The Use of Task Forces in the House

Publication Date: December 1999

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

Task forces, long used by both House parties, come in various sizes and shapes. Typically, they are created by the majority and minority leadership to accomplish diverse goals. Renewed attention is being given these informal entities because of their recent larger role in House politics and policymaking. On the one hand, leadership task forces are flexible devices for addressing problems that do not fall neatly within committees' jurisdictional boundaries. On the other hand, a system of standing committees is well suited for providing continuity and expertise to congressional policymaking and for overseeing the administration of laws. In short, there appears to be a role for both in the House's committee system.

During the 104th Congress, wider use of party task forces was an important and somewhat controversial initiative of Speaker Newt Gingrich. A proponent of "adhocracy" in the Information Age, the Speaker employed task forces in part to expedite action on the Republican agenda, especially during the 100-day period associated with House consideration of the Contract With America. Standing (or permanent) committees were sometimes bypassed by the Speaker's appointment of informal work groups during and beyond the Contract period. Although data about task forces are sparse, their use in the next two Congresses appeared to decline.