Guide to Committee Activity Reports: Purpose, December 4, 2020
Rules, and Contents
Ida A. Brudnick
All House committees and most Senate committees are required to prepare reports each Congress
Specialist on the Congress
detailing their activities.

These committee activity reports provide a historical record of a committee’s legislative and

oversight actions. They may serve as an introduction to the work of the individual committees,
and, in many cases, they also provide information that is otherwise either not aggregated in one place or not available
elsewhere.
The committee activity reports are required by the rules of the House (House Rule XI, clause 1(d)) and Senate (Senate Rule
XXVI, paragraph 8(b)). The reporting requirement dates to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (2 U.S.C. §190d).
Each report covers the activities for one Congress. In odd-numbered years, House reports are to be filed by January 2, while
Senate reports are to be filed by March 31.
This report includes a discussion of the types of information that may be included in the activity reports, variations across
reports and time, and the filing process.
Table 1 provides a comparison of the committee activity reports and other congressional publications, including the types of
information found in each as well as their timeframe for coverage and publication. For example, the activity reports may be
more likely to provide discussion, analysis, or statistics than committee calendars (if published). They also provide a
retrospective accounting of the actions taken by a particular committee, while House oversight plans, for example, provide
information on prospective or planned actions.
The Appendix lists activity reports issued by the House and Senate committees covering the 110th, 111th, 112th, 113th, 114th,
and 115th Congresses.
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Overview and Introduction
Both the House and Senate have adopted rules requiring their committees to produce regular
reports of their activities.
Pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 1(d)(1), each House standing committee is to submit a report
to the House no later than January 2 of each odd-numbered year detailing its activities during the
closing Congress.1
Pursuant to Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 8(b), each Senate standing committee—with the
exception of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Budget Committee—is to submit
its report to the Senate no later than March 31 of each odd-numbered year, covering activities for
the previous Congress.2
As a record of a committee’s legislative and oversight actions, the reports may provide valuable
information for Members of Congress and their staff interested in learning more about a
Member’s new committee assignments or committee activities in certain subject areas. The
reports may also be a useful tool for new committee staff to learn about recent actions.
More broadly, the activity reports provide a public record of the actions of congressional
committees as wel as insight into the role of committees in congressional legislative oversight. In
many cases, they also provide information that is otherwise either not aggregated in one place or
not available elsewhere. The variations in the reports also il uminate some of the differences in
committees, including their internal structure, norms, and operations.
This CRS report wil address
 the purpose and history of these reports, including their predecessors;
 required contents of the reports;
 House and Senate Rules regarding the filing of reports;
 a discussion of the types of information that may be included;
 variations in the organization of the reports among committees;
 provisions related to the inclusion of supplemental, minority, additional, or
dissenting views;
 additional historical changes to House and Senate Rules regarding the reports,
including recent changes to the frequency of the reports in the House and the
1974 revisions to the list of committees required to prepare activity reports; and
 the differences between the committee activity reports and other congressional
publications, including committee calendars, House and Senate calendars, the
Résumé of Congressional Activity, and the House Document Repository at
docs.house.gov. Table 1 provides examples of the types of information found in
each publication as wel as their timeframe for coverage and publication.
Final y, the Appendix lists activity reports issued by House and Senate committees covering
activities of the 110th, 111th, 112th, 113th, 114th, and 115th Congresses.

1 T he House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has also filed a report for many, but not all, Congresses.
2 T he Senate Select Committee on Intelligence also regularly files these reports.
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Purpose and History
The development of committee activity reports is closely tied to congressional reform and
reorganization efforts more general y.
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 reorganized the House and Senate committee system,
including the number and jurisdiction of congressional committees and their authorities, roles,
and responsibilities. Section 136 of the act provided for a predecessor to the current committee
activity report requirement, stating that3
each standing committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives shall exercise
continuous watchfulness of the execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any
laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such committee; and, for that
purpose, shall study all pertinent reports and data submitted to the Congress by the agencies
in the executive branch of the Government.
Following the enactment of this law, many committees regularly published reports outlining their
activities, either as committee prints or committee reports.4
In the late 1960s, Congress considered further revisions to the committee system.5 This internal
congressional examination culminated in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. Pursuant to
this act, the “continuous watchfulness” function of committees was transformed to one providing
for “legislative review.”6 The act cal ed for each standing committee of the Senate and the House
of Representatives to7
review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration, and execution of
those laws, or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of that
committee.
The 1970 act also formalized the requirement for periodic activity reports. A report accompanying
the legislation summarized the linkage between the new role for committees and the reporting
requirement, stating that8
the intent of this requirement of a report every two years is to provide the House with an
additional means of appraising the results of the legislation which it has approved and to

