United States Congressional Committee! Trivia Quiz

Permanent panels to which all bills are sent are called standing committees. Standing committees are established in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and are responsible for reviewing and considering proposed legislation. They play a crucial role in the legislative process by conducting hearings, making recommendations, and overseeing the implementation of laws. Unlike select or conference committees, standing committees are permanent and are organized based on specific policy areas or subject matters.

Select committees are temporary panels set up for a specific purpose. These committees are formed to investigate and address specific issues or topics of concern. They are usually composed of members from both houses of the legislature and are given the authority to conduct hearings, gather evidence, and make recommendations. Select committees play a crucial role in the legislative process by providing in-depth analysis and expertise on specific issues, and their temporary nature allows for flexibility in addressing emerging or urgent matters.

A conference committee is created when the two houses of Congress pass different versions of a bill and the first house refuses to accept the changes made by the second house. The purpose of the conference committee is to reconcile the differences between the two versions of the bill and come up with a compromise that both houses can agree upon. This committee is necessary to ensure that a final version of the bill can be passed and sent to the President for approval.

The Senate Watergate Committee was a select committee. Select committees are temporary committees that are created for a specific purpose, such as investigating a particular issue or event. In the case of the Senate Watergate Committee, it was formed to investigate the Watergate scandal, which involved the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up by the Nixon administration. Select committees are typically dissolved once their purpose is fulfilled, unlike standing committees which are permanent and deal with ongoing legislative matters.

The Library of Congress is governed by a joint committee because it is a federal institution that serves as the research library for the United States Congress. As such, it is overseen by the Joint Committee on the Library, which is composed of members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This joint committee is responsible for providing oversight and guidance on matters related to the Library of Congress, including its budget, policies, and operations.

In order for a bill to reach the floor of the House after being referred by a committee, it must also clear the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee is responsible for determining the rules and procedures for debating and amending bills on the House floor. It sets the conditions under which a bill can be considered and determines the time allotted for debate. Therefore, any bill that has been referred by a committee must go through the Rules Committee before it can be brought to the House floor for further consideration and voting.

The statement "Each senator and representative can serve on only one committee" is not true about committees. Senators and representatives can serve on multiple committees simultaneously, allowing them to address a wider range of issues and contribute to different areas of legislation. This enables them to have a broader impact and utilize their expertise in various policy areas.

The Speaker of the House determines which bills go to which committees. As the presiding officer, the Speaker has significant influence over the legislative process and has the power to assign bills to specific committees. This allows the Speaker to control the flow of legislation and prioritize certain issues or policy areas. The Speaker's role in committee assignment is an important part of their overall leadership and decision-making responsibilities in the House of Representatives.

The House Rules Committee does not operate as a subject-matter body because its primary function is to establish the rules and procedures for the House of Representatives. Unlike other committees that focus on specific policy areas or subject matters, the House Rules Committee determines how bills are considered and debated on the House floor. It sets the terms for amendments, debate time, and voting procedures, ensuring that the legislative process runs smoothly. Therefore, the House Rules Committee plays a crucial role in managing the legislative agenda rather than directly dealing with specific policy issues.

A select committee is formed to address specific issues or investigate specific matters of importance. It is not formed to maintain an ongoing review of bills that fall into one major subject area. Instead, this task is usually assigned to standing committees, which are responsible for reviewing and considering bills related to specific subject areas on an ongoing basis. Select committees, on the other hand, are typically temporary and established for a specific purpose or investigation. They are formed to decide on the need for new laws, to determine whether federal agencies are following the laws that have been passed, and to focus public attention on a matter of importance.