49 active committees · 689 reports
Congressional committees are small groups of lawmakers assigned to focus on specific policy areas — like agriculture, defense, or taxes. When a bill is introduced, it gets referred to the committee with jurisdiction over that topic. The committee studies the bill, holds hearings with experts and stakeholders, marks it up with amendments, and decides whether to send it to the full House or Senate for a vote. Most bills die in committee, making these groups the real gatekeepers of what becomes law. Each committee is led by a chair from the majority party and a ranking member from the minority party.