messaged to the Senate and referred to the committee having jurisdiction.
• In the Senate committee the bill, if favorably considered, may be reported in the form it is received from the House, or with recommended amendments.
• The approved bill ... is reported to the Senate and, if passed by that body, returned to the House.
• If one body does not accept the amendments to a bill by the other body, a conference committee comprised of Members of both bodies is usually appointed to effect a compromise.
• When the bill ... is finally approved by both Houses, it is signed by the Speaker ... and the Vice President ... and is presented to the President.
• Once the President's signature is affixed, the measure becomes a law. If the President vetoes the bill, it cannot become law unless it is re-passed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses.

Point out to students the important role that Congressional committees play in this process. Public attention usually focuses on the debate over legislation that occurs on the floor of the House and Senate, but in order for a bill to reach the floor on either side, it must first be approved by a committee, which can also amend the bill to reflect its views on the underlying issue. Congressional committees, in other words, largely control the legislative process by deciding which bills come to a vote and by framing the language of each bill before it is debated.

Provide students with background on the organization and operation of Congressional committees, using resources available through the U.S. Congress  website. A schedule of Congressional committee hearings can be used to identify topics currently under consideration. 

• Although committees are not mentioned in the Constitution, Congress has used committees to manage its business since its first meetings in 1789.
• Committees enable Congress to divide responsibility for its many tasks, including legislation, oversight, and internal administration, and thereby cope effectively with the great number and complexity of the issues placed before it.
• There are today approximately 200 Congressional committees and subcommittees in the House and Senate, each of which is responsible for considering all matters that fall within its jurisdiction.
• Congress has three types of committees: (1) Standing Committees are permanent panels with jurisdiction over broad policy areas (e.g., Agriculture, Foreign Relations) or areas of continuing legislative concern (e.g., Appropriations, Rules); (2) Select Committees are temporary or permanent panels created to consider a specific issue that lies outside the jurisdiction of other committees or that demands special attention (e.g., campaign contributions); (3) Joint Committees are panels formed by the House and Senate together, usually to investigate some common concern rather than to consider legislation, although joint committees known as Conference Committees are formed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a specific measure.
• Many committees divide their work among subcommittees, upon which a limited number of the committee members serve. Subcommittees are responsible for specific areas within the committee's jurisdiction and report their work on a bill to the full committee, which must approve it before reporting the bill to its branch of Congress.
• Party leaders determine the size of each committee, which average about 40 members in the House and about 18 members in the Senate, and determine the proportion of majority and minority committee members. The majority party always has more seats on a committee and one of its members chairs the committee. Each party also determines committee assignments for its members, observing rules that have been adopted to limit the number and type of committees and subcommittees upon which one member can serve.
• Each committee's chairperson has authority over its operation. He or she usually sets the committee's agenda, decides when to take or delay action, presides at most committee meetings, and controls the committee's operating budget. Subcommittee chairpersons exercise similar authority over their smaller panels, subject to approval by the committee chair.
• The work of Congressional committees begins when a bill that has been introduced to the House or Senate is referred to the committee for consideration. Most committees take up only a small percentage of the bills referred to them; those upon which the committee takes no action are said to "die in committee." The committee's first step in considering a bill is usually to ask for written comment by the executive agency that will be responsible for administering it should it become law. Next, the committee will usually hold hearings to gather opinions from outside experts and concerned citizens. If the committee decides to move forward with the bill, it will meet to frame and amend the measure through a process called markup. Finally, when the committee has voted to approve the bill, it will report the measure to its branch of Congress, usually with a written report explaining why the measure should be passed.
• Once a bill comes to the floor of the House or Senate, the committee that reported it is usually responsible for guiding it through debate and securing its passage. This can involve working out parliamentary strategies, responding to questions raised by colleagues, and building coalitions of support. Likewise, if the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill, the committees that reported each version will take the lead in working out a compromise through a conference committee.

Activity 1. Research the committees and subcommittees

Begin by viewing the Library of Congress video on Congressional Committees . Have students research the committees and subcommittees upon which their Congressional representatives serve, using library resources or the resources available through the U.S. Congress  website.

• To help students find out who your Congressional representatives are, use the U.S. Congress  website to search by state.
• Click on the name of each representative for a profile, including a photograph, which lists the representative's committee assignments.
• The U.S. Congress  website page provides information pertaining to sponsored and cosponsored legislation, member websites, and allows users to track legislation.
• To find out which committees and subcommittees a representative serves on, use the U.S. Congress Committee Reports page .
• For an overview of Congressional committees and their jurisdictions, use the  U.S. Congress Committee Reports page .

Congressional Committee Activity:

Divide the class into small groups and have each group prepare a report on one of the committees (or subcommittees) upon which one of your Congressional representatives serves, including the size of the committee, its jurisdiction, and whether your representative has a leadership post on the committee. Encourage students to include as well information about legislation currently before the committee. They can find this information using library resources or through the  U.S. Congress Committee Reports page . 

After students present their reports, discuss how committee assignments can affect a Congressional representative's ability to effectively represent his or her constituents.

• Do your representatives have seats on committees with jurisdiction over issues that have special importance for your state or community? If so, how might their presence on these committees help assure that Congress takes action on questions of local interest?
• Do your representatives have seats on committees with jurisdiction over important legislative activities, such as budget-making or appropriations? If so, how might their presence on these powerful committees help assure that your community's views receive careful Congressional consideration?

