[Deschler's Precedents, Volume 1, Chapters 1 - 6]
[Chapter 3.  Party Organization]
[B. Party Caucus or Conference]
[Â§ 8. Creation of Party Committees]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 170-172]
 
                               CHAPTER 3
 
                           Party Organization
 
                     B. PARTY CAUCUS OR CONFERENCE
 
Sec. 8. --Creation of Party Committees

    The main party organizations in the House, the caucus and the 
conference, have from time to time delegated some of their functions to 
smaller party committees. Generally, the creation of, and the 
determination of membership on, such specialized committees are in 
large measure functions of the caucus or conference.

[[Page 171]]

    A Republican Committee on Committees consisting of one Member from 
each state having Republican representation in the House was created in 
1919 by resolution of the conference.(11) The Republican 
Committee on Committees is largely responsible for assigning Republican 
Members of the House to House committees.(12) Members of the 
Republican Committee on Committees are selected by the Republican 
delegations in the House from the several states,(13) 
subject to the approval of the conference.(14)
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11. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3616.
12. See Sec. 11, infra, for further discussion of the party Committee 
        on Committees.
13. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3616.
14. See Riddick, Floyd M., Congressional Procedure, Chapman and Grimes 
        (Boston, 1941), p. 36.
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    The Democratic Caucus has also delegated to a Committee on 
Committees the responsibility for assigning party members to House 
committees, such assignments being subject to caucus 
approval.(15) In past Congresses, Democratic members of the 
Committee on Ways and Means have served as the Committee on Committees 
for their party(16) and the caucus, by secret ballot, has 
elected the Democratic members of the Committee on Ways and 
Means.(17)
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15. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3617.
16. See Sec. 11, infra, for further discussion of the party Committee 
        on Committees.
17. See Sec. 9.1, infra.
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    A Steering Committee was created in 1933 by the Democratic 
Caucus.(18)
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18. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3622.
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    The responsibilities of the Steering Committee lay mainly in the 
area of ascertaining and consolidating party sentiment with respect to 
particular legislation, and assisting in the development of party 
policy and floor strategy.(19) In order to provide a 
geographical basis of representation on the Steering Committee, the 
caucus in 1933 authorized the division of the United States into 
geographical regions, each member of the Steering Committee to be 
elected by the Democratic Members of the House from the several states 
comprising a particular region.(20)
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19. See Sec. 13, infra, for more detailed discussion of the party 
        Steering Committee. For discussion of recent changes leading to 
        development of the present Steering and Policy Committee, see 
        supplements to this edition as they appear.
20. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3622.
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    In 1919, the Republican Conference created a Steering Committee, 
the members of which were to be nominated by the Com

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mittee on Committees and elected by the conference.(1) Now 
known as the Policy Committee, the committee advises the Republican 
leadership on matters of party policy and strategy.(2)
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 1. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3621.
 2. See Congressional Quarterly's Guide to the Congress of the United 
        States, Congressional Quarterly Service (Washington, D.C., 
        1971), pp. 142, 604.
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    Other committees that have been created by, and derive their 
authority from, the party caucus or conference include patronage 
committees,(3) political campaign committees,(4) 
and research committees.(5)
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 3. Sec. 14, infra.
 4. Sec. 16, infra.
 5. Sec. 12, infra.
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