Budget Counsel Reference Directory
Joint Committees of Congress
Summary
The United States Congress has established “Joint Committees” and which consist of Members of both the Senate and House of Representatives. Though standing committees of both chambers serve areas of common interest, such as the two Budget Committees, sometimes Congress determine a common committee is most appropriate to serve the function. In addition, these committees may diverge from standing committees by having no legislative jurisdiction, such as the Joint Committees on Printing or the Joint Economic Committee, and hence do not receive referrals introduced by Members of Congress. Other Committees, such as the Joint Committee on Taxation, though they nominally have Members serving on them, have a purpose of advising Congress on matters of particular interest.
Very few of the Joint Committees established (in particular if they are “select”, which often means they are temporary and for a specific limited purpose) have had legislative jurisdiction or the ability to produce legislation. Exception include the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, and the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform. The number of former Joint Committees is substantial.
| Current Joint Committees of Congress |
| Joint Economic Committee |
| Joint Committee on the Library (House) |
| Joint Committee on the Library (Senate) |
| Joint Committee on Printing |
| Joint Committee on Taxation |
Significant Joint Committees of Congress
Joint Committee on Reduction of Non-Essential Federal Expenditures (1941- 1974)
Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress (1945)
Joint Committee on the Legislative Budget (1946)
Joint Committee on the Organization of the Congress (1965)
Joint Study Committee on Budget Control (1972)
Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress (1993)
Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (2011)
Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform (2018)
References
Roll Call Article: Mixed Records of Success for Joint Committees (Posted Sep 3, 2011 11-22 PM [Roll Call Link]
Efforts to create a joint committee on the budget (1963)
1963-04-15 (S537) SRpt 88-141 (Gov Ops Report on Joint Budget)
88-S537 Joint Budget – Senate Bill from 1963-04-15
88-S537- Reported Bill 1963-05-21
88-S537- Introduced Bill 1963-01-15
81-Senate Report 81-576 (Amending LRA)
1948-01-22 ( Proceedings of the Legislative Budget Committee (80th Congress)
List of Former Joint Committees of Congress
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[BCR §026]
Additional Links (National Archives)
Records of the Joint Committees of Congress 1789-1968
Records of Joint Committees of Congress 1789-1995
Congressional Aviation Policy Board (1947-1948)
Joint Commission on the Ford’s Theater Disaster (1894-1897)
Joint Committee Appointed to Prepare a System of Rules in Cases of Conference (1789-1790)
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (1946-1977)
Joint Committee on Bicentennial Arrangements (1975-1976)
Joint Committee on the Centennial of the Birth of George Washington (1832-1838)
Joint Committee of Conference on the Missouri Bill (1820)
Joint Committee of Congress on Inaugural Ceremonies (Periodic since circa 1965- )
Joint Committee on Congressional Operations (1970-1977)
Joint Committee on Defense Production (1950-1977)
Joint Committee on the Disposition of Executive Papers (1935-1970) Also includes Joint Committee on the Disposition of Useless Papers (1889-1970)
Joint Committee on Housing (1947-1948)
Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (1940- )
Joint Committee to Investigate Dirigible Disasters (1933)
Joint Committee to Investigate the Tennessee Valley Authority (1938-1939)
Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack (1945-1946)
Joint Committee on Labor-Management Relations (1947-1949)
Joint Committee on the Library (1806- )
Joint Committee on the Mode of Communication Between the Two Houses (1789)
Joint Committee on Muscle Shoals (1926)
Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress (1944-1946)
Joint Committee of the Organization of the Congress (1965-1966)
Joint Committee on Printing (1846- )
Joint Committee on Public Property in the Hands of the President (circa 1799-1801)
Joint Committee on the Reduction of Federal Expenditures (1941-1975)
Joint Committee on the Revision of the Laws (1907-1910)
Joint Committee on Taxation (1976- ) Also includes Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation (1926-1976)
Joint Committee on Veterans Affairs (1932-1933)
Joint Committee on Washington Metropolitan Problems (1957-1960)
Joint Economic Committee (1946- )
Joint Study Committee on Budget Control (1972-1973)
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Next:§027. Joint Committee on Taxation |
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