After exploring these questions, have students debate the extent to which a Congressional representative's committee vote may be more influential than his or her vote on the floor of the House or Senate. Which vote has more impact on legislation? In this regard, have students consider President Woodrow Wilson's observation that "Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work."

Activity 2. How do Congressional committees reflects some of the fundamental principles of federalism?

Conclude by having students consider how the structure and function of Congressional committees reflects some of the fundamental principles of federalism. For a broad discussion of federalism, have students read The Federalist No. 39 , in which James Madison highlights the Constitution's provisions for a federal, as distinguished from a national, form of government.

Have students imagine, for example, that they are members of a Congressional committee that is considering a bill with special importance for the people of your community.

• How would they balance their responsibilities to their constituents with their responsibilities to the nation as a whole?
• To what extent is this a question each Congressional representative must answer individually?
• To what extent is it a question that the mechanisms of our government answer through the legislative process?

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Commemorating constitution day, a day for the constitution, balancing three branches at once: our system of checks and balances.

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Tracking Colorado members’ committee assignments in the 117th Congress

State’s 9-member delegation has strong presence in natural resources oversight, by: chase woodruff - march 16, 2021 5:00 am.

A view of the U.S. Capitol in September 2012. (Architect of the Capitol)

Colorado’s nine-member congressional delegation has already played an outsized role in the 117th Congress, which convened on Jan. 3, 2021.

After former President Donald Trump was impeached over allegations that he incited the violent mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol just three days later, Democratic Reps. Diana DeGette of Denver and Joe Neguse of Lafayette served as impeachment managers in his second trial .

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First-year Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, meanwhile, drew national scrutiny over her own fiery rhetoric leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection, and has continued to grab headlines as a vocal opponent of President Joe Biden’s new administration. The election of Boebert’s fellow D.C. newcomer, Sen. John Hickenlooper, helped Democrats gain control of the Senate for the first time since 2014.

With Democrats now in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress and intent on pursuing an ambitious agenda, Colorado’s representatives will likely continue to play a key role in crafting legislation through their work within congressional committees. Coloradans could be especially pivotal in negotiations over energy and climate change, public lands, military and intelligence issues, antitrust law and more.

Here are the major committee assignments and leadership posts held by all nine members of Colorado’s delegation:

Sen. Michael Bennet, D

Colorado’s senior senator, who has served in Congress since being appointed to his seat by Gov. Bill Ritter in 2009, is a member of:

• Senate Committee on Finance
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
• Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Within the Finance Committee, Bennet is chair of the Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure. Within the Agriculture Committee, he is chair of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry and Natural Resources, which has been renamed in the 117th Congress to reflect a new emphasis on climate change.

“I’m glad that we’ve expanded the scope of the conservation and forestry subcommittee to focus in a bipartisan manner on locally-led efforts to build climate resilience,” Bennet said in a statement. “On the energy and infrastructure subcommittee, I’ll work to promote a forward-looking energy policy that addresses climate change while working to build consensus to finance our nation’s infrastructure needs.”

Sen. John Hickenlooper, D

Colorado’s junior senator, who defeated former Republican Sen. Cory Gardner last year, has been named as a member of:

• Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Hickenlooper chairs the Commerce Subcommittee on Space and Science and the HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety. He is the first Democratic senator since 1979 to chair two subcommittees in their first term, according to a press release from his office.

Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver

Representing Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, DeGette is a member of:

• House Committee on Energy and Commerce
• House Committee on Natural Resources

She chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation.

Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Lafayette

Serving his second term in Congress after first being elected to represent the 2nd Congressional District in 2018, Neguse is a member of:

• House Judiciary Committee
• House Natural Resources Committee

He is also serving his second term as a member of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, a special panel convened by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2019 to advance federal efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

“We have entered a new era for climate action,” Neguse said in a statement earlier this year. “I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues on the Committee, and our partners across government to get to work tackling the climate crisis, preserving our lands, waters and forests and ensuring we leave a planet worthy of inheriting for future generations.”

Within the Natural Resources Committee, Neguse chairs the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. He is also vice chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Neguse serves as co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, the outreach and messaging arm of the House Democratic majority. DPCC co-chair is the eighth-ranked position in House leadership.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Silt

Colorado’s first-term GOP congresswoman, who represents the 3rd Congressional District, is a member of:

• House Budget Committee

“With over half of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District containing federal land, I’ll have a unique opportunity to be a strong voice for my constituents on important issues impacting their livelihoods,” Boebert said in a January press release. “I look forward to getting to work and what we will accomplish for the people of Colorado’s 3rd District.”

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Windsor

Buck, who was first elected to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District in 2014, serves on:

• House Foreign Affairs Committee

He is the ranking member — i.e., the top Republican — on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law.

Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs

Lamborn, who has represented Colorado’s 5th Congressional District since 2007, sits on:

• House Armed Services Committee
• House Veterans’ Affairs Committee

He is the ranking member of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness.

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Aurora

Crow, who defeated longtime former GOP Rep. Mike Coffman in a hotly-contested 6th Congressional District race in 2018, serves on:

• House Small Business Committee

Within the latter, he chairs the Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development.

Crow was also appointed last week to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees U.S. spy agencies.

“As we face foreign and domestic threats, a rising China and resurgent Russia, and ongoing cyber attacks, the work of the Intelligence Committee has never been more important,” Crow said in a statement. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to conduct the necessary oversight of our nation’s most sensitive intelligence matters, while safeguarding our privacy, civil liberties, and national security.”

Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Arvada

Perlmutter, a Democrat who represents Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, serves on:

• House Financial Services Committee
• House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
• House Rules Committee

He is chair of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions, and vice chair of the Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House.

Additionally, Perlmutter serves on the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, a special panel tasked with making the House “more effective, efficient, accessible, and transparent for the American people.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the date the 117th Congress convened.

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Chase Woodruff

Chase Woodruff is a senior reporter for Colorado Newsline. His beats include the environment, money in politics, and the economy.

Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom , the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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Committee Assignment Process in the U.S. Senate: Democratic and Republican Party Procedures

January 23, 2003 – November 3, 2006 RL30743

Because of the importance of committee work, Senators consider desirable committee assignments a priority. The key to securing favorable committee slots is often said to be targeting committee seats that match the legislator’s skills, expertise, and policy concerns.

After general elections are over, one of the first orders of business for Senate leaders is setting the sizes and ratios of committees. Although the size of each standing committee is set in Senate rules, changes in these sizes often result from inter-party negotiations before each new Congress. Senate party leaders also negotiate the party ratios on standing committees. Determinations of sizes and ratios usually are made before the process of assigning Senators to committees.

Once sizes and ratios of standing committees are determined, a panel for each party nominates colleagues for committee assignments. Senate Republicans primarily use a Committee on Committees for this purpose, although the Republican leader nominates Senators for assignment to some standing committees. Senate Democrats use a Steering and Outreach Committee to nominate Democrats for assignment to all standing committees. The processes these panels use are distinct. Republicans rely on a seniority formula to make nominations, while Democrats make nominations on a seat-by-seat basis, considering a variety of factors.

The processes also have many common features. After the general election, each panel solicits preferences for committee assignment from party colleagues, then matches these preferences with vacancies on standing committees. Senate rules, along with party rules and practices, guide the work of the Committee on Committees and the Steering and Outreach Committee. Senate rules, for instance, divide the standing and other Senate committees into three groups, the so-called “A” “B” and “C” categories. Senators must serve on two “A” committees and may serve on one “B” committee, and any number of “C” committees. Exceptions to these restrictions are sometimes approved by the Senate. Both parties place further limitations, for example, by generally prohibiting two Senators from the same party and state from serving on the same committee.

The nominations of each of these panels require the approval of the pertinent full party conference and ultimately the Senate. Approval at both stages usually is granted easily, because of the debate and decision-making earlier in the process.

Specific rules regarding Senate membership on and appointments to non-standing committees vary from committee to committee, but party leaders usually are included in the process.

For more information on Senate and party rules governing assignment limitations, see CRS Report 98-183, Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments.

Introduction

Overview of assignment process, types of committees, coverage of report, committee ratios and sizes, chamber categories and limitations, republicans, the nomination process, republican conference and full chamber approval, democratic conference and full chamber approval, non-standing committees.

Because of the importance of committee work, Senators consider desirable committee assignments a priority. The key to securing favorable committee slots is often said to be targeting committee seats that match the legislator's skills, expertise, and policy concerns.

The processes also have many common features. After the general election, each panel solicits preferences for committee assignment from party colleagues, then matches these preferences with vacancies on standing committees. Senate rules, along with party rules and practices, guide the work of the Committee on Committees and the Steering and Outreach Committee. Senate rules, for instance, divide the standing and other Senate committees into three groups, the so-called "A" "B" and "C" categories. Senators must serve on two "A" committees and may serve on one "B" committee, and any number of "C" committees. Exceptions to these restrictions are sometimes approved by the Senate. Both parties place further limitations, for example, by generally prohibiting two Senators from the same party and state from serving on the same committee.

For more information on Senate and party rules governing assignment limitations, see CRS Report 98-183, Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments .

Committee sizes and ratios are determined before Senators are assigned to committees. Although the size of each committee is set in Senate rules, changes to these rules often result from interparty negotiations before each Congress. Senate party leaders also negotiate the party ratio of each committee during the discussions of committee size.

Senate rules call for the election of Senators to standing committees by the entire membership of the chamber. Senate Rule XXIV, paragraph 1 states: "In the appointment of the standing committees, or to fill vacancies thereon, the Senate, unless otherwise ordered, shall by resolution appoint the chairman of each such committee and the other members thereof." 1 These elections are based on nominations made by the parties, but Senators do not officially take seats on committees until they are elected by the entire Senate.

While Senate rules are fairly clear regarding how nominations are to be approved , they do not address how the nominations of Senators to committees are to be made . In practice, each party vests its conference with the authority to make nominations to standing committees. Senate Republicans primarily use a Committee on Committees for this purpose, although the Republican leader nominates Senators for assignment to some standing committees. Senate Democrats use a Steering and Outreach Committee to nominate Democrats for assignment to all standing committees. The processes these two panels use are distinct, but the nominations of each panel require the approval of the full party conference and, ultimately, the Senate. Senate approval of the committee nominations of its parties usually is pro forma because the Senate respects the work of each party.

It has been customary for third-party and independent Senators to caucus with one of the major parties. At least for committee assignment purposes, such a Senator is considered a member of that conference and receives his or her committee assignments from that conference through its regular processes.

As used in this report, the term "standing committees" refers to the permanent panels identified in Senate rules. The rules also list the jurisdiction of each committee. Within their jurisdictions, the standing committees consider bills and issues, recommend measures for consideration by the Senate, and conduct oversight of agencies, programs, and activities. Most standing committees recommend authorized levels of funds for government operations and for new and existing programs within their jurisdiction.

