Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives

In the United States House of Representatives, the House Democratic Caucus includes a Steering and Policy Committee. Its primary purpose is to assign fellow party members to other House committees, and it also advises party leaders on policy. The House Republican Conference divides the duties of this committee between two groups: a Policy Committee and a Steering Committee.

House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee

The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee is chaired by the party leader in the House, which has been Nancy Pelosi since 2003, in her capacities as Minority Leader (2003-2007, 2011-present) and Speaker of the House (2007-2011), when the Democrats had the minority and majority of seats in the House, respectively. The party leader also appoints two co-chairs to assist her on the committee. Rosa DeLauro (for Steering) and George Miller (for Policy) have served in these positions since 2003.^{[1] [2] [3]}

House Republican Policy Committee

Tom Price currently chairs the Policy Committee. In early 2011, he succeeded Thaddeus McCotter, who had proposed eliminating the committee in 2010.^[4] McCotter was preceded by Adam Putnam, who chaired the committee from February 2006 through the end of the 109th Congress.

In the Republican House leadership hierarchy, the chair of the House Republican Policy Committee ranks fifth, below the Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and the Republican Conference Chairman.

House Republican Steering Committee

For House Republicans, the Steering committee is chaired by the party leader in the House, either the Speaker (if Republicans are in the majority) or the Minority (Floor) Leader (if Republicans are in the minority). Under rules adopted after the 1994 Republican Revolution, the House party leader had five votes on the committee. The current Chairman of the Republican Steering Committee is John Boehner.^[5]

The Republican counterpart in the Senate is the Committee on Committees. Senate Republicans also operate a Steering Committee to discuss policy issues.^[6]

See also

• Standing committee (United States Congress)

References

• Wilson, James Q., and John J Diiulio, Jr. American Government, Eighth edition.
• http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/RS20930.pdf House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization

1. ^ Democrats.house.gov
2. ^ HillNews.com
3. ^ Politico: Nancy Pelosi's first job: Rally liberals
4. ^ Politico: John Boehner, Eric Cantor in policy panel spat
5. ^ usnews.com
6. ^ cqpolitics.com