Question

Identify and describe the different types of committees and their functions, and assess their function in the lawmaking process.

Answer 1

There are three main types of committees: standing, select or special, and joint

Standing committees (House Rule X, Senate Rule XXV) are permanent panels identified as such in chamber rules. Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues, and recommend their respective chambers to take measures. They also have oversight responsibility for monitoring agencies, programs , and activities within their jurisdictions and, in some cases, in areas across jurisdictions of committees.

Some standing committees recommend rates of funding approvals for government activities and new and current programs. A few have other apps. The Appropriations Committees, for example, recommend legislation to provide budgetary authority for federal agencies and programmes. The Budget Committees, through the annual budget resolution, establish aggregate levels for total expenditure and revenue which serve as guidelines for the work of the authorizing and appropriating panels.

Select or special committees are usually set up by separate chamber resolution, often for performing inquiries and studies and, on other occasions, often for consideration of measures. Select committees often examine emerging issues that do not fit clearly within existing jurisdictions of standing committees or cross jurisdictional boundaries. A select committee may be permanent or temporary. Selected committees may have some limits on the tenure of members or may have other designated representatives as ex officio members (e.g., party leaders or certain standing committee chairs). The Senate sometimes uses special committees rather than the term chosen

Joint committees are composed of both House members and Senate members. Today 's existing joint committees perform reports or carry out housekeeping activities rather than debating steps For example, the Joint Printing Committee manages the operations of the federal government 's government publishing office and general printing procedures. Joint committee chairmanship usually alternates between House and Senate. A conference committee is a joint temporary committee formed to resolve differences between competing versions of a measure in the House and the Senate. Conference committees draft agreements between the two chambers' positions, which are then submitted to the House for approval