1. Congressional Committees Purposes of Committees Divides work 1000s of bills are proposed, impossible for everyone to research every bill Committees select bills to receive consideration Help public learn about important issues Investigations and hearings

2. Kinds of Committees 1. Standing Committees Continue from one Congress to the next Divided into categories Majority party leads the committees 2. Subcommittees Specializes in a subcategory for the standing committee

3. Kinds of Committees Select committees special committees created in both houses one term only study a specific issue Matters of public concern Overlooked problems Problems of interest groups Joint committees members of both houses act as study groups for Congress

4. Kinds of Committees work out a compromise bill that each house then can accept or reject Conference committees temporary committees set resolve the differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill

5. Choosing Committee Members Membership on certain committees: 1. builds reputations and to increase odds of reelection 2. influence important national legislation 3. influences other members Party leaders assign standing committees Chairpersons are the most powerful people in Congress make key decisions about the work of their committees