A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty. Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction. As "little legislatures",the committees monitor ongoing governmental operations,identify issues suitable for legislative review,gather and evaluate information,and recommend courses of action to their parent body. Woodrow Wilson once wrote,"it is not far from the truth to say that Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition,whilst Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work." It is not expected that a member of Congress be an expert on all matters and subject areas that come before Congress. Congressional committees provide valuable informational services to Congress by investigating and reporting about specialized subjects.
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no term limits. The House meets at the State Capitol in Austin.
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature,with the Texas House of Representatives being the lower house. Together,they compose the state legislature of the state of Texas.
William Doyle Ruckelshaus was an American attorney and government official.
The Alaska State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska State Legislature,the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members,each of whom represents a district of approximately 17,756 people per 2010 census figures. Members serve two-year terms without term limits. With 40 representatives,the Alaska House is the smallest state legislative lower chamber in the United States. The House convenes at the State Capitol in Juneau.
Bernard F. Kenny Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician,who represented the 33rd Legislative District in the New Jersey State Senate from 1993 to 2008,after serving in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1988 to 1993. He served for one day at the end of his tenure in the Senate as President of the Senate.
Anthony Gregory Brown is an American lawyer and politician serving as the attorney general of Maryland. He also served as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 4th congressional district from 2017 to 2023 and as the eighth lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for governor in the 2014 election,losing to Republican Larry Hogan in a close race.
James Edwin Hargrove is an American forester and politician who served as a member of the Washington State Senate,representing the 24th district from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from 1985 to 1993.
Adam Paul Ebbin is an American politician who is the senator from the 39th District of the Virginia Senate since January 2024. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously represented the 39th Senate District from 2012 to 2024 and served in the Virginia House of Delegates from the 49th District from 2004 to 2012.
Kim Lee Ward is an American politician who currently serves as President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate. She was first elected to the state senate in 2008,and represents the 39th Senatorial District which covers the central portions of Westmoreland County,Pennsylvania. Following the resignation of Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman,Ward became acting lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania on January 3,2023,and served until January 17,2023. She is the first female president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate.
Cam Ward is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Alabama Senate,representing District 14 from 2010 to 2020. He previously represented District 49 of the Alabama House of Representatives from 2002 to 2010.
Michael O. Moore is an American politician from Millbury,Massachusetts,who serves as the Massachusetts state senator for the Second Worcester District,comprising his hometown of Millbury and seven other communities including parts of the city of Worcester. He is member of the Democratic Party who has served in the Massachusetts Legislature since January 7,2009.
Donald F. Humason Jr. is an American politician who served as mayor of Westfield,Massachusetts from 2020 to 2022 and current town administrator of Chester,beginning September 6,2022. A member of the Republican Party,he previously represented the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District in the Massachusetts Senate from 2013 to 2020,and as representative for the 4th Hampden District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives between 2003 and 2013.
Michael James Baumgartner is an American politician and former diplomat currently serving as the U.S. Representative from Washington's 5th congressional district,a post he has held since 2025. Baumgartner,a Republican,previously served as the 28th Spokane County Treasurer and as a member of the Washington State Senate,representing the 6th district from 2011 to 2019 and was his party's nominee in the 2012 election for the United States Senate,unsuccessfully challenging Democratic incumbent Maria Cantwell.
Bryce E. Reeves is an American politician,small business owner and United States Army veteran serving as a member of the Senate of Virginia. A State Farm insurance agent,he was elected in 2011. Reeves defeated the 28-year Democratic incumbent,Edd Houck,by 226 votes.
Patrick G. Young Jr. is an American politician from Maryland who is currently a member of the Baltimore County Council,representing District 1. He was previously a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in District 44B from 2015 to 2022,and served as the Chair of the Baltimore County Delegation from 2018 to 2022.
Dawn Marie Adams is an American politician who served as the Delegate from the 68th District of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2018 to 2024. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
The One Hundred Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 7,2019,to January 4,2021,in regular session,though it adjourned for legislative activity on May 13,2020. The Legislature also held two extraordinary sessions and six special sessions during the legislative term.
Chris Garten is an American politician. Garten was first elected in November 2018 to represent District 45 in the Indiana Senate,and was re-elected for a second term in November 2022. In August 2022,he was appointed Majority Floor Leader. He is a member of the Republican Party.