3 Ch. 753, August 2, 1946, 60 Stat. 832. T his was later incorporated into the House Rules (“ Adoption of the Rules for
the Eighty-T hird Congress,” Congressional Record, vol. 99 (January 3, 1953), p. 19).
4 See, for example, U.S. Congress, House Committee on Government Operations, Activities Report of the House
Com m ittee on Governm ent Operations, 83 rd Congress, committee print, 83rd Cong., December 1954 (Washington:
GPO, 1955); and U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Government Operations, Activities of the Senate Com m ittee on
Governm ent Operations, 83rd Cong., 2nd sess., January 18, 1954, S.Rept. 852 (Washington: GPO, 1954) . At least one
committee issued a compilation of these pre-1970 Reorganization Act reports: U.S. Congress, House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Com pilation of Activity Reports of the Com m ittee on Interstate and Foreign
Com m erce (80th Through 91st Congresses) Together with Historical Data Concerning the Com m ittee, committee print,
91st Cong., April 1971 (Washington: GPO, 1971).
5 S. 355, Section 105, as referred to the House Committee on Rules, March 9, 1967; H.R. 18039, Section 103, as
referred to the House Committee on Rules, June 20, 1968 . For a discussion of reform efforts, see CRS Report
RL32112, Reorganization of the Senate: Modern Reform Efforts, by Judy Schneider et al., and CRS Report RL31835,
Reorganization of the House of Representatives: Modern Reform Efforts, by Judy Schneider, Betsy Palmer, and
Christopher M. Davis.
6 P.L. 91-510, October 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1156.
7 Ibid.
8 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Rules, Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, report to accompany H.R. 17654,
91st Cong., 2nd sess., June 17, 1970, H.Rept. 91-1215 (Washington: GPO, 1970), p. 74.
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emphasize the importance of the legislative review function of the House standing
committees.
The requirement for these reports, which appears at 2 U.S.C. §190d, was subsequently
incorporated into the House and Senate Rules.
Required Contents of the Reports
House Rules for the 116th Congress state that the committee activity reports are to include9
 separate sections summarizing the committee’s legislative and oversight
activities conducted pursuant to House Rule X and House Rule XI;10
 a summary of the committee’s oversight plans, which are required by House Rule
X, clause 2(d);11
 a summary of the actions taken and recommendations made with respect to these
oversight plans;
 a summary of any additional oversight activities undertaken by a committee and
any recommendations made or related actions; and

9 House Rule XI, clause 1(d). T he Rules related to activity reports have been periodically revised. In addition to some
of the changes described below, according to the House Manual (H.Doc. 115-177, §791), “ Clerical and stylistic
changes were effected when the House recodified its rules in the 106 th Congress (H.Res. 5, January 6, 1999, p. 47),”
and “in the 112th Congress, the paragraph was rewritten entirely to clarify late-session filing ... (sec. 2(e)(13), H.Res. 5,
January 5, 2011, p. 80).” For rules changes affecting frequency, see “ Additional Rules Changes Affecting Activity
Reports.”
10 T his requirement for separate sections was first adopted in the 104th Congress.
11 T he requirement that committees adopt an oversight plan was first included in the rules for the 104 th Congress.
According to the “ Section-by-Section Analysis of House Rules Resolution” inserted into the Congressional Record,
“the intent of [the oversight reform] section [is] to ensure that committees make a more concerted, coordinated and
conscientious effort to develop meaningful oversight plans at the beginning of each Congress and to fol low-through on
their implementation, with a view to examining the full range of the laws under their jurisdiction o ver a period of five
Congresses” (Congressional Record, January 4, 1995, p. H35).
T he House Rules adopted for the 115th Congress (H.Res. 5) added references to newly required authorization plans, in
addition to previously required oversight plans. According to a section-by-section analysis of the rules change posted
by the House Rules Committee and inserted into the Congressional Record:
T he plan must include a list of unauthorized programs and agencies within their jurisdiction that
have received funding in the prior fiscal year, or in the case of a permanent authorization, has not
received a comprehensive review by the committee in the prior three Congresses. T he subsection
requires committees to describe each program or agency that is intended to be authorized in the
current Congress or next Congress, and a description of oversight to support reauthorization in the
current Congress. T he subsection also requires recommendations, if any, for moving such programs
or agencies from mandatory to discretionary funding (Congressional Record, January 3, 2017, p.
H12).
T he rules for the 116th Congress (H.Res. 6) restored the original requirement for oversight plans and deleted references
to authorization plans. T he submission process for oversight plans, and related deadlines, was also changed at this time.
A technical amendment to the House Rules pertaining to activity reports deleted references to the authorization plans
(House Rule XI, clause 1(d)(2)(B) and clause 1(d)(2)(C)).
T he plans are compiled as a House report. For example, U.S. Congress, House Committee on Oversight and Reform,
Authorization and Oversight Plan for all House Com m ittees, 116th Cong., 1st sess., April 19, 2019, H.Rept. 116-40
(Washington: GPO, 2019).
T he Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Ethics, and the Committee on Rules are exempt from the
requirement to adopt oversight plans.