The term "non-standing committee" is used here to describe joint committees, and select, special, and other Senate committees. Congress currently has four joint committees that are permanent and that conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks rather than consider legislation. Members of both chambers serve on them. The assignment of Senators to conference committees (temporary joint committees formed to resolve differences in House- and Senate-passed versions of a measure) is not addressed by this report.

On occasion, the Senate has created select, special, and other committees. Sometimes such panels are created for a short time to complete a specific task, as in the case of the Special Committee to Investigate Whitewater Development Corporation and Related Matters. The committee was created on May 17, 1995, and expired on June 17, 1996.

Select, special, and other committees have sometimes existed for many years. Some, like the Special Committee on Aging, conduct studies and investigations. Others, such as the Select Committee on Intelligence, have legislative jurisdiction, meaning they consider measures and recommend them for action by the Senate.

This report focuses primarily on how Senators are elected to standing committees. It first relates how standing committee sizes and ratios are set. It then identifies the classification of committees the Senate uses for assignment purposes, and the chamber limitations on committee service. It next describes the procedures that each party uses to recommend Senators for assignment to standing committees, and how the full chamber approves these recommendations. Finally, it summarizes the processes used to appoint Senators to non-standing committees.

The report does not address how committee chairs and ranking minority members are selected, or how subcommittee members and leaders are chosen.

Following general elections, one of the first orders of business for leaders of both parties in the Senate is the setting of standing committee ratios and sizes. Committee ratios and sizes usually are set simultaneously because of their interrelationship. These determinations usually are made before assigning Senators to standing committees because the party organizations that make committee assignments need to know the numbers of seats available to each party on each committee. The determination of ratios and sizes sometimes is made with an awareness of Senators' specific desires for seats on particular panels.

The ratio of Republicans to Democrats on each standing committee usually is determined at early organization meetings held in the interval between the general election and the beginning of a Congress. Since the rules of the chamber do not contain provisions regarding committee ratios generally, the majority party possesses the potential to set them unilaterally. In practice, however, ratios generally are set after negotiation between leaders of the two parties. Committee ratios usually parallel the overall party ratio in the Senate, with each party occupying a percentage of seats on all committees consistent with the percentage of seats it has in the Senate.

Senate Rule XXV sets out the number of Senators allowed on each committee. However, these committee sizes typically are amended at the beginning of a Congress through Senate approval of one or more resolutions. Under Senate rules, the majority and minority leaders may agree to adjust temporarily the size of one or more standing committees, by up to two members, to accord the majority party a majority of the membership of every standing committee (a "working majority"). In many cases, however, amendments to committee sizes are made to accommodate the interests and needs of Senators in serving on committees. These amendments, and therefore committee sizes, are usually the product of consultation between the party leaders.

The sizes of standing committees normally differ. In the 109 th Congress, the Senate standing committees ranged from 13 to 28 members. Committees with broader jurisdictions generally are larger than those whose jurisdiction is more narrowly defined. Committees considered more prestigious or otherwise sought-after also tend to be larger. The Senate Select Committee on Ethics has an equal party ratio pursuant to the resolution which created the panel.

The rules of the Senate divide its standing and other committees into categories for purposes of assigning all Senators to committees. In particular, Rule XXV, paragraphs 2 and 3 establish the categories of committees, popularly called the "A," "B," and "C" committees. The "A" and "B" categories, are as follows: 2

" A " COMMITTEES Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Judiciary Select Committee on Intelligence

" B " COMMITTEES Budget Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans' Affairs Special Committee on Aging Joint Economic Committee

The "C" category comprises three non-standing committees: the Select Committee on Ethics, the Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Joint Committee on Taxation. 3 The Joint Committee on the Library and the Joint Committee on Printing are not listed in any category, but are treated as "C" committees for assignment purposes.

Rule XXV, paragraph 4 places restrictions on Senators' committee membership based on these categories. The restrictions are intended to treat Senators equitably in the assignment process. Essentially, each Senator is limited to service on two of the "A" committees, and one of the "B" committees. Service on "C" committees is unrestricted.

Exceptions to the restrictions are recommended by the pertinent party conference and then officially authorized through Senate approval of a resolution affecting one or more Senators. Sometimes these exceptions are authorized to accord the majority party a working majority on a committee, whereas at other times exceptions are made to accommodate the preferences and needs of individual Senators.

The committee assignment process used by Senate Republicans involves three steps. First, the Committee on Committees and the Republican leader nominate Republican Senators for committee assignments. Second, these recommendations are submitted for approval to the Republican Conference, the organization of all Republican Senators. Third, the recommendations are incorporated into one or more Senate resolutions and approved by the full Senate.

The chair and other members of the Committee on Committees are appointed by the chair of the Republican Conference, subject to confirmation by the Republican Conference. The size of the Committee on Committees fluctuates from Congress to Congress. In recent Congresses, it consisted of nine members, including the majority leader, who served on the committee ex-officio and did not chair the panel. The Committee on Committees is relatively small, in part because it relies on a seniority formula in assigning both returning and newly elected Republican Senators. The formula makes the assignment process somewhat automatic; the absence of significant debate and voting thus requires comparatively few members.

