Committee of the Whole: An Introduction

Publication Date: May 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

The Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, more often referred to as the "Committee of the Whole," is the House of Representatives operating as a committee on which every Member of the House serves. The House of Representatives uses this parliamentary device to take procedural advantage of a somewhat different set of rules governing proceedings in the Committee than those governing proceedings in the House. The purpose is to expedite legislative consideration. This report briefly reviews the history of the Committee of the Whole, describes the current procedure associated with it, and identifies its procedural advantages. It will be updated if the rules and procedures change.