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 a delineation of any hearings held on the topics of waste, fraud, abuse, or
mismanagement. Pursuant to clause 2 of House Rule XI,12 committees are
required “to hold at least one hearing during each 120-day period” on these
topics. The hearings are to focus in particular on reports from inspectors general
or the Comptroller General of the United States and programs or operations that
are considered “high-risk.”13
Senate Rules do not specifical y address required contents, other than to say that the reports are to
cover activities carried out under Senate Rule XXVI(8)(a).14 This paragraph states that,15
(a) In order to assist the Senate in—
(1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of the application, administration, and
execution of the laws enacted by the Congress, and
(2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of such modifications of or changes
in those laws, and of such additional legislation, as may be necessary or appropriate,
each standing committee (except the Committees on Appropriations and the Budget),
shall review and study, on a continuing basis the application, administration, and
execution of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is within the
legislative jurisdiction of that committee....
Filing the Reports
Both the House and Senate reports cover an entire Congress and are to be filed each odd-
numbered year.
Pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 1(d)(1), reports are to be filed by January 2.16 A House chair
may file the report after the sine die adjournment17 or after December 15 of an even-numbered
year, whichever occurs first.18 The report is filed with the Clerk of the House. House Rules do not

12 T he requirement for hearings related to waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement was adopted during the 111th
Congress when the House agreed to H.Res. 40 on January 14, 2009. T he resolution also amended clause 1 of House
Rule XI to require that the activity reports “ delineate any hearings held pursuant to” this new language (clauses 2(n),
(o), and (p)). T his language was incorporated in the House Rules in subsequent Con gresses.
13 For example, the Government Accountability Office maintains a “High Risk List” at http://www.gao.gov/highrisk/
overview.
14 Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 8(b).
15 U.S. Congress, Senate, Standing Rules of the Senate, Revised to January 24, 2013, 113th Cong., November 4, 2013,
S.Doc. 113-18 (Washington: GPO, 2013), p. 35. Available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-113sdoc18/
pdf/CDOC-113sdoc18.pdf.
16 House activity reports, therefore, are often numerically among the last House reports filed each Congress. T he Senate
activity reports, conversely, are numerically often —but not always—among the earlier Senate reports filed each
Congress. As part of a congressional reform effort in 1974, the House Select Committee on Committees considered the
requirement that committees file the activity reports by January 2. One Member suggested that since committee
activities could continue through that day (pursuant to the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified January 23,
1933, the terms of Senators and Representatives begin at noon on the 3rd day of January), the committees could be
provided with additional time to file their reports. Committee Chairman Richard Bolling and others, however, reminded
their colleagues that “We are not a continuing body,” and that imposing such a requirement on future Congresses may
be problematic. T he January 2 deadline remained unchanged (U.S. Congress, House Select Committee on Com mittees,
Com m ittee Reform Am endm ents of 1974, 93rd Cong., 2nd sess. (Washington: GPO, 1974), p. 618).
17 A sine die adjournment is “ an adjournment that ends an annual session.” For additional information, see CRS Report
R42977, Sessions, Adjournm ents, and Recesses of Congress, by Richard S. Beth and Valerie Heitshusen.
18 T he rules adopted for the 112th Congress (H.Res. 5, January 5, 2011) added the reference to December 15 of an even -
numbered year. T he effect is to allow the report to be filed before sine die adjournment when the House continues to
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require committee approval of the report, although a copy of the report must be available to each
committee member for at least seven calendar days.19 House committee activity reports general y
include a letter of transmittal from the chair of the committee to the Clerk. One committee—the
House Ethics Committee, which is comprised of an equal number of Members from the majority
and minority party pursuant to House Rule X—general y has included a transmittal letter signed
by both the chair and ranking minority member. A few committees have included in their
transmittal letters a disclaimer indicating the “document is intended as a general reference tool,
and not as a substitute for the hearing records, reports, and other committee files.”20
Pursuant to Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 8(b), reports are to be filed by March 31. As stated
above, the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Budget Committee are exempt from this
requirement.21 In addition to the other standing committees, the Senate Select Committee on
Intel igence also regularly files these reports. Committees sometimes have filed a report late or
not at al , and it is not clear how the Senate Rule requiring activity reports could be enforced by
the full Senate.
Additional y, House and Senate committees are required to adopt their own rules. While these
rules cannot conflict with the chamber rules, the committee rules may further address the filing
process for activity reports.22
Additional Contents and Variations
The activity reports are as varied as the committees that produce them. Across committees, they
may differ in organization, level of detail, and information covered. These variations also appear
across time, as individual chairs may influence the priorities of their committees. Consequently,
comparisons across committees or across time using information only found in these reports may
be chal enging.
Organization
Some reports are organized by topic, while others are organized by full committee and
subcommittee activities. Additional organizational or administrative variations in activity reports
include whether or not they contain
 an overview or history of the committee,