Under Republican Conference rules, the Committee on Committees nominates Republicans for assignment to all category "A" committees, as well as to the Committee on Rules and Administration. According to Conference Rule V, nominations for assignment to other committees are made by the Republican leader (unless otherwise specified by law). In practice, the Republican leader also has nominated members to serve on the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Following a general election, all Republican Senators are asked to submit their committee assignment preferences to the Committee on Committees. The committee prefers that these requests be listed in order of priority. It is considered useful for new Republican Senators to consult with party leaders and the chairs (or ranking members) of desired committees to assess the likelihood of receiving a desired assignment. Under the seniority system used by Senate Republicans, for example, a freshman is likely to have more success if his or her first choice is not a committee seat desired by an incumbent or a "more senior" freshman. Informing party and committee leaders of one's committee preferences also acts to alert them to one's substantive policy interests.

In December or January following the general election, the Committee on Committees first meets to nominate Senators to committees. Senate Rule XXV, as described above, sets out the rules and restrictions that guide the committee in distributing standing committee seats. The Republican Conference has established additional rules and guidelines that govern the procedures of the Committee on Committees. One such rule generally prohibits any Republican from serving on more than one of the "Super A," or "big four" category "A," committees: Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, and Foreign Relations. 4 Conference rules also generally prohibit two Republican Senators from the same state from serving on the same panel. 5

Republicans usually nominate Senators to "A" committees before filling vacancies on other committees. The seniority formula used by the Committee on Committees in making assignment nominations is as follows. First, in order of seniority in the chamber, each incumbent chooses two committee assignments; incumbents may decide to retain current committee seats or choose among existing vacancies. However, a Senator who has served on a committee and lost a seat due to a change in the party ratio has priority over any and all Senators to claim the first vacancy on the committee. While such instances have been rare, they have occurred when party control of the Senate has changed.

Second, each newly elected Senator chooses seats in order of seniority, based on previous service in the Senate; previous service in the U.S. House of Representatives and length of service in the House; and previous service as a state governor. 6 Ties in seniority of freshmen are broken by draw. In addition, every newly elected Senator receives one assignment before any newly elected Senator receives a second assignment.

The Republican Leader has the authority to appoint half of all vacancies on each "A" committee. If there is an odd number of vacancies, the Leader can appoint half plus one of all vacancies.

Effective in the 108 th Congress, all Republican Members are offered two "A" committee slots in order of seniority. Each Member can retain only one "B" committee assignment from the previous Congress. Following this process, the Republican Leader makes any remaining "A" committee assignments.

Conference rules provide a guideline governing the time frame for Senators to choose among assignment options presented by the Committee on Committees. If a Senator is presented with selection options before noon on a given day, the Senator should notify the Committee on Committees of his or her decision by the close of business on that day. If a Senator is presented with selection options after noon on a particular day, then a decision should be made by noon on the next business day. This provision is designed to expedite the assignment process by preventing Senators from engaging in lengthy deliberation that could delay the assignment of Senators with less seniority.

Rank on each committee generally is determined by length of continuous service on the committee. If a Senator leaves a committee and returns in a subsequent Congress, the Senator likely would lose his or her previous seniority. However, the chair (or ranking member) of a committee need not be the Member with the longest committee service. 7

While nominations for assignment to "non-A" committees (except, officially, Rules and Administration) are at the discretion of the Republican leader, the leader generally follows the seniority formula used by the Committee on Committees. Moreover, the leader usually works in close cooperation with the chair and other members of the Committee on Committees.

Through this system, the assignment process is relatively consensus-oriented and automatic, and formal votes on nominees usually are not necessary. In assigning freshmen, the Committee on Committees does not consider the multiple factors relied upon by the Senate Democrats' party organization (discussed below); instead, the most important factor appears to be Senators' requests. Personal efforts to compete for committee seats appear to be minimal (though not unknown) as compared with Senate Democrats.

When the Committee on Committees and the Republican leader have finished their work, they submit their recommendations for assignment to the Republican Conference. For each committee, a slate of committee members in order of proposed seniority is presented for consideration. Voting by recorded written ballot, as specified by conference rules, ordinarily is not necessary. The conference usually adopts the recommendations by unanimous consent, presumably because they are based largely on seniority.

Once accepted by the Republican Conference, the assignment recommendations are packaged into one or more Senate resolutions that are submitted to the full Senate for approval, usually by the Republican leader. Because the resolutions are privileged, they can be brought up at any time. These resolutions are amendable and any Senator may demand a separate vote on the appointment of the chair or on the other members of a standing committee. However, the resolutions usually are adopted without incident. 8 Nominations rarely are challenged on the floor because it is in the parties where decisions are made; by custom, neither party has challenged the nominations of the other party. Indeed, the routine character of the Senate's approval of nominations highlights the importance of the nomination process.

In filling vacancies that occur on standing committees after their initial organization, Senate Republicans follow the same procedure used for each new Congress. Committee vacancies may occur during the course of a Congress because party leaders decide to change a committee's size or party ratio, or because Members die, change parties, or resign from the Senate. A new Senator replacing a late or former Senator may be chosen to fill the vacated committee seats. However, if the new Senator is of the opposite party from the departed Senator, adjustments in sizes and ratios often are needed to make slots for the new Senator. Moreover, incumbents also might seek to compete for the newly open committee seats, especially if they occur on one of the more prestigious panels, such as the Appropriations Committee or the Finance Committee. When an incumbent is chosen to fill a committee vacancy, that Senator often gives up an existing assignment to comply with party or chamber assignment limitations (although a waiver might be granted). This may cause a chain reaction involving a series of shifts of committee assignments.

There are three steps in the nomination and assignment process for Senate Democrats. The first is for the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee to make nominations for committee assignments. The second consists of approval of the nominations by the Democratic Conference, which comprises all Democrats in the Senate. The final step is for the assignment rosters to be incorporated into one or more Senate resolutions and considered and approved by the full Senate. Senate Democrats do not have written rules governing this assignment process, as do Senate Republicans.

