Congressional committees are the backbone of legislative work, and their members play a key role in shaping laws that affect us all. They help set the agenda, review legislation before it moves forward, and decide what questions to investigate. They also play a significant role in the public debate by hearing evidence and making recommendations that ultimately shape how our laws are made.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday removed the Republican chairman of the powerful Intelligence Committee, who had been a vocal supporter of assistance for Ukraine and held other views that put him at odds with President Trump. The move could fuel partisanship on the panel, which oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies and has tremendous influence over law enforcement and foreign policy.
The committee oversees the collection and dissemination of information about terrorist activities, counter-intelligence efforts and national security matters. It also investigates allegations of wrongdoing by federal employees and reviews classified documents submitted by government agencies. It is one of the oldest and most influential committees in Congress.
In 2024, the committee sent letters to Barnard and Columbia requesting information about policies to prepare for unauthorized encampments and to protect students from antisemitism. The letters asked the universities to submit written responses by Aug. 22.
After the committee has conducted its investigation, it will send a report to the full House of Representatives with its recommended approval or disapproval of the bill. The committee will usually give a brief explanation of its reasons for the recommendation and provide any supporting documents. The House will typically pass the committee’s report along with the other measures considered by the chamber. The bill will then move to the Senate for consideration.
The committee organizes the annual News Assembly, which brings news directors, editor-in-chiefs and foreign desk editors together to discuss ways to improve coverage and reduce costs. It also works to develop and share best practices, expertise and innovation in news gathering and distribution.
The committee plans educational tracks for a premier event for audio professionals, focusing on business and performance. It lines up speakers, crafts programming, writes descriptions, and ensures smooth event execution. It also works to make APA a welcoming organization for all by developing initiatives like the Mentorship Program and New Narrator Workshops. The committee is also responsible for creating and distributing monthly industry news and updates to the membership as part of its ongoing member communications responsibilities. The committee also maintains the APA eNewsletter and Email Alerts. The eNewsletter features industry news from around the world, and is distributed to the entire membership monthly as an exclusive member benefit. It is complemented by the Industry News Blog, which covers relevant industry topics. The APA eNewsletter Committee also selects research firms and collaborates with the PR & Events Committee on the annual Consumer and Sales Survey. The eNewsletter Committee is also charged with recruiting speakers for the regular APA eNewsletter webinar series on voice talent education and development.