meet past December 15.
19 T his clause was added by H.Res. 5, January 7, 1997, p. 121. One committee, the House Committee on Education and
Labor, has traditionally indicated in the transmittal letter the date the report was circulated to Members and whether or
not minority views were received. For example, see H.Rept. 114-904. Sometimes, a committee has formally resolved to
approve the activity report during a business meeting (for example, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, December
11, 2014, business meeting, http://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=102794).
20 For example, see the House Committee on T ransportation and Infrastructure report for the 114th Congress (H.Rept.
114-899) and the House Committee on Science report for the 105 th Congress (H.Rept. 105-847).
21 T he exception for the Senate Appropriations Committee was included in the 1970 act, with the Senate Budget
Committee added to this paragraph when the committee was established with the enactment of the Congressional
Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-344). The Senate Budget Committee, however, did file a report for the
113th Congress (S.Rept. 114-31).
22 For House committee rules, see U.S. Congress, House Committee on Rules, Rules Adopted by the Committees of the
House of Representatives, committee print, 116th Cong., 1st sess., RCP 116-25-35 (Washingt on: GPO, 2019). For
Senate committee rules, see U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Authority and Rules of
Senate Com m ittees, 2019-2020, 116th Cong., 1st sess., S.Doc. 116-6 (Washington: GPO, 2019).
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 a foreword from the committee chair,
 a table of contents,
 information on subcommittee jurisdictions and memberships, and
 listings of names and titles of senior or other staff.
Inclusion of Supplemental, Minority, Additional, or
Dissenting Views
Pursuant to House Rules, House committee activity reports are to include “any supplemental,
minority, additional, or dissenting views submitted by a member of the committee.”23 The
frequency with which these additional views appear varies greatly across committees. For
example, since the 104th Congress, activity reports from the Committee on Rules, on Education
and Labor, and on House Administration frequently contained additional views. Conversely, a
number of committees—for example, the Committees on Appropriations, Intel igence, Ethics,
Armed Services, and Smal Business—rarely, if ever, contained these views during the same
period. The length of additional views has also varied, from a few sentences to more than 50
pages.24
Senate Rules do not address the inclusion of additional views in activity reports. Their inclusion
appears to be infrequent.25
Types of Information Included and Presentation
Aside from the required contents addressed in the House and Senate Rules, broad discretion is
given to each committee in preparing its own report.
The committee activity reports vary in their level of detail in describing oversight activities and
hearings. Some committees provide lists of these actions, while others provide lengthy
descriptions, analysis, and appendices. Relatedly, while many provide lists of documents,
correspondence, or publications, some contain full-text reproductions. These variations are
evident in the varying lengths of these reports—for example, House activity reports for the 114th
Congress ranged in length from 22 pages to 485 pages; Senate activity reports ranged from 20
pages to 130 pages.
The activity reports provide an overview of a variety of issues within the committee’s
jurisdiction. They may also address actions taken and work produced by the individual
committees, including, for example,26
 committee publications, including information on published and unpublished
hearings;
 public statements and press releases;

