Evolution of the Senate's Committee System

Abstract

After a quarter century's reliance on select committees, the Senate established a system of legislative standing committees in 1816. Whereas select committees had been subordinate creatures of the Senate, the standing panels acquired prerogatives which almost completely reversed this relationship. Eventually, the political parties evolved procedures which ensured majority control of the committees, but also granted the minority equitable representation. The seniority system emerged shortly thereafter; however, it differed somewhat from modern usages because of the large number of standing committees. After precipitous increases at the turn of the twentieth century, the Senate drastically reduced the number of committees in 1921 and again in 1946, forcing a change in seniority practices and contributing to the growth of subcommittees. Fewer committees also enhanced the influence of the remaining chairmen. In part, that enhancement provoked moves both to limit the chairmen's authority within their committees and to disperse other positions of power among more members. Other recent trends include more equitable distribution of assignments to important committees, attempts to reduce the overall committee burden of members, growth of committee staff and the evolution of a formal code to regulate committee procedures.