Congress, already divided between the House and Senate, becomes further departmentalized at the committee level. Standing committees are simply those that are permanent. The party with the majority in the chamber of Congress earns the chairmanship and majorities on the chamber’s committees. The top spot for the committee member of the minority party is called the Ranking Member.
Committees are divided to utilize specializations and knowledge of its members as it pertains to a certain area of focus, as well as view legislation to debate, amend, or table it before the legislation can advance to the floor of the chamber for a vote from all representatives.
While standing committees are permanent, there are several other types of committees and caucuses that serve numerous purposes in Washington. Each committee also has certain subcommittees that are composed of members of the committee at large. In three separate columns, we looked at fourteen standing committees of the U.S. House. This week, we’ll explore a few more.
Rules
The Rules Committee is one of the oldest House committees, having been established on April 2, 1789. The committee is often known as the “Speaker’s Committee,” as it is the body that the Speaker of the House uses to maintain control of the chamber. The committee was chaired by the Speaker until 1910.
The committee works under two broad schools of jurisdiction: special orders – or special rules – for the consideration of legislation and original jurisdiction. A special rule sets rules and conditions of debate on a particular bill or matter. Original jurisdiction pertains to changes to the standing rules of the House.
The Rules Committee is one of the most powerful in Congress, as all rules, terms, and conditions of debate and consideration lie through this committee. The committee also has a unique power in which it can include a self-executed amendment of legislation, which can rewrite parts of a bill or the entire bill. As long as a majority of the House votes to pass a special rule, there is virtually no end to what the Rules Committee could do.
The Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House has jurisdiction over processes and procedures of the House, relations between the House and Senate, relations between Congress and the Judiciary, and the internal operations of the House, all pursuant to the Rules Committee’s official scope. The committee also examines committee structure and jurisdictional issues of all House committees.
The Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process primarily focuses on relations between Congress and the Executive Branch, with the budget process being the foremost responsibility. The committee examines budget process-related provisions of budget-related statutes, most notably, the Congressional Budget Act.
The committee is composed of thirteen members: nine Republicans and four Democrats. Michael Burgess (R, TX-26) serves as Chair and Jim McGovern (D, MA-02) serves as Ranking Member.
Science, Space, and Technology
This committee has jurisdiction over all energy research, development, and demonstration of all federally-owned or operated non-military energy laboratories; astronautical research and development (R&D); civil aviation R&D; environmental R&D; marine research; commercial application of energy technology; exploration and control of outer space; science scholarships; and oversight of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, the National Weather Service, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Energy Subcommittee has oversight of the Department of Energy, its laboratories, activities, and R&D. It also has jurisdiction over fossil energy research, clean coal technology, energy conservation R&D, alternate fuels, distributed power systems, pipeline R&D, and at-large energy standards.
The Environment Subcommittee handles matters of environmental research; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) R&D; environmental standards; climate change R&D; scientific issues relating to environmental policy; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including its activities relating to weather, weather services, climate, the atmosphere, marine fisheries, and oceanic research.
The Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee has special investigative authority on all matters within the jurisdiction of the parent committee.
The Research and Technology Subcommittee has a broad scope of oversight, including, but not limited to science policy and STEM education; the National Science Foundation; innovative R&D projects of most executive departments; civilian use of defense technologies; emerging technology policy, including biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and quantum; international scientific cooperation; standardization of weights and measurements; international technology trade; university research policy; earthquake programs; windstorm programs; fire research programs; and R&D relating to nanoscience; biomedical, health, and nutritional programs; and agricultural, geological, and biological sciences.
The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee has oversight of aeronautical R&D; national space policy, including space access and sub-orbital access; NASA and its contractor and government-operated laboratories; space commercialization; international space cooperation; the National Space Council; space communications; civil aviation; and R&D and programs of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The committee has forty members: twenty-two Republicans and eighteen Democrats. Frank Lucas (R, OK-03) serves as Chair and Zoe Lofgren (D, CA-18).
Small Business
The Small Business Committee was originally created as a select committee in 1941 to address the growing number of small businesses and organizations calling for more protections and government policies for the country’s small businesses. The committee was reauthorized every Congress until 1975, when it became a permanent standing committee. The committee has oversight over the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its programs. It also provides financial aid and protections to small businesses.
The Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access evaluates the operation of domestic financial markets and their abilities to provide capital to small businesses. The subcommittee also reviews federal programs that attempt to assist entrepreneurs in obtaining capital. The body also examines the impacts of federal tax policies on small businesses.
The Contracting and Infrastructure Subcommittee serves to assess the federal procurement system as it relates to small businesses providing goods and services to the federal government. It also reviews opportunities for small businesses to rebuild and modernize national infrastructure. Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01) serves as Chairman of this subcommittee.
The Oversight, Investigations,and Regulations Subcommittee reviews regulatory burdens on small businesses levied by federal agencies. The body also examines efficient government programs that affect small businesses and works to make them more efficient.
The Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains addresses issues to enhance rural economic growth, increasing national energy independence, and competition of domestic businesses in a global marketplace.
The Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Subcommittee examines economic growth and job creation through innovation, as well as such growth through advanced technologies.
The committee has twenty-seven members: fifteen Republicans and twelve Democrats. Roger Williams (R, TX-25) serves as Chair and Nydia Velázquez (D, NY-07) serves as Ranking Member. In addition to chairing the Contracting and Infrastructure Subcommittee, Congressman LaLota also serves on the Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access Subcommittee.
Transportation and Infrastructure
This committee has oversight of all modes of transport: aviation, highways and bridges, transit and rail, pipelines, and maritime and waterborne transportation. It also has oversight over wastewater infrastructure, national emergency preparedness and response plans, the U.S. Coast Guard, public buildings and federal real estate management, and federal economic development agencies.
The Aviation Subcommittee handles all aspects of civil aviation, all programs of the FAA, except for R&D, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Essential Air Service Programs – commercial air service to smaller communities – air traffic control, management, and modernization, airport capacity, war risk insurance – insurance for flights to high-risk parts of the world – aviation commerce, and unmanned aircraft and traffic management.
The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard, maritime transportation safety, port and waterway navigation and safety, maritime regulations, marine environmental protection, and ocean shipping regulations.
The Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee has oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), measure relating to the location, use, accessibility, and security of federal buildings, the naming of federal buildings, the facilities of the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as a host of commissions, including, but not limited, to: the Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Denali Commission, the Northern Great Plains Regional Authority, the Southeast Regional Commission, the Northeast Regional Commission, the Southwest Border Regional Commission, and the Great Lakes Regional Commission.
The Highways and Transit Subcommittee handles matters of planning and development of highways and transit programs; transportation credit assistance programs; highway and transit safety; commercial motor vehicle regulation; surface transportation research; the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Build America Bureau.
The Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee has oversight over the economic regulation of railroads, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), railroad development programs, Amtrak, rail security, the Northeast Corridor Commission, railroad retirement, benefits, and unemployment, hazardous materials transportation, and pipeline transportation safety.
The Water Resources and Environment Commission handles matters of the Clean Water Act, water infrastructure and watershed protection programs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ocean dumping, oil pollution of domestic navigable waters, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), deepwater ports, invasive aquatic species, coastal pollution, coastal zone management, groundwater protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The committee has sixty-five members: thirty-five Republicans and thirty Democrats. Sam Graves (R, MO-06) serves as Chair and Rick Larsen (D, WA-02) serves as Ranking Member.
