	Introduction

Congress has created a wide array of advisory bodies, separate from each chamber's committees and officers, in order to better exercise its legislative, oversight, and investigative mandates, and to attend to both temporary and ongoing administrative tasks and responsibilities. Many of these bodies are expressly identified as commissions, but others are designated as boards, advisory committees, or other terms. These groups are sometimes created to address a single purpose—to study a discrete policy issue or to attend to one-time or recurring administrative functions. The statutory provisions creating a substantial proportion of congressional advisory bodies provide for a membership that, either entirely or in part, (1) includes, (2) is chosen by, or (3) is recommended by Members of Congress. It includes any statutorily created advisory entity (e.g., boards, advisory panels, task forces) whose membership scheme mandates the participation of Members of Congress, either as potential members or as participants in the process of appointing the membership. For example, the appointment scheme for the Commission on Interoperable Data Sharing provides for nine members, one member appointed by the President to serve as chairman, and eight members appointed by the President "from a list of nominees jointly provided by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the minority leader of the Senate." Inclusion of legislators on such panels insures that Congress will be able to exercise a certain degree of control over the operations of the entity concerned. Membership Appointment Structure . The particulars of congressional involvement in the appointment process are varied. Term of Appointment . Information on the involvement of Members of Congress in the appointment process for congressional commissions is also presented in a series of tables.
Over the past several decades, Congress, by statute, has established a wide array of commissions, boards, and advisory bodies to provide it with assistance in meeting various legislative, investigative, and administrative responsibilities. Some of these entities are temporary and created to serve specific functions, such as studying a discrete policy area or performing one-time tasks. Others are permanent, serving an ongoing purpose, such as overseeing an institution or performing a regular administrative function.
The majority of these congressional bodies provide that Members of Congress, particularly the leadership, be intimately involved in the appointment process, either through direct service on a commission, or by appointing or recommending candidates for membership.
The choice of a particular mechanism for membership appointment may have implications for the ability of these entities to fulfill their congressional mandates. Examination of the statutory language creating these bodies reveals several common approaches to membership selection. Each alternative schema has its advantages.
For example, a commission or board composed entirely of Members permits a high degree of congressional control over the entity's operations. Bodies composed mainly of qualified private citizens or executive branch appointees may provide a broader expertise than Member-only bodies. Assemblages of mixed membership provide some of the advantages of both Member and citizen-only appointment schemes.
This report contains a compilation of existing commissions and boards that demonstrates the range of alternative membership-appointment structures. It includes any statutorily created advisory entity (e.g., boards, advisory panels, task forces) whose membership scheme mandates the participation of Members of Congress either as potential members or as participants in the process of appointing the membership. For each entity, information on the purpose, duration, appointment structure, and term of appointment is provided. Finally, information on the involvement of Members of Congress in the appointment process is presented in a series of tables.