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.
A congressional subcommittee in the United States Congress is a subdivision of a United States congressional committee that considers specified matters and reports back to the full committee.
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations, as well as review pending legislation.
The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is the chief oversight committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the Census, the federal civil service, the affairs of the District of Columbia and the United States Postal Service. It was called the United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs before homeland security was added to its responsibilities in 2004. It serves as the Senate's chief investigative and oversight committee. Its chair is the only Senate committee chair who can issue subpoenas without a committee vote.
The United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety is one of the three subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee. The subcommittee was disbanded in 2007, but reinstated in 2019 at the beginning of the 116th Congress.
The United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources or Natural Resources Committee is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. Originally called the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (1951), the name was changed to the Committee on Natural Resources in 1991. The name was shortened to the Committee on Resources in 1995 by the new Chairman, Don Young. Following the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives in 2006, the name of the committee was changed back to its title used between 1991 and 1995.
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, Children's Health Protection was one of the six subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Created in 2007, the subcommittee has general oversight jurisdiction over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as diverse issues such as global warming, children's health protection, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The United States Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection was one of six subcommittees of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during the 110th Congress. The subcommittee's jurisdiction included:
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate and Nuclear Safety is a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice and Regulatory Oversight is one a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality was one of six subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy and Environmental Policy is one of seven subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness is a subcommittee within the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. It was renamed from the Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences at the start of the 111th Congress.
The United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is one of the five subcommittees within the House Natural Resources Committee
The United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife is one of the five subcommittees within the House Natural Resources Committee.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety was one of six subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee during the 114th Congress. The judiciary subcommittee on immigration is called the Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration for the 116th Congress and was called Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security during the 113th Congress.
The Subcommittee on Environment is a subcommittee within the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee.