House Subcommittees: Assignment Process

Publication Date: May 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

Type:

Abstract:

House rules, Republican Conference and Democratic Caucus rules, and individual committee rules, all address the subcommittee assignment process, although to varying degrees. Under House Rule X, clause 5(d), no committee, except Appropriations and Government Reform, can create more than five subcommittees. In addition, pursuant to Rule X, clause 5(b)(2)(A), Members are limited to service on no more than four subcommittees, although exceptions are provided. Committee chairs are generally prohibited from chairing a subcommittee of that committee, and all committee and subcommittee chairs are limited by House Rule X, clause 5(c)(2) as well as Republican Conference Rule 14, to no more than three consecutive terms as chair, beginning with the 104th Congress.

Many subcommittee assignment decisions are affected by the full committee assignment process. Information on that is provided in CRS Report 98-151, House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments, and CRS Report 98-367, House Committees: Assignment Process.