The size of the Steering and Outreach Committee is set by the Democratic Conference. The Democratic leader serves on the committee and appoints its members, subject to ratification by the conference. Steering and Outreach Committee members (except party leaders) may not serve simultaneously on the Democratic Policy Committee. Instead of chairing the panel, in the past few Congresses the Democratic leader has named another Senator as chair. In appointing Senators to vacancies, the Democratic leader attempts to achieve regional balance on the committee under a system that divides the country into four regions. The Steering and Outreach Committee continues from Congress to Congress, appointing Democratic Senators to vacancies as they arise.

In the 109 th Congress, the Steering and Outreach Committee had 18 members, including the Democratic leader, the Democratic whip, the chief deputy Democratic whip, and a deputy Democratic whip. While it is not composed exclusively of the most senior Democrats, the Steering and Outreach Committee includes many committee ranking members.

Once elected to the Senate, it is customary for new Democratic Senators to communicate committee preferences to the Steering and Outreach Committee. While the Democratic leader and the Steering and Outreach Committee chair generally solicit committee preferences from new Senators, incumbents desiring to switch committees usually initiate contact. Democrats are encouraged to submit their requests for assignment as early as possible. A Senator who delays risks the potential of not securing primary or even secondary requests. While the Steering and Outreach Committee does not require Senators to rank order their assignment preferences, many have done so in the past to give the committee alternatives if it is unable to grant initial requests.

It appears to be important for Senators-elect, in formulating their preferences, to consult with party leaders, Steering and Outreach Committee members, and the chairs (or ranking members) of preferred committees. This consultation acts both to notify senior Senators of a freshman's substantive interests and to inform the freshman Senator of the likelihood that he or she will be assigned to preferred committees.

The Steering and Outreach Committee organizes, and begins the process of making committee assignments, in November or December following the general election. Unlike its Senate Republican counterpart, the committee nominates Senators for assignment to every standing committee. Given that most returning Senators choose to retain their assignments from the previous Congress, most of the committee's work involves matching freshman Democrats with vacancies created by retirement or electoral defeat, as well as by adjustments in committee sizes and ratios.

In making nominations for committee assignments, the Steering and Outreach Committee is bound by the categories of committees and the limitations on committee assignments contained in Senate Rule XXV, discussed earlier. Within the confines of these restrictions, the Democratic Conference has formulated additional restrictions for its own members. One such restriction generally limits each Senator to service on no more than one of the "Super A," or "big four" "A," committees: Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, and Foreign Relations. Senate Democrats also have an informal practice of prohibiting two Democratic Senators from the same state from serving on the same committee.

In addition to these chamber and party restrictions, the Steering and Outreach Committee considers many factors. These include Senators' preferences, state demographics, length of time since the state was last represented on the committee, perceived willingness to support the party, policy views, and personal and occupational backgrounds. Personal intervention, by the requesting Senator or another Senator, is sometimes helpful.

The Steering and Outreach Committee usually fills vacancies on "A" committees before slots on other panels. Because the Steering and Outreach Committee does not rely on a seniority formula in assigning Senators, its process is relatively less automatic than that of Senate Republicans. For Democrats, there are no rules guaranteeing priority in assignment to incumbents switching committees, or governing the seniority of freshmen in choosing assignments. However, a Senator who served on a committee but lost the seat due to a change in the party ratio generally receives priority in assignment to a vacancy on that committee.

Nominations for assignment are made on a seat-by-seat basis, and Steering and Outreach members usually make nominations by consensus. However, if significant competition exists for a particular seat, then secret balloting usually is conducted and the majority-vote winner is granted the nomination. Senators who do not win election to their most preferred committee seat are protected by the "Johnson Rule," providing that all Democrats are appointed to one "A" committee before any Senator receives a second assignment. 9

Rank on each committee generally is determined by length of continuous service on the committee. If a Senator leaves a committee and returns to it in a subsequent Congress, the Senator likely would lose his or her previous seniority. However, the ranking member (or chair) need not be the Member with the longest committee service. The committee rankings of Senators assigned to a committee at the same time generally are determined by their seniority in their party in the Senate. When an incumbent and a freshman are assigned to a committee at the same time, the incumbent ordinarily ranks higher than the freshman. Similarly, when elected, each freshman is given a seniority ranking among Senate Democrats, and his or her rank on committees is based on this overall chamber ranking.

Once all veteran and freshman Democratic Senators have been recommended for assignment, the roster is forwarded to the Senate Democratic Conference. While separate votes are possible, the conference usually ratifies the entire slate of assignments by unanimous consent.

After ratification, the assignment recommendations are packaged into one or more Senate resolutions and submitted on the Senate floor for adoption. The resolutions usually are submitted by the Democratic leader, and they can be brought up at any time because they are privileged. The resolutions also are amendable, and any Senator may demand a separate vote on the appointment of any member. However, the resolutions containing the committee rosters usually pass without debate, by voice vote. It is in the party where significant debate and decision-making already has occurred regarding committee assignments.

