10 Comparisons

1.     Standing committees

a.     stay from Congress to Congress

b.     4 types - exclusive, major, non-major, select committee

c.      work on issue that are permanent – Agriculture, Armed Services, Finance

2.     Joint committees

a.     Act as study groups with responsibility for reporting their findings back to the House and Senate

b.     Do not have the authority to deal directly with bills or to propose legislation to Congress

c.      They have studied atomic energy, defense, and taxations

3.     Party membership on each committee is divided in direct proportion to each party’s strength in each house

4.     Membership in certain committees is very important

a.     Effects chances of reelections

b.     Can influence national policy

5.     Chairpersons of standing committees are the most powerful members of Congress

a.     Make key decisions about work of their committees

b.     Manage floor debates that take place

6.     The member of the majority of the party with the longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee the leadership of that committee

a.     Some people don’t like this because it ignores ability

7.     Congress had no publicly paid staff (aids, secretaries ect) for almost 100 years

a.     Staff can equate to expert help

b.     Deals with letters, mail, ect

c.      Help raise election funds

8.     Lawmakers hire and fire staff members at will

a.     They completely control the amount staff will be paid

9.     Library of Congress

a.     Created in 1800 to purchase books for the use of Congress

b.     Has a research center that assists the committee

10. Members of Congress can make changes in speeches they have made before they are printed in the Congressional Record

a.     The CR is a daily record of all the bills introduced in both houses and of the speeches and testimony presented in Congress