House of Representatives Committee Chairs

Each Member of the U.S. House of Representatives serves as the leader of his or her personal office. In contrast, a Member who is a committee chair serves in addition as the leader of a committee, with responsibility for setting the course and direction of the panel for other Members and the House. A chair also has responsibility for overseeing a large professional and paraprofessional staff. While day-to-day staff management is typically entrusted to a committee staff director, all...
More Description

Each Member of the U.S. House of Representatives serves as the leader of his or her personal office. In contrast, a Member who is a committee chair serves in addition as the leader of a committee, with responsibility for setting the course and direction of the panel for other Members and the House. A chair also has responsibility for overseeing a large professional and paraprofessional staff. While day-to-day staff management is typically entrusted to a committee staff director, all senior committee staff are operational managers who should ensure that all of the duties and activities supporting a chair’s goals are carried out effectively. Once a committee chair is selected during the post-election transition period, the chair, often in consultation with others, makes a series of decisions and takes a series of actions. This report addresses some of the critical matters a House committee chair confronts from the time of the early organization meetings in November to approximately the spring district work-period in March or April. Sections of the report include: Transition, Administrative Matters, Committee Organization, Committee Procedure and the Role of a Chair, Procedural Tools for Committee Chairs, Floor Consideration and the Role of a Chair, and Legislative Issues and Agenda. This is a print on demand report.