Committees

Agriculture Committee

The House Agriculture Committee oversees federal agriculture policy, food programs, and rural development. It has jurisdiction over farming and commodity programs, crop insurance, food safety, nutrition assistance (including SNAP/food stamps), forestry, and rural economic development. Bills related to the Farm Bill — one of the largest pieces of legislation Congress passes every five years — are referred to this committee. It also handles legislation on agricultural trade, conservation programs, biofuels, and animal welfare. The committee plays a critical role in shaping food policy that affects every American, from farm subsidies that influence food prices to nutrition programs that feed millions of low-income families.

Appropriations Committee

The House Appropriations Committee controls federal spending. It is one of the most powerful committees in Congress because it writes the bills that fund every federal agency and program — from defense and education to healthcare and infrastructure. All spending bills must originate in the House, making this committee the starting point for the federal budget process. It operates through 12 subcommittees, each responsible for a portion of the federal budget. Bills that authorize new spending or change funding levels for existing programs are referred here. The committee's decisions directly determine how much money goes to military operations, scientific research, national parks, veterans' healthcare, and virtually every other government function.

Armed Services Committee

The House Armed Services Committee oversees the Department of Defense, military operations, and national security policy. It authorizes defense spending through the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), one of the few bills Congress passes every year without fail. Bills related to military personnel, weapons systems, base closures, cybersecurity, nuclear weapons policy, and military construction are referred to this committee. It also oversees military readiness, the defense industrial base, and strategic competition with adversaries. The committee shapes the size and capability of the U.S. military, affecting millions of service members and their families, defense contractors, and communities near military installations.

Budget Committee

The House Budget Committee sets the overall framework for federal spending and revenue. It drafts the annual budget resolution that establishes spending limits and revenue targets for the coming fiscal year, which guides the work of other committees. The budget resolution is not a law — it's a blueprint that sets the boundaries for appropriations and tax legislation. The committee also oversees the reconciliation process, a special legislative procedure that allows certain budget-related bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority instead of 60 votes. This makes the Budget Committee a key player in major policy fights over taxes, healthcare, and entitlement programs.

Committee on House Administration

The Committee on House Administration manages the internal operations of the House of Representatives. It oversees federal elections, campaign finance, House office budgets, technology systems, and the day-to-day functioning of the institution. Bills related to election administration, voting rights, campaign finance reform, and congressional operations are referred here. The committee manages the Architect of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. It also handles contested elections — when the outcome of a House race is disputed, this committee investigates. While less visible than policy committees, it shapes the rules and infrastructure that determine how Congress and American elections function.

Education and Workforce Committee

The House Education and Workforce Committee oversees education policy from pre-K through college, as well as labor and employment law. It has jurisdiction over K-12 education, higher education funding, workforce development, labor standards, and retirement security. Bills related to student loans, school funding formulas, special education, teacher quality, minimum wage, workplace safety, pension regulations, and union rights are referred here. The committee shapes policies that affect every student, worker, and employer in America — from how much federal funding your local school receives to whether your workplace follows safety standards to how your retirement savings are protected.

Energy and Commerce Committee

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any committee in Congress, covering energy, healthcare, telecommunications, consumer protection, and environmental regulation. It oversees the FDA, EPA, FCC, FTC, and numerous other agencies. Bills related to health insurance, prescription drug prices, clean energy, broadband internet, data privacy, air quality, hazardous waste, and public health emergencies are referred here. The committee handles more legislation than almost any other — roughly one-third of all House bills fall under its jurisdiction. It shaped the Affordable Care Act, regulates the internet and phone companies, and oversees the safety of everything from the food you eat to the air you breathe.

Ethics Committee

The House Ethics Committee (formally the Committee on Ethics) investigates and enforces standards of conduct for House members and staff. It is the only standing committee with equal representation from both parties — the same number of Democrats and Republicans. The committee reviews allegations of misconduct, conflicts of interest, financial disclosure violations, and improper use of official resources. It can recommend censure, reprimand, fines, or expulsion. Unlike other committees, it does not handle legislation — its sole purpose is to maintain public trust by holding members accountable to ethical standards. When a member is accused of wrongdoing, this is the committee that investigates and determines consequences.

Financial Services Committee

The House Financial Services Committee oversees the financial industry, housing policy, and monetary affairs. It has jurisdiction over banking, securities, insurance, housing finance (including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), and the Federal Reserve. Bills related to Wall Street regulation, consumer financial protection, cryptocurrency, flood insurance, affordable housing, and international finance are referred here. The committee played a central role in responding to the 2008 financial crisis and continues to shape rules that govern how banks lend money, how markets operate, and how Americans access mortgages and credit. Its decisions affect everything from your interest rates to the stability of the global financial system.

Foreign Affairs Committee

The House Foreign Affairs Committee oversees U.S. foreign policy, international relations, and foreign aid. It has jurisdiction over diplomatic relations, treaties, international organizations (including the United Nations), foreign assistance programs, and the protection of Americans abroad. Bills related to sanctions against foreign governments, foreign aid budgets, arms exports, embassy security, international trade agreements, and responses to global crises are referred here. The committee shapes how America engages with the world — from authorizing military operations and diplomatic missions to funding humanitarian aid and promoting democracy abroad. It plays a critical oversight role during international conflicts and negotiations.

