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 committee members and the House. A chair also has responsibility for overseeing a large professional and paraprofessional staff. Once a committee chair is selected during the postelection transition period, the chair, often in consultation with others, makes a series of decisions and takes a series of actions. Decisions may be related to the committee's policy calendar; the committee's administrative functions; the chair's responsibilities during committee sessions; the role of committee members; the relationship with the committee's ranking minority member, other chairs, and party leaders; subcommittee leaders; and other subjects. Administrative Matters

A committee chair controls the selection of committee staff, authorizes expenditures from the committee budget, establishes operational and ethics policies, determines committee travel allocations, decides the content of the committee website, and assumes responsibility for administration of the committee's rooms, paperwork, and other operations. Most committees entrust this responsibility to the committee chair, although a committee's minority party members seek to ensure that they receive an appropriate allocation of resources. A committee chair normally proposes the number of subcommittees for the committee. Committee Procedure and the Role of a Chair

A committee chair establishes the committee agenda, divides work between the subcommittees and the full committee, determines procedural strategy, calls hearings, selects witnesses and determines the order of their testimony, presides over hearings and markups, chooses the markup vehicle and pursues an amendment strategy, prepares the committee report accompanying legislation, and discusses, or might negotiate, any of these matters with the ranking minority member. Floor Consideration and the Role of a Chair

When a measure is reported by a committee, it is the responsibility of the committee chair to consult the party leadership to determine floor scheduling for the measure. Dates and Deadlines of Interest to Chairs

Transition (Early Organization to Swearing-in)
Early organization, including possible party selections of chairs—possibly occurring the week of November 13, 2018 Activities report—to be submitted by January 2, 2019 Preparation of committee calendar; transfer of noncurrent records to the clerk of the House Adoption of the Rules of the House for the 116 th Congress—January 3, 2019, or later House adopts resolutions electing chairs and members to committees—after the Rules of the House have been adopted
Administrative Matters
Committees' approval of their expense resolutions in the form of a simple resolution—late January or February, pursuant to information from the Committee on House Administration House Administration Committee introduces primary committee expense resolution, which is agreed to by the House—March Monthly expenses report submitted by committees to Committee on House Administration—by the 18 th of each month Monthly payroll certification submitted by committees to CAO's Human Resources Office—by the 15 th of each month Quarterly consolidated foreign travel submitted by committees to clerk of the House
Committee Organization
Committees' adoption of their rules and publication in electronic form and in the Congressional Record —not later than 30 days after the committee chair is elected Plan for subcommittee structure and authority—no later than a committee meeting to adopt committee rules, but more likely during the transition beginning with early organization Election of subcommittee chairs and designation of committee and subcommittee vice chairs—following adoption of a committee's rules
Committee Procedure and the Role of a Chair
Announcement of date, place, and subject matter of a hearing and publication in electronic form and in the Congressional Record —at least one week prior to the hearing Notice of a committee's markup meeting is published in electronic form and in the Congressional Record —at least three days prior to the meeting Publication of the text to be marked up—not later than 24 hours prior to the meeting's commencement Electronic posting of a committee's recorded votes and of the text of amendments adopted—not later than 48 hours after a vote is taken and not later than 24 hours after an amendment has been adopted Preparation of a committee report on legislation and filing in the House—promptly, but, in general, not later than seven days after a measure has been approved by a committee
Legislative Issues and Agenda
President's State of the Union address to Congress—typically, the third or fourth week of January President's budget submitted to Congress—by law, no later than the first Monday in February, although the budget has been submitted later than that date Committees report their views and estimates to the Budget Committee—no later than six weeks after the President transmits his budget Committees submit oversight plans to Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Appropriations, and House Administration—February 15 Congress completes its bicameral agreement to a concurrent resolution on the budget—April 15, although Congress in some years has not completed action or has completed action at a later date House may begin consideration of appropriations bills, even in the absence of final action on a concurrent resolution on the budget—May 15 Under the Congressional Budget Act, House Appropriations Committee is to report its last appropriations bill—June 10, although this date has not been predictive
A committee chair serves as the leader of a committee, with responsibility for setting the course and direction of the panel for committee members and the House and for managing a large professional and paraprofessional staff. The senior committee staff should ensure the chair's goals are carried out effectively.
Once a committee chair is selected during the postelection transition period, he or she, often in consultation with others, makes a series of decisions and takes a series of actions. Some actions complete a committee's duties in the Congress just ending. Other actions are taken in anticipation of the new Congress and then in the new Congress. Decisions may be related to the committee's policy calendar; the committee's administrative functions; the chair's responsibilities during committee sessions; the role of committee members; the relationship with the committee's ranking minority member, other chairs, and party leaders; subcommittee leaders; and other subjects. Many decisions are made with a deadline imposed by House rules.
Specifically, a committee chair controls the selection of committee staff, authorizes expenditures from the committee budget, establishes operational and ethics policies, determines committee travel allocations, decides the content of the committee website, and is responsible for administration of the committee's rooms, paperwork, and other operations. Most committees entrust the drafting of the budget to the committee chair, although a committee's minority party members seek to ensure that they receive an appropriate allocation of resources. Before the chair introduces a funding resolution, the committee approves the chair's draft budget.
The House requires its committees to adopt committee rules in an open session and to publish those rules in both the Congressional Record and electronic form not later than 30 days after the committee chair is elected. A chair normally proposes adopting, with amendments he or she offers, the rules under which the committee operated in the previous Congress. A chair proposes the number and responsibilities of subcommittees for the committee. A chair is also responsible for other documents required of committees under House rules, such as a biennial authorization and oversight plan, a biennial activities report, and a views and estimates report related to the annual congressional budget process.
A committee chair establishes the committee agenda; calls hearings; selects witnesses and determines the order of their testimony; presides over hearings and markups; chooses any markup vehicle and pursues an amendment strategy; prepares the committee report accompanying legislation; and discusses, or might negotiate, any of these matters with the ranking minority member. The chair maintains order and decorum during committee meetings and takes various steps to protect the committee's jurisdiction in the referral of legislation and other matters. When a measure is reported by a committee, it is the responsibility of the committee chair to consult the party leadership to determine floor scheduling for the measure.
This report covers the period from the House's early organization meetings in November to approximately March or April following the convening of a new Congress.