House Committees: Categories and Rules for
Committee Assignments
Judy Schneider
Specialist on the Congress
October 19, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
98-151
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress

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House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

Summary
Both House and party rules detail procedures for committee assignments. House rules address the
election and membership of committees, especially limitations on membership. The Democratic
Caucus and Republican Conference rules designate categories of committees (shown below) and
specify service limitations in addition to those in the House rules.


Congressional Research Service

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House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1
Number of Assignments .............................................................................................................. 1
Limitations on Assignments ........................................................................................................ 1

Tables
Table 1. Categories of Committees .............................................................................................. 2

Contacts
Author Contact Information ........................................................................................................ 3

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House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

Introduction
Both House and party rules detail procedures for committee assignments. House rules address the
election and membership of committees, especially limitations on membership. The Democratic
Caucus and Republican Conference rules designate categories of committees and specify service
limitations in addition to those in the House rules.
Number of Assignments
• In general, no Member, Delegate or Resident Commissioner can serve on more
than two standing committees and four subcommittees of those standing
committees (House Rule X, clause 5(b)(2)(A)).
• Democrats and Republicans designate exclusive committees and generally limit
service to one such panel. Democratic Members of exclusive committees cannot
also serve on nonexclusive committees, but they can serve on the Budget or
House Administration Committee. Republican Members assigned to the Rules
Committee can take “leave with seniority” from one standing committee to serve
on Rules.
• Democrats and Republicans designate nonexclusive committees and limit
Members to service on two such panels, unless the House rules contain other
requirements.
Limitations on Assignments
• Service on the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is exempt from the
two-committee limitation. Service is also limited to three Congresses during any
five successive Congresses. (House Rule X, clause 5(a)(3)(B)). Democratic
Caucus rules, however, limit service to no more than three Congresses in any
five.
• Budget Committee members are limited to no more than four Congresses in any
six successive Congresses (House Rule X, clause 5(a)(2)(B)). Democratic
Caucus rules limit members to no more than three Congresses in any five.
Members may serve for one additional Congress as chair or ranking member if
they assumed leadership in their fourth term on the committee.
• Intelligence Committee members are limited to no more than four Congresses in
any period of six successive Congresses. There is no term limit for Members
selected to serve as chair and ranking member. (House Rule X, clause 11). In
addition, Democratic Caucus rules say Members may not serve on more than one
standing committee, although they may take a leave of absence from service on
another standing committee to serve on the Intelligence Committee.
• “Any other exception to these limitations must be approved by the House upon
the recommendation of the respective party caucus or conference.” (House Rule
X, clause 5.)
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House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

Table 1. Categories of Committees
Category Democrats

Republicans
Exclusive
Appropriations
Appropriations
Rules
Rules
Ways and Means
Ways and Means
Energy and Commerce (for Members first
Energy and Commerce
serving on the panel in the 104th Congress and
subsequent Congresses)
Financial Services (for Members first serving

on the panel in the 109th and subsequent
Congresses)
Non-Exclusive
Agriculture
Agriculture
Armed Services
Armed Services
Budget
Budget
Education and Labor
Education and Labor
Energy and Commerce (for members who

served on the panel before the 104th
Congress)
Financial Services (for Members who served
Financial
Services
on the panel before the 109th Congress)
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
Homeland Security
House Administration
House Administration
Judiciary
Judiciary
Natural Resources
Natural Resources
Oversight and Government Reform
Oversight and Government Reform
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Small Business
Small Business
Transportation and Infrastructure
Transportation and Infrastructure
Veterans’ Affairs
Veterans’ Affairs
Exempt
Standards of Official Conduct; Select
Select Intelligence; Standards of Official
Intelligence (not listed as such but treated as
Conduct
exempt)
Source: Compiled by the author from her analysis of Democratic Caucus and Republican Conference rules.
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House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments



Author Contact Information

Judy Schneider

Specialist on the Congress
jschneider@crs.loc.gov, 7-8664


Congressional Research Service
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