Title: United States congressional committee - Wikipedia
Headings: United States congressional committee
United States congressional committee
Contents
History
Senate committees
House committees
Committee assignment procedure
Types of committees
Standing committees
Select or special committees
Joint committees
Other
Current committees
See also
Notes
References
Sources
Further reading
External links

Content: United States congressional committee - Wikipedia
United States congressional committee
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Legislative working groups of the United States federal government
The Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin and ranking member John Warner in 2007 hearing opening statements during a confirmation hearing for a position in the Department of Defense. The Senate Armed Services Committee hearing testimony in the Hart Senate Office Building in 2007. A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). 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. Congress divides its legislative, oversight, and internal administrative tasks among approximately 200 committees and subcommittees. Within assigned areas, these functional subunits gather information;