The Committees of the House and Senate carry out a large portion of the legislative process. In general, House and Senate Committees hold hearings, consider bills and resolutions (including amendments), report the bills and resolutions, and perform oversight over the executive branch.

There are two types of Committees: authorizing and appropriating. The authorizing committees have the power to enact programs, change Federal laws, and hold hearings and investigations. The appropriating committees -- of which there are only two: the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee -- provide the actual funding for Federal programs.

Committees typically have several subcommittees in order to make the workload more manageable. Often, legislative initiatives are first considered by subcommittees, which pass along their recommendations to the full committee. Subcommittees also hold hearings and conduct investigations.

Members of the House and Senate sit on one or more committees. Their committee assignments often determine their legislative priorities, and shape their careers in the U.S. Congress. Additionally, Members of a full committee typically sit on one or more subcommittees of that committee.

House and Senate Committees hire a substantial number of staff members for a variety of roles, including legislative, legal, communications, coalition building, and executive positions. Working for a Committee has several benefits. One, Committee staffers are able to focus on a specific legislative area, such as tax policy, health care, or education. Second, Committee staffers can dedicate most of their time to the legislative process since they do not generally work on constituent issues. Three, Committee staff positions often pave the way for future high level lobbying positions, since Committee staffers have a great deal of responsibility over their specific issue areas.

There are several ways to join Committee staffs, depending on the structure of the Committee:

Join as junior staff member: Committees hire several entry-level and lower-level experienced employees for junior level roles, including staff assistants and legislative assistants. By joining as a junior level staffer, it is possible to work up to a professional staff position over time. In general, the keys to finding a position with a Committee are the same as with a Member's personal office: networking works best, but many openings are advertised in the same publications as other positions.

Appointed from personal staff: Most Committee staff members are hired by the Chairman of the Committee and the Ranking Member of the Committee. (The Chairman leads the Committee for the party holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate, while the Ranking Member leads the members of the Minority Party on the Committee.) Many new Committee Chairman appoint members of their personal staff to assume key staff positions, such as the chief of staff and the professional legislative staff members. Subcommittee chairman also often can assign a staff member to the Committee staff or receive separate funds to pay for a staffer assigned to the Committee.

Develop expertise in an issue area: Committee staffs hire experts in policy areas, many of whom hold advanced degrees, including J.D.s and Masters in Public Policy. Developing an area of expertise through experience on the Hill, higher education, government service, and private sector government affairs positions provide the credentials necessary for many committee slots. Often, hires from outside the committee are done exclusively through networks. A senior committee staff member may approach a potential applicant he or she knows about filling the slot before the vacancy has been officially announced. One way to develop a network with Committee staffers is to work for a member on the Committee you are interested in. This will allow you to gain visibility with the Committee staff and develop an expertise on Committee issues.

House Committees

Committee on Agriculture -- Oversees all legislation relating to farming programs, forestry, fisheries, and agriculture in general.

Committee on Appropriations -- One of the most powerful committees in Congress, the House Appropriations committee is responsible, along with the Senate Appropriations Committee, for initiating bills spending funds of the U.S. Treasury.

Committee on Armed Services -- has jurisdiction over the Department of Defense and related national security programs in other departments.

Committee on the Budget -- principal responsibility is to pass, with the Senate, a budget resolution that serves as the framework for spending decisions.

Committee on Education and the Workforce -- has jurisdiction for federal education and labor laws and some health care legislation.

Committee on Energy and Commerce -- a very powerful committee with jurisdiction over issues relating to much of the U.S. economy, including telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health, energy, and interstate and foreign commerce.

Committee on Financial Services -- oversees the financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries. It also oversees the Federal Reserve, Department of Treasury, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Committee on Government Reform -- oversees Federal government activities and performs oversight and investigation into of waste, fraud, and abuse in government activities.

Committee on House Administration -- has jurisdiction for legislation governing the operations of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence -- Oversees the intelligence budget and performs oversight of intelligence activities conducted by Federal agencies, including the CIA and the FBI.

Committee on International Relations -- oversees United States foreign policy programs and agencies and managing legislation regarding foreign policy, the U.S. Department of State, foreign assistance and many other issues.

Committee on the Judiciary -- has jurisdiction over matters related to the administration of justice in Federal courts and law enforcement agencies and oversees a range of legal issues before Congress. It also conducts impeachment proceedings against the President.

Committee on Resources -- oversees Federal legislation related to the nation's natural resources, including mining, national parks, fisheries and wildlife, and energy policies.

Committee on Rules -- responsible for setting the rules by which legislation will be considered in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Committee on Science -- has jurisdiction over all Federal non-defense scientific research and development and oversees science related agencies including NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Committee on Small Business -- oversees the Small Business Administration and has jurisdiction over many issues impacting small businesses.

Committee on Standards of Official Conduct-- Also known as the Ethics Committee, it has jurisdiction over legislation regarding the official conduct of House Members and has the ability to conduct investigations and punish member in violation of House rules.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure -- authorizes funding for and oversees legislation relating to highway, air, railroad, water transportation and other public works developments.

Committee on Veterans Affairs -- oversees Federal programs assisting veterans and has jurisdiction over legislation related to veterans programs and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Committee on Ways and Means -- one of the most powerful committees on the Hill, it has jurisdiction over tax policy. It also deals with other high profile issues, including economic policy, health care, international trade, and welfare.

Senate Committees

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry -- has jurisdiction over legislation relating to agriculture and forestry issues as well as some related issues, such as school nutrition programs.

Committee on Appropriations -- writes legislation that allocates Federal funds to the numerous government agencies, departments, and organizations on an annual basis.

Committee on Armed Services -- has jurisdiction over legislation related to national defense Departments and programs and conducts oversight of those Departments and programs.

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs -- has jurisdiction over legislation relating to banks and financial institutions, export and foreign trade promotion, insurance, and public and private housing.

Committee on the Budget -- responsible for drafting Congress' annual budget plan and monitoring action on the budget.

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation -- has jurisdiction over a broad area of legislation, including interstate commerce, transportation, science policy, the coast guard, and sports.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources -- responsible for legislation and oversight related to energy resources and development, nuclear energy, public lands, and mineral and water resources.

Committee on the Environment and Public Works -- has jurisdiction over legislation relating to federal environmental protections and public works projects such as highways and flood control systems.

Committee on Finance -- a powerful committee with jurisdiction over a broad range of key legislation relating to taxes, international trade, the Social Security program, and health care.

Committee on Foreign Relations -- responsible for overseeing international relations policy and has jurisdiction over legislation related to U.S. foreign policy.

Committee on Governmental Affairs -- has jurisdiction over legislation affecting the efficiency and operations of government, and performs oversight and investigations of government actions and agencies.

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions -- as its name suggests, the committee holds jurisdiction over a broad range of issues, including legislation on education, labor, and health care issues.

Committee on the Judiciary -- has jurisdiction that ranges from criminal justice to anti-trust and intellectual property law. Also holds confirmation hearings for Federal judicial nominees.

Committee on Rules and Administration -- responsible for the administration of the Senate office buildings and the Senate wing of the U.S. Capitol as well as other issue relating to the operations of the Senate.

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship -- with jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration, the Committee uses its legislative and oversight responsibilities to strengthen the environment for small businesses and entrepreneurship.

Committee on Veterans Affairs -- exercises oversight over the Department of Veterans Affairs and has jurisdiction over legislation authorizing programs that benefit veterans.

This article is excerpted from the Vault Guide to Capitol Hill Careers.
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