Committees in Congress (Political Economy of Institutions) Third Edition

Providing a comprehensive examination of the origins, development, and status of committees and committee systems in both the House and Senate, this edition carries on the book′s tradition of comprehensive coverage, empirical richness, and theoretical relevance in its discussion of these essential and distinguishing features of our national legislature. While the second edition focused on the "post-reform" committee systems, addressed the shifts in the internal distribution of power, and hinted at the forces that had already begun to undermine the power of committees, this edition updates that analysis and looks at the reforms that evolvied under the Republicans. It offers complete coverage of the rules and structural changes to the House and Senate committee systems. It extends its discussion of committee power and influence in the context of the "Contract with America," Republican reforms, and the inter-party warfare on Capitol Hill. Committees in Congress provides a comprehensive examination of the current state of committees and committee systems in both houses of the U.S. Congress. This third edition examines the reforms adopted under the Republican-controlled Congress, especially in the context of the "Contract With America" and the interparty warfare on Capitol Hill. It also offers complete coverage of the new rules and structural changes to the House and Senate committee systems, including chamber- and party-rules changes, reduced staffing, the elimination of some committees and subcommittees, and new procedures for the selection of committee leaders.