23 A prior version of this clause, which addressed “ supplemental, minority, or additional” views, was expanded to
include “dissenting” views in the 114th Congress (H.Res. 5, 114th Congress).
24 For example, see U.S. Congress, House Committee on Homeland Security, Report on the Legislative and Oversight
Activities, 112th Cong., 2nd sess., December 27, 2012, H.Rept. 112-730 (Washington: GPO, 2012), pp. 376-426.
25 T he following reports, however, did include additional views: S.Rept. 114-178, from the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations; S.Rept. 116-20, S.Rept. 114-8 and S.Rept. 113-7, from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence;
and S.Rept. 112-6, from the Senate Committee on Small Business.
26 List compiled from CRS survey of activity reports issued since the 104 th Congress.
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 “Dear Colleague” letters issued by the committee chair;
 committee resolutions. The use of committee resolutions may vary by
committee, but they may include internal committee agreements concerning the
adoption of committee rules, oversight plans, or the committee’s organization.
Committees may also consider resolutions that are specific to their jurisdictional
responsibilities;27
 correspondence to or from executive branch or other officials, including
related presidential messages and proclamations;
 a copy or summary of the committee’s “views and estimates,” which addresses
budgetary matters within its jurisdiction.28 Some committees also include
minority comments on the “views and estimates”;
 memoranda clarifying jurisdictional agreements between committees;29
 information on Member or staff travel, including locations visited, issues
investigated, or conferences or other events attended;
 conference committee appointments;
 approval by the committee of consultant contracts;
 information on committee witnesses, arranged by hearing or by category (e.g.,
congressional, executive branch, nongovernmental, and foreign);
 activities specific to the Senate, for Senate committees (i.e., consideration of
treaties and nominations);
 activities specific to roles and responsibilities of certain committees or
pursuant to various laws (for example, advice and guidance from the House or
Senate Committee on Ethics; information on waivers of House Rules, the Budget
Act, or the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act by the House Committee on Rules;30

27 For example, some Committee on House Administration reports include references to resolutions adopted approving
franked mail allowances for the standing and select committees, allocating funding for certain committees from the
Reserve Fund, or amending internal House regulations governing, for example, shared employees, the student loan
repayment program, or revising the Members’ Congressional Handbook. In addition, for example, a House Committee
on T ransportation and Infrastructure report lists “ Committee Resolutions (Authorizing the General Services
Administration Capital Investment and Leasing Program)” (H.Rept. 114-899), while a Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works report lists “ committee resolutions for public buildings” (S.Rept. 107-100). T he House
Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Homeland Security have used committee resolutions to adopt
committee rules and appoint staff (U.S. Congress, House Committee on Armed Services, Organizational Meeting for
the 115th Congress, 115th Cong., 1st sess., January 12, 2017 (Washington: GPO, 2017); and H.Rept. 114-907). T he
Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship report for the 115 th Congress also listed “ Sense of the
Committee” resolutions (S.Rept. 115-33).
28 T hese are required pursuant to Section 310(d) of the Congressional Budget Act . P.L. 93-944, 88 Stat. 307, July 12,
1974; House Rule X, clause 4(f)(1) and 11(c)(3). T he “views and estimates” are to be submitted to the respective
budget committees no later than six weeks after the President’s budget is submitted or by a date requested by the
Committee on the Budget . In addition to potential references in the activity reports, the “ views and estimates” often are
printed in the committee report accompanying the budget resolution or compiled as a separate committee print. For
additional information, see CRS Report 98-512, Form ulation and Content of the Budget Resolution , by Bill Heniff Jr.
29 For example, some of the House Financial Services Committee activity reports provide information on a
memorandum of understanding between the chairmen of the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on
Energy and Commerce (for example, H.Rept. 112-355).
30 T he reporting requirement for waived points of order under the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act was included in P.L.
104-4 (March 22, 1995, 109 Stat. 63; 2 U.S.C. 1514).
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and participation in international conferences and “Committee-Hosted Dignitary
Meetings” by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs);
 petitions and memorials submitted to the committee;
 investigations conducted by the committee;
 support provided by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), including
reports requested or issued and related high-risk areas identified;
 special studies or task forces;
 information on examinations into “waste, fraud, abuse, and
mismanagement”;31
 information on regulatory review efforts; and
 publications prepared separately by the majority or minority members or staff of
the committee.32
Some reports also include tabular information and statistical summaries of committee meetings,
including the number of days or pages of hearings, and the number of field hearings, joint
hearings, closed hearings, business meetings, markup sessions, or witnesses.
Others include tables providing information on legislation considered by the committee, including
the total number of bil s and resolutions referred to the committee, reported, and passed by the
chamber, or enacted into law.
Additional Rules Changes Affecting Activity
Reports
Recent Changes to Frequency in the House of Representatives:
112th-114th Congresses
General y, since 1970, one committee activity report has been required each Congress.
The House recently experimented with increasing the frequency of these reports, before reverting
to the prior practice of one report, issued at the end of each Congress. More specifical y, the
House Rules have provided for
 one report per Congress (92nd –111th Congresses);
 biannual reports, totaling four reports each Congress (112th Congress);
 annual reports, totaling two reports each Congress (113th Congress); and
 one report per Congress (114th and subsequent Congresses).33

