A committee is a group of people in a public body that checks, examines and reports on particular areas. It also runs inquiries on specific topics and the outcomes of these can be published. Some committees also hold events, surveys and meetings with the public to gather information and ideas on issues of concern.
If a committee wants to change the law, it may draft a bill. This process can involve a number of steps, including the creation of subcommittees. Once a draft has been completed, it is considered by the whole committee. It can be reported back to the House with or without amendments and a vote taken on whether to consider it for approval. If the bill is approved, it will be numbered in its report.
When a committee report is made, the government normally makes a response to it within two months of publication. This can be done by publishing it itself (as a Command Paper) or in a memorandum to the committee, which may publish its own response. In either case, the reply will usually contain details of any changes the committee requested.
Following a year and a half of work, the committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on Congress has begun to release some of its final conclusions. On Monday, the panel voted to refer President Donald Trump for prosecution on a few charges related to his attempts to interfere with a judicial proceeding. The panel’s full report will be released in the coming weeks.
A generational battle is brewing over the Democratic party’s top leadership positions ahead of the new Congress, with long-serving leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer facing challenges from younger lawmakers who want to take their places on key committees.
In the Senate, the fight over leadership has spilled into the powerful Appropriations Committee, where many of the most high-profile and impactful votes take place each year. One of the most competitive races in the chamber is between Senators Dick Durbin and Dianne Feinstein for the position of ranking member.
The News Committee enables EBU Members to share their experience and expertise on best practices in journalism, focusing on innovation in newsgathering, media management and distribution. It also sets the agenda for the annual News Assembly, a conference of news directors and editors-in-chief from around the world.