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  • Essay / The Importance of Committees in Congress

    Professor WindhamSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay GOVT 2305 January 4, 2018 Why are congressional committees so important? How do political parties affect the committee system in Congress? Committees play an important role in the legislative process by helping to coordinate Congress's most important mission. Senate committees oversee government actions and analyze issues for consideration by Congress. In other words, when a bill is proposed in the Senate or House, it is sent to a committee for review and to receive public judgment. Then, if the votes are in favor, the committee must make the final decision, suggesting amending the bill, approving it for further action by the Senate or House, or even disapproving it. Thousands of laws are proposed each year, but about 5% of them are successful. Committees are the real power of Congress because committee chairmen are very powerful. They can "classify" a bill, meaning that a bill could be struck down or the committee could amend and add other bills in an attempt to by any means change the original one. There are four types of committees: standing committees, special committees, joint committees and conference committees. The first type, standing committees, are the most critical type because they change the majority of proposed laws. They may also succeed in launching investigations, such as the one led by the Senate Banking Committee into President Bill Clinton's investments in Whitewater. The second type, select committees, are designed to work on specific goals, occasionally on a particular case, such as the investigation of the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, in order to limit lives. The third type, joint committees, have similar leadership to select committees, but members come from both the House and Senate. They are in charge of affairs between the houses and guide the public's attention to major concerns. The last type, conference committees, determine when the House and Senate should coordinate different versions of the same bill. Conference committee membership is made up of members of the House and Senate, and once the committee agrees on a compromise, the revised bill is sent back to both houses of Congress for approval. approval. The party organization is made up of Democratic and Republican parties, and they represent a powerful presence in Congress. Almost all members of Congress are either Republicans or Democrats, and these political parties provide the format and regulations for the organization of Congress. The most stable coalitions in Congress are the congressional parties, which also legislate. Party members are helped by congressional campaign committees to get elected to Congress. There are two types of formal party organizations: caucuses and committees. The highest leadership positions are controlled by the majority party and the minority party represents an organized meeting with the majority party. Members of the House and Senate are associated with a political party: caucus or party conference. Caucuses appoint leaders, obtain approval for committee assignments, and establish tasks to research and resolve specific issues. Then, they have a forum to debate policies and develop strategies to pass legislation. Party staff members,.