Homeland Security Committee

The House Homeland Security Committee oversees the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which was created after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It has jurisdiction over border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, disaster preparedness, and transportation security. Bills related to TSA, FEMA, Customs and Border Protection, the Secret Service, Coast Guard operations, and critical infrastructure protection are referred here. The committee shapes policies that affect airport security, hurricane response, border wall construction, immigration detention, and protection against cyberattacks on government systems and critical infrastructure.

Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence oversees the U.S. Intelligence Community, including the CIA, NSA, FBI intelligence operations, and 15 other intelligence agencies. It authorizes intelligence spending and conducts oversight of classified programs. Because intelligence activities are largely secret, this committee serves as Congress's primary check on the intelligence community's power. It reviews covert operations, surveillance programs, counterterrorism activities, and foreign intelligence gathering. Members receive top-secret briefings and have access to classified information that most of Congress does not see. The committee played a central role in investigations of Russian election interference, NSA surveillance programs, and other major national security matters.

Judiciary Committee

The House Judiciary Committee oversees the administration of justice, constitutional law, and federal courts. It has jurisdiction over immigration policy, intellectual property, antitrust law, criminal justice, and civil liberties. Bills related to immigration reform, gun control, drug policy, tech company regulation, patent law, civil rights, and judicial appointments are referred here. The committee also handles impeachment proceedings — it is the committee that drafts articles of impeachment against presidents and federal officials. It has been at the center of some of the most consequential moments in American history, from Watergate to the impeachments of Presidents Clinton and Trump.

Natural Resources Committee

The House Natural Resources Committee oversees federal lands, oceans, Native American affairs, and natural resource management. It has jurisdiction over national parks, public lands, mining, water resources, fisheries, wildlife, and territorial affairs. Bills related to the National Park Service, endangered species protections, offshore drilling, water rights, tribal sovereignty, and the management of over 640 million acres of federal public lands are referred here. The committee shapes policies affecting everything from whether new areas become national monuments to how mining and energy development happens on public land to the rights and resources of Native American tribes.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is the principal investigative committee of the House. It has broad authority to investigate any matter at any time, making it one of the most powerful oversight tools Congress has. Bills related to government efficiency, federal workforce policy, the postal service, the District of Columbia, government technology, and regulatory reform are referred here. But the committee's real power comes from its investigative authority — it can subpoena witnesses, compel documents, and hold hearings on any topic involving government waste, fraud, or abuse. It has investigated everything from government contracts to presidential conduct to federal agency failures.

Response to Hurricane Katrina Committee

Rules Committee

The House Rules Committee controls how legislation reaches the House floor. It sets the terms of debate for nearly every major bill — deciding how long debate lasts, which amendments can be offered, and the order of votes. While it doesn't write policy legislation, the Rules Committee is called the "Speaker's Committee" because it effectively controls the House's legislative agenda. No major bill reaches the floor without a rule from this committee. It can block amendments that leadership opposes, limit debate time, or structure votes to favor certain outcomes. Understanding this committee is key to understanding why some bills pass and others never get a vote.

Science, Space, and Technology Committee

The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee oversees federal scientific research, space exploration, energy research, and technology policy. It has jurisdiction over NASA, the National Science Foundation, NOAA, the Department of Energy's research programs, and the EPA's scientific activities. Bills related to space exploration funding, climate science, STEM education, emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing, and federal research grants are referred here. The committee shapes America's investment in scientific discovery and technological innovation — from funding the James Webb Space Telescope to setting policies on how the government uses artificial intelligence.

Select Committee on Ethics (105th)

Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress

Select Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol

Small Business Committee

The House Small Business Committee oversees the Small Business Administration (SBA) and federal policies affecting small businesses. It has jurisdiction over small business lending, government contracting for small businesses, entrepreneurial development, and disaster assistance for small businesses. Bills related to SBA loan programs, small business tax relief, access to capital, government procurement set-asides, and programs to help veteran-owned, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses are referred here. With small businesses employing nearly half of all American workers, this committee's work directly affects Main Street businesses and local economies across the country.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee oversees the nation's transportation systems, water infrastructure, and public buildings. It has the largest membership of any House committee and jurisdiction over highways, aviation, railroads, transit, pipelines, ports, waterways, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Bills related to highway funding, airport construction, bridge repairs, Amtrak, the FAA, Coast Guard, FEMA disaster response, and federal building construction are referred here. The committee shapes the massive infrastructure investments that determine the quality of America's roads, bridges, airports, and water systems. It authored the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, one of the largest infrastructure investments in American history.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee oversees the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and all federal programs serving military veterans. It has jurisdiction over veterans' healthcare, disability compensation, education benefits (including the GI Bill), home loan programs, and veterans' cemeteries. Bills related to VA hospital funding, mental health services for veterans, veteran homelessness, Agent Orange compensation, and military-to-civilian transition programs are referred here. With over 18 million veterans in the United States, the committee's decisions directly affect the healthcare, benefits, and quality of life of those who served in the armed forces and their families.

Ways and Means Committee

The House Ways and Means Committee is the oldest committee in Congress and one of the most powerful. It has exclusive jurisdiction over taxation, trade, Social Security, Medicare, and other revenue-related legislation. Under the Constitution, all tax bills must originate in the House, and they start in this committee. Bills related to income taxes, corporate taxes, tariffs, trade agreements, Social Security benefits, Medicare funding, unemployment insurance, and child tax credits are referred here. The committee shapes the tax code that determines how much every American pays and what deductions they receive. It also negotiates trade deals that affect the prices of goods and the competitiveness of American industries. Major tax reforms — from the Reagan era to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 — all originated in this committee.