Congressional committees play an important role in the legislative process. They are where bills get their first hearings, are where most of the deliberation occurs and where many of the amendments are approved.
At the end of deliberation, committee members vote to decide what to do with a measure. It can be reported, which means it will go to the full House or Senate for consideration, with or without amendments; or it may be tabled, which means it will not receive further action. If the committee votes to report a bill, the full text of the bill is published in the Congressional Record and given a number that indicates the Congress (currently 107th).
The committee also votes whether or not to publish a written report, which describes the purpose and scope of the bill and gives reasons for its recommended approval. Depending on the nature of a bill, the committee will either write its own report or the Government Publishing Office will prepare one for it. If a report is prepared, it will be given a House or Senate Report number and appear in the Congressional Record along with the committee’s recommendation.
The committee also makes its decisions by considering written submissions from interested parties and conducting public hearings. All of this work is done on a volunteer basis by Congressional staff and volunteers from the EBU membership.