31 As stated above, pursuant to clause 2 of House Rule XI, House committees are required “to hold at least one hearing
during each 120-day period” on these topics. T he hearings are to focus in particular on reports from inspectors general
or the Comptroller General of the United States and programs or operations that are considered “ high -risk.”
32 For example, the House Budget Committee regularly lists separate majority and minority caucus publications.
33 H.Res. 5, January 5, 2011, Section 2(e)(13); H.Res. 5, January 3, 2013, Section 2(a); H.Res. 5, January 6, 2015,
Section 2(a)(4). According to the “ Section-By-Section Analysis” of the House Rules changes for the 112th Congress
inserted into the Congressional Record, the provision was “ intended to provide the House with more frequent updates
regarding the oversight and legislative activit ies of the committees” (Congressional Record, January 5, 2011, p. H14).
See also CRS Report R42395, A Retrospective of House Rules Changes Since the 110th Congress, by Michael L.
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1974 Revisions to Committees Required to Prepare Activity Reports
Pursuant to House Rule XI, the requirement for activity reports has applied to al House
committees since the 94th Congress (1975-1976).34 From the enactment of the Legislative
Reorganization Act of 1970 until the 94th Congress, the House Committees on Appropriations,
House Administration, Rules, Ethics (formerly Standards of Official Conduct), and Budget (upon
its establishment in 1974)35 were exempt from the requirement that committees file activity
reports. These committees had original y been exempted from the 1970 act, according to the
accompanying House report, “because ... their respective areas of jurisdiction do not embrace
legislative areas of the type contemplated by the legislative review provisions of the revised
clause ... The inclusion of these committees within the purview of that clause would, therefore, be
meaningless.”36 The exception was removed with the adoption of H.Res. 988 (93rd Congress), the
Committee Reform Amendments of 1974, on October 8, 1974.
An exemption from the reporting requirement for the Senate Budget Committee was added to
Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 8(b), upon the creation of the committee in 1974.37
Committee Activity Reports Compared to Other
Congressional Publications
In addition to the committee activity reports, the House and Senate each produce a number of
other publications that document their activities. These publications vary in their frequency,
content, and scope (e.g., coverage of the entire chamber or only certain committees), and in how
they are issued (e.g., as committee reports, committee documents, House or Senate documents,
printing in the Congressional Record, or online-only availability). Table 1 provides a brief
comparison of selected publications.
The committee activity reports, compared to the other publications, may be more likely to provide
discussion, analysis, or statistics. They also aggregate selected types of information about a
committee in one place. They also differ from some of the other publications since they provide a
retrospective accounting of the actions taken by a particular committee, rather than information
on prospective, planned, or ongoing actions.

Koempel and Judy Schneider.
34 U.S. Congress, House, Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and Rules of the House of Representatives, 113th Cong., 2nd
sess., H.Doc. 113-181 (Washington: GPO, 2015), pp. 549 -551.
35 T he House and Senate Budget Commit tees were established with the enactment of the Congressional Budget and
Impoundment Act of 1974, P.L. 93-344, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 301.
36 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Rules, Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, report on H.R. 17654, 91st
Cong., 2nd sess., June 17, 1970, H.Rept. 91-1215 (Washington: GPO, 1970), p. 74. See also 2 U.S.C. §190d(c).
37 P.L. 93-344, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 331.
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Table 1. Committee Activity Reports and Other Selected Congressional Publications: Frequency, Content, Rules, and Other
Information
Other Information
Title or Description of
Frequency of
Prepared or
Rules,
(Publication Type
Publication
Publication
Maintained by
Examples of Information Included
If Any
or Link)
House and Senate
Once per Congress,
Individual committees
Committee rules, membership, actions,
Required by
Issued as committee
Committee Activity
by January 2
in the House and
and activities. Contents vary by
House Rule XI
reportsa
Reports
(House) or by
Senate
committee, but may also have
and Senate Rule
March 31 (Senate)
discussion, analysis, statistics, or
XXVI
of an odd-numbered
documents.
year
House Oversight Plans
Once per Congress
Individual committees
Planned review and legislative activities
Required by
Compilation issued as
(Not later than
in the Houseb
within each committee’s jurisdiction
House Rule X
a committee reportc
March 1 of the first
session of a
Congress)
House Committee
Monthly
Individual committees
May include information on expenses,
—d
Available onlined
Reports
in the House
staff, travel, and detailees.
House and Senate
Once per Congresse
Issued by some
Committee rules, membership,
—
May be issued as
Committee Calendars
individual committees
legislation referred (may be arranged by
House or Senate
in the House and
type, and indicate actions or
printsf
Senatef
disposition), and lists of meetings and
documents prepared by or referred to
the committee
House Calendarg
Each day the House
Prepared under the
Special Orders agreed to by the House,
—
—h
is in session, with a
direction of the Clerk
lists of legislation or motions eligible for
final calendar each
of the House
consideration, lists of public and private
session
laws enacted during that Congress,
additional legislative history on bil s
reported, considered, or in conference
CRS-10

