Question

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

Answer 1

There are mainly three types of committees

• Standing committee
• Select or special committee
• Joint committee

Standing committees : These are permanent panels identified as such in chamber rules Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills
and issues and recommend measures for consideration by their respective chambers.

They have oversight responsibility to monitor agencies, programs, and activities within their
jurisdictions.

Committees recommend legislation to provide budget authority for federal agencies and
programs.

The Budget Committees establish aggregate levels for total spending and revenue
through the annual budget resolution.

Select or special committees are generally established by a separate resolution of the chamber, sometimes to conduct investigations and studies .

Often, select committees examine emerging issues that do not fit clearly within
existing standing committee jurisdictions or cut across jurisdictional boundaries.

A select committee may be permanent or temporary.

Joint committees are made up of Members of both the House and Senate.

joint committees conduct studies or perform housekeeping tasks rather than consider measures.

A conference committee is a temporary joint committee formed to resolve differences between competing House and Senate versions of a measure.

There are many other sub committee

Subcommittees are responsible to, and work within the guidelines established by,
their parent committees.