In filling vacancies that occur on standing committees after their initial organization, Senate Democrats follow the same procedure used for each new Congress. Committee vacancies may occur during the course of a Congress because party leaders decide to change a committee's size or party ratio, or because Members die, change parties, or resign from the Senate. A new Senator replacing a late or former Senator may be chosen to fill the vacated committee seats. However, if the new Senator is of the opposite party from the departed Senator, adjustments in sizes and ratios often are needed to make slots for the new Senator. Moreover, incumbents also might seek to compete for the newly open committee seats, especially if they occur on one of the more prestigious panels, such as the Appropriations Committee or the Finance Committee. When an incumbent is chosen to fill a committee vacancy, that Senator often gives up an existing assignment to comply with party or chamber assignment limitations (although a waiver might be granted.) This may cause a chain reaction involving a series of shifts of committee assignments.

Non-standing committees are divided between the so-called category "B" committees and category "C" committees. The Special Committee on Aging and the Joint Economic Committee, along with four standing committees, are included in the "B" category of committees. Under Senate rules, no Senator may serve on more than one "B" committee, whether standing or non-standing. The Select Committee on Ethics, the Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Joint Committees on Taxation, the Library, and Printing essentially are treated as "C" committees, although Joint Library and Joint Printing are not explicitly listed as such in Senate rules. The "C" committees are exempt from the assignment limitations in Senate rules, so a Senator may serve on any number of them without regard to his or her other assignments.

Specific rules regarding Senate membership on and appointments to non-standing committees often are contained in the legislation creating these panels. Thus, the procedures vary from committee to committee. A review of the legislation establishing the non-standing committees, and the appointment practices that have evolved, reveal that party leaders are usually included in the process.

The members of the Select Committee on Ethics and the Special Committee on Aging are elected by the Senate by resolution, essentially in the same manner as the standing committees. The Ethics Committee is the only Senate committee with an equal party ratio, consisting of three Senators from each party. 10 Republican members of both committees are chosen by the Republican leader and confirmed by the Republican Conference before election by the full Senate. Democratic members of the Ethics Committee are selected initially by the Democratic leader. In contrast, Democrats on the Aging Committee are nominated by the Steering and Outreach Committee and confirmed by the Democratic Conference before election by the full Senate.

Majority-party Senators are appointed to the Select Committee on Intelligence on the recommendation of the majority leader, and minority-party Senators on the recommendation of the minority leader. Senators are appointed to this committee from the Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Judiciary Committees, as well as from the Senate "at large." The majority and minority leaders, as well as the chair and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee serve on the committee as ex-officio , non-voting members. The resolution creating the Intelligence Committee provided for a rotation of membership; no Senator could serve on the committee for more than eight years of continuous service. To the extent practicable, one-third of the Senators appointed to the committee at the outset of each Congress should be Senators who did not serve on it in the preceding Congress. 11 S.Res. 445 , adopted October 9, 2004, ended the eight-year limitation on the Intelligence Committee.

The majority and minority leaders recommend Senators for appointment to the Committee on Indian Affairs, but the members are officially appointed by the President of the Senate (the Vice President of the United States). 12 Appointments to the Committee on Indian Affairs are announced to the Senate from the chair.

Ten Senators, six from the majority party and four from the minority party, are appointed to the Joint Economic Committee by the President of the Senate. The Senate membership of the Joint Committee on Taxation consists of five Senators from the Committee on Finance, three from the majority and two from the minority, chosen by the Finance Committee. 13 Appointments to both joint committees are announced to the Senate from the chair.

The Senate participants on the Joint Committee on the Library and the Joint Committee on Printing are selected by the Committee on Rules and Administration from among the committee's members. The chair and four other members of the Rules Committee are to serve on each joint committee. 14 However, in some Congresses, the House and Senate have agreed to a concurrent resolution allowing another member of the Senate Rules Committee to serve on the Joint Committee on the Library in place of the Rules Committee's chair. The membership of the Joint Committee on Printing typically includes not only the chair but also the ranking minority member of the Senate Rules Committee. Members of both joint committees are elected by the Senate by resolution.

Utah Legislature Announces 2024 Interim Schedule, Study Items and Committee Assignments

April 17, 2024

SALT LAKE CITY – Today, the Legislative Management Committee approved the 2024 interim committee schedule and study items. 

“As legislators, we have the unique opportunity during the interim to connect with our communities and gain valuable insights into the issues that matter most to Utahns,” said President J. Stuart Adams. “I am excited to work alongside my fellow senators and hear from constituents and stakeholders as we continue our collaboration and strive to provide the best possible policy for our state during the 2025 session.”

Interim meetings allow legislators to review and study policy items for the next general session. Interim proceedings will be live-streamed, recorded and shared publicly on le.utah.gov . Meetings are open to the public, allowing Utahns to provide input virtually or in person.

“The interim provides lawmakers with an opportunity to dive into issues, explore opportunities, and prepare for the upcoming legislative session, ensuring we make the most out of the short 45 days we have to pass legislation,” said Speaker Mike Schultz. “Committees are the workhorse of the legislature and much of the important work they accomplish is done during the interim. I look forward to working with committee chairs and House members to make the most out of the interim.” 

All interim committee meetings will be held at the Utah State Capitol complex.

2024 Interim Schedule :

• August 20-21
• September 17-18
• October 15-16
• November 19-20
• December 3 (Executive Appropriations and Legislative Audit Committees only) 

View 2024 Utah Senate committee assignments here and Utah House of Representatives committee assignments here . A list of interim committee study items can be found here . 

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San Antonio City Councilman Marc Whyte reinstated to committee assignments

District 10 councilman had been suspended from committee duties since january.

David Ibañez , Web - Managing Editor

Garrett Brnger , Reporter

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg is giving District 10 City Councilman Marc Whyte another chance.