link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 15
Other Information
Title or Description of
Frequency of
Prepared or
Rules,
(Publication Type
Publication
Publication
Maintained by
Examples of Information Included
If Any
or Link)
Senate Calendar of
Each day the Senate
Prepared under the
Unanimous consent agreements, Senate
—
—h
Business (Legislative
is in session, with a
direction of the
and committee membership, lists of
Calendar)i
final calendar each
Secretary of the Senate
legislation eligible for floor
session
consideration, notices by a Senator of
an intent to object to proceeding,
conference committee information
(including conferees), and the status of
appropriations bil s
Senate Executive
Each day the Senate
Prepared under the
Treaties and nominations that are

—h
Calendar j
is in session
direction of the
reported by committees, “privileged”
Secretary of the Senate
nominations, and notices by a Senator of
an intent to object to proceeding
Résumé of Congressional
Monthly, with a final
Prepared under the
1. Days in session
—
Published in the
Activity
edition at the end of
direction of the Clerk
2. Time in session
Congressional Record k
each session of
of the House and the
Congress
Secretary of the Senate
3. Number of pages in the Congressional
and includes
Record
information on both
4. Number of bil s introduced, reported,
chambers
passed, and enacted
5. Number of votes
6. Disposition of Executive Nominations
U.S. House of
Continuous
Maintained by the
1. Text of legislation to be considered
Required by
Online since the 113th
Representatives
Clerk of the Housel
by the House and its committees
House Rule X and Congress
Document Repository at
2. Committee documents including for
XXIX and
docs.house.gov
example: committee rules; hearing
standards
information; and supporting documents
adopted by the
like notices, statements, and adopted
Committee on
amendments
House Adminm
Source: Compilation by CRS. For additional information, see CRS Report R43434, Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff: Finding Documents, Analysis, News,
and Training, by Sarah W. Caldwel , Ada S. Cornel , and Michele L. Mal oy.
Notes:
a. Available at https://www.congress.gov/. Not al committees appear to have filed reports by the deadline in al Congresses.
CRS-11

b. The House Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Ethics, and the Committee on Rules are exempt from this requirement.
c. For example, U.S. Congress, House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Authorization and Oversight Plan for al House Committees, 116th Cong., 1st sess., April 19,
2019, H.Rept. 116-40 (Washington: GPO, 2019). They may also be issued by individual committees in prints or reports.
d. The Committees’ Congressional Handbook (https://cha.house.gov/handbooks/committee-handbook) states: “Each Committee must submit to the Committee on House
Administration, by the 18th of each month, an original and one copy of a report signed by the Committee Chair on the activities of the Committee during t he
preceding month.” It also specifies items for inclusion. The reports for the 116th Congress are available at https://cha.house.gov/committee-activity/committee-
reports.
e. One exception is the Committee on Rules, which has traditional y published its Journal and History of Legislation each session, rather than for each Congress.
f.
Current practice regarding the issuance of calendars, which is not required by the House and Senate Rules, varies across committees. Those calendars that are
issued as committee prints are available at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/col ection/CPRT/.
g. For additional information, see CRS Report 98-437, Calendars of the House of Representatives, by Christopher M. Davis.
h. Available at https://www.senate.gov/reference/Index/Calendars_schedules.htm and https://www.govinfo.gov/app/col ection/CCAL/.
i.
For additional information, see CRS Report 98-429, The Senate’s Calendar of Business, coordinated by Elizabeth Rybicki.
j.
For additional information, see CRS Report 98-438, The Senate’s Executive Calendar, coordinated by Elizabeth Rybicki.
k. Available since 1947, at https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/Resumes.htm and https://history.house.gov/Institution/Resumes-of-
Congressional-Activity/Resumes-Of-Congressional-Activit ity/.
l.
According to the website, content for the “Bil s to be considered on the House Floor” section is provided by the House majority leader’s office and the Committee
on Rules. House standing and select committees provide content for the “committee repository” section (https://docs.house.gov/).
m. In particular, House Rule X, clause 4(d)(1)(E), House Rule XXIX, clause 3; and Committee on House Administration, Standards for the Electronic Posting of House and
Committee Documents & Data.

