How do committees and subcommittees work

About the House - Home. Transparency and accountability. Arts and Heritage. In pictures. Employment - Home. Career opportunities. Youth Opportunities. Working at the House. Search Search. House of Commons Procedure and Practice. Home Committees Types of Committees and Mandates. Chapter 20 Committees. Standing Committees The majority of committee activity is carried out by standing committees.

More specifically, they can review and report on: the statute law relating to the departments assigned to them; the program and policy objectives of those departments, and the effectiveness of their implementation thereof; the immediate, medium and long-term expenditure plans of those departments and the effectiveness of the implementation thereof; and an analysis of the relative success of those departments in meeting their objectives.

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities is responsible for, among other matters, proposing, promoting, monitoring and assessing initiatives aimed at the social integration and equality of disabled persons. In cooperation with other standing committees, the Committee also reviews any bill, federal regulation or Standing Order which impacts upon its main areas of responsibility: access to information, privacy and the ethical standards of public office holders.

It may also propose initiatives in these areas and promote, monitor and assess such initiatives. Standing Committees. Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. Agriculture and Agri-Food. Canadian Heritage. Citizenship and Immigration. Environment and Sustainable Development.

Fisheries and Oceans. Foreign Affairs and International Development. Government Operations and Estimates. Indigenous and Northern Affairs. Industry, Science and Technology.

International Trade. Justice and Human Rights. National Defence. However, some powers may be delegated to members, office bearers or to sub-committees. A sub-committee is a small group of people assigned to focus on a particular task or area, such as finance or personnel. A sub-committee generally makes recommendations to the Management Committee for decision. However, if your governing document gives you the power to do so, the Management Committee may delegate aspects of decision-making to a sub-committee.

Regardless, any decisions made by such groups remain the responsibility of the whole Management Committee. The terms of reference and reporting back procedures of any sub-committees should be laid down in writing, agreed by the Management Committee, and regularly reviewed. The terms of reference should clearly indicate the responsibilities and authority of the sub-committee. It must be clear whether sub-committees can make decisions about particular matters or whether they can only make proposals or recommendations to the Management Committee.

House of Representatives. When a bill is introduced on the House floor, it is assigned a bill number and sent to a standing committee by the Speaker of the House. There are currently 20 standing committees, each covering a different area of public policy. A complete list of committees is available on the Office of the Clerk website. While in committee, a bill is reviewed, researched, and revised. Committee members may hold a committee hearing to receive testimony and view evidence to gather as much information as possible about the bill.

Once the committee members are satisfied with the bill, they vote on whether or not to report it to the House floor for consideration by the full U. House of Representatives serves on two standing committees. Committee assignments are given at the start of each new Congress. Members can request to serve on specific committees.

Returning Members usually keep their committee assignments from the previous Congress because they have expertise and seniority. These assignments are approved by the majority and minority parties before being brought before the full Chamber for approval. Many committees, usually standing committees, have smaller subcommittees within them. Like standing committees, subcommittees hold hearings, conduct research, and revise bills.

Subcommittees report bills back to the full committee rather than the House floor. Select committees are temporary committees created with a timeline to complete a specific task, like investigating government activity.