In a memo on Friday, Nirenberg informed the City Council that Whyte can resume his council committee assignments that he had been suspended from after his arrest on suspicion of DWI .

Nirenberg stripped Whyte of his committee assignments on Jan. 11, the same day the San Antonio Police Department released video of the councilman’s Dec. 29 arrest.

Three days later, the council voted to censure Whyte , which the councilman requested.

Nirenberg said Monday that he had removed Whyte from committee work “to demonstrate that we take drinking and driving seriously,” but also said, “(I) appreciate that he has since been transparent and committed to reconciling his behavior with what we should expect from a member of the Council going forward.”

Whyte, who serves on the Public Safety, Audit, and Economic and Workforce Development Council committees, said he’s ready to get back to work.

“While my work for District 10 in promoting public safety, economic prosperity and government transparency never stopped, I’m happy that my formal duties as a member of the public safety, economic development and audit committees have now resumed,” he said. “I’ll continue to work tirelessly for District 10 and the City of San Antonio to make sure we are the best city we can be.”

Whyte’s first court appearance is scheduled for May. He faces a Class B misdemeanor charge, which is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

David ibañez.

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.

Garrett Brnger

Garrett Brnger is a reporter with KSAT 12.

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New York Giants 2024 Draft Preview: Best Running Back Fits

Do the Giants need to add to their committee?

• Author: Patricia Traina
• Publish date: Apr 19, 2024

In this story:

In the last few years, the New York Giants have gradually moved away from featuring a bell-cow running back and have instead moved toward a committee approach. This has been the result of a desire to become more of a passing offense but, more importantly, of the injury issues that have cost now-former running back Saquon Barkley playing time.

Speaking of Barkley, general manager Joe Schoen drew a line in the sand regarding what he expected to pay a running back, and that line wasn’t going to cross the $10 million APY threshold that Barkley received from the Philadelphia Eagles. As you’ll see in the next section, this is not necessarily the end of the world, not with the offense trending toward more of an air attack and not when one compares Devin Singletary’s career production (the deep stats) with that of Barkley’s.

Stats aside, having a committee consisting of a finesse back, a power back, and everything in between will give the Giants an array of options to wear down opposing defenses. Who could forget the one-two punch of Brandon Jacobs (power) and Ahmad Bradshaw (finesse) during the 2007 and 2008 seasons and how they ran wild against opposing defenses?

The Giants, who, in addition to Singletary, have Eric Gray, Gary Brightwell, Jashaun Corbin, and rookie Dante Miller, have options at the position. The question is whether they want to upgrade any of the options currently on the roster, e.g., Brightwell and/or Corbin, both of whom project as special teams players.

How Much Are They Going to Miss Saquon Barkley?

Saquon Barkley is a special kind of player, not just for what he brings on the field but also off it. He’s also been the Giants’ best and most consistent offensive threat, which, in one way, says a lot about how good he’s been when healthy but also says a lot about the lack of playmakers this team has had at other positions.

But before anyone laments about the Giants not paying Barkley, arguably their best player on offense last year, in Singletary, they got themselves a cheaper, healthier, and more productive option.

Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowler with three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns to his name, has a 42.5 percent success rate as a runner (an average calculated as picking up at least 40 percent of the required yards on first down, 60 percent on second down, and 100 percent on third down.)

While Singletary, who is not a high-volume back, has never logged a 1,000-yard rushing campaign, he has posted a 48.8 career success rate in 888 rushing attempts.

In the passing game, Barkley has a 72.7 percent catch rate with 12 touchdown catches but only a 38.1 percent success rate. Singletary has a 75.8 percent catch rate and a 45.9 percent yardage success rate. 

Barkley will be missed in the locker room. He was extremely popular with his teammates, who voted him a team captain annually. He was also a wonderful representative of the franchise in the community. But Barkley’s production started to wane, and not just because of the offensive line woes. 

Potential Prospects

Here is where we would give you a pick for Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3. However, in the case of the running backs, this is not a very deep class. Yes, there is talent to be had, but we would be stunned to see any running backs drafted in the first or the second round's top half.

That said, some good prospects can be had late on Day 2 or Day 3 and might be solid fits. Here are three, presented as how we think they might go off the board, that could draw the Giants’ interest if the value aligns with the round.

Trey Benson (Florida State):  Benson doesn’t quite have the vision to maximize his upside in a zone-blocking scheme, but he can execute most plays called. He also has an upside as a receiver and can be an asset in the passing game. A late second-round value, Benson should become a consistent option who keeps an offense on schedule and picks big plays when the opportunity presents itself.

Jonathon Brooks (Texas):  A torn ACL likely knocked Brooks’ draft stock down from being a late-first-round pick. Thus far, he hasn’t been able to participate in the draft process beyond medical checkups and interviews. Still, his college film shows a well-rounded back with the speed, agility, vision, and contact balance to be a starter in the NFL.

He likely wouldn’t make an NFL roster this year, but as a potential practice squad candidate where he could continue his rehab, he might be worth taking a flier on late in the draft or as an undrafted free agent if no one picks him.

Braelon Allen (Wisconsin):  Allen is one of the youngest players in the draft at age 20, but at 6-1 and 235 pounds, he’s that big power back that the Giants don’t have on the roster. Allen is a big, physical, and imposing runner who can play up to that size.

He’s at his best running downhill and is a “one-cut” runner who almost seems to look for contact rather than minimize it. If the Giants want to add a punishing, physical dimension to their offense, Allen should fit the bill. 

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