PSCI 3041 Lecture 13: Committees
28 Feb 2019
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Lawmakers have a property right to their existing seats from one term to the next. A party can strip you of your seat in certain situations but it is rare. Committee vacancies usually open up when committees expand, or members retire/transfer to another committee (a higher-ranking committee). Committees rank transfer requests by age and experience giving priority to senior members. Each committee has a member from the minority party known as the ranking minority member. Party affiliation matters as party leaders will put party members on a committee in order to get them re-elected. Congress members only transfer committees if they can get a seat on another more attractive committee. The tier a committees are ways & means, appropriations, These committees are the most powerful committees in the house. In the senate, finance, appropriations and the rules committee are the most powerful. Most congress members prefer to be on the committees that control the federal purse (money).
