Joint Committee
Definition
A joint committee is a legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress (the House and the Senate). They are typically established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
Analogy
Think of a joint committee as a school project group where students from different grades come together. Just like how these students bring unique perspectives from their respective grades, members in a joint committee bring insights from their respective chambers.
Related terms
Bicameral Legislature: This refers to a legislature that is divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, such as the U.S. Congress which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Conference Committee: A temporary panel composed of House and Senate conferees which is formed for the purpose of reconciling differences in legislation that has passed both chambers.
Standing Committee: These are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules.
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