Chapter 6.2 Congressional Committees

• Congress has almost an impossible job:– Make laws for a nation of

310,000,000 people. • 50 states• 3143 counties• 38,201 cities

• Can you imagine the vast number of issues?

The Committee System

• Congress breaks all issues down into committees– Smaller groups that can

focus on specific topics• Education• Defense• Agriculture

– 2 Goals of committees:• Go over each bill before they

are voted on

• Oversee performance of agencies

Types of Committees

• 2 basic types:– Authorizing committee

• Establish government policy– Example:

» Give financial aid to all college students

– Appropriations committee• Deal with how policies will

be paid for– Example:

» How do we pay for financial aid?

» $$$$$

Committees within Committees…

Committee Assignments• Some committees are very important– Appropriations committee

• Deal with all of the $$$– Armed Services Committee

• Get to make decisions about military– Foreign Relations

• Get to travel a lot!

• How do we pick who gets to be in charge of these committees?– Seniority system

• Majority party picks committee “chairpersons” by length of time served in committee

Can Congress members work on multiple committees?

• Yes! – Most “senior” Congress

members serve on multiple committees• Shows how strong they are in

Congress

– John McCain (R) • Ranking Member on the Senate

Armed Services Committee• Committee on

– Health– Education– Labor– Pensions– Homeland Security– Governmental Affairs– Indian Affairs

How do Congress members make time for all of that work?

• They have a personal staff to do it for them!– Senators

• Get 100 staff members per committee

– H of Reps• Get 80-100 staff members

per committee

Other Agencies That Help Committees OutCongressional Budget Office (CBO)

Other Agencies That Help Committees OutGeneral Accounting Office

Other Agencies That Help Committees Out Library of Congress

So these committees make laws?

• Yes….but that’s a story for another day.