CRS-12

link to page 17
Appendix. List of Activity Reports
Table A-1. Senate Committee Activity Reports Issued Since the 111th Congress
covering activities since the 110th Congress, report covers activities of prior Congress
Committee
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
Armed Services
S.Rept. 111-5
S.Rept. 112-2
S.Rept. 113-10
S.Rept. 114-7
S.Rept. 115-207

Banking, Housing and
S.Rept. 111-17
S.Rept. 112-7
S.Rept. 113-2

Urban Affairs
Budgeta

S.Rept. 114-31

Commerce, Science,

S.Rept. 113-206
S.Rept. 114-50
S.Rept. 115-18
S.Rept. 116-24
and Transportation
Energy and Natural
S.Rept. 111-8
S.Rept. 112-4
S.Rept. 113-4
S.Rept. 114-6
S.Rept. 115-10
S.Rept. 116-25
Resources
Finance
S.Rept. 111-13
S.Rept. 112-11
S.Rept. 113-5
S.Rept. 114-9
S.Rept. 115-25
S.Rept. 116-19
Foreign Relations
S.Rept. 111-12
S.Rept. 112-10
S.Rept. 113-8
S.Rept. 114-178
S.Rept. 115-22
S.Rept. 116-23
Homeland Security and
S.Rept. 111-360
S.Rept. 112-193
S.Rept. 113-115
S.Rept. 114-33
S.Rept. 115-12
S.Rept. 116-17
Government Affairs
Health, Education,

S.Rept. 116-26
Labor, and Pensions
Intel igence (Select)
S.Rept. 111-6
S.Rept. 112-3
S.Rept. 113-7
S.Rept. 114-8
S.Rept. 115-13
S.Rept. 116-20
Judiciary
S.Rept. 111-11
S.Rept. 112-5
S.Rept. 113-6
S.Rept. 114-10
S.Rept. 115-19
S.Rept. 116-22
Rules and

S.Rept. 112-8
S.Rept. 113-11
S.Rept. 114-11
S.Rept. 115-20
S.Rept. 116-68
Administration
Smal Business
S.Rept. 111-2
S.Rept. 112-6
S.Rept. 113-33
S.Rept. 114-252
S.Rept. 115-33

Veterans’ Affairs

S.Rept. 113-125
S.Rept. 114-156
S.Rept. 115-17
S.Rept. 116-51
Source: CRS search of congress.gov and https://www.govinfo.gov/app/col ection/crpt.
Notes: While CRS attempted to locate al activity reports, searching by committee names and using keyword searches, additional reports may exist. As stated above,
other committee publications, including committee calendars, may document the activities of Senate committees. Committees for which CRS did not identify activity
CRS-13

link to page 18 link to page 18
reports since the 111th Congress are not listed in the table. As stated above, reports covering the activities in one Congress are general y filed early in the next
Congress. For example, the reports filed in the 116th Congress would cover activities of the 115th Congress.
a. The Senate Budget Committee, as wel as the Senate Appropriations Committee, is exempt from the filing requirement.
Table A-2. House Committee Activity Reports Issued Since the 110th Congress
reports cover activities from the Congress, or portion of the Congress, in which they are filed
Committee
110th
111th
112th (1st)
112th (2nd)
112th (3rd)
112th (4th)
113th (1st)
113th (2nd)
114th
115th
Agriculture
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-933
111-703
112-122
112-340
112-574
112-749
113-308
113-679
114-896
115-1108
Appropriations
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-932
111-700
112-145
112-354
112-570
112-748
113-315
113-724
114-902
115-1121
Armed Services
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-942
111-710
112-123
112-359
112-575
112-744
113-309
113-714
114-885
115-1100
Budget
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-928
111-704
112-147
112-358
112-543
112-713
113-306
113-680
114-897
115-1124
Education and Labora
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-923
111-696
112-133
112-338
112-569
112-714
113-313
113-725
114-904
115-1123
Energy and
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
Commerce
110-937
111-706
112-125
112-337
112-561
112-746
113-305
113-716
114-906
115-1126
Ethicsb
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.

H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-938
111-707
112-739
113-323
113-727
114-910
115-1125
Financial Services
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-929
111-702
112-121
112-355
112-559
112-742
113-311
113-722
114-903
115-1122
Foreign Affairs
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-939
111-713
112-126
112-350
112-552
112-743
113-318
113-728
114-898
115-1113
Homeland Security
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-940
111-699
112-127
112-351
112-522
112-730
113-314
113-719
114-907
115-1127
House
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
Administration
110-924
111-715
112-137
112-360
112-571
112-738
113-312
113-721
114-901
115-1109
Intel igence

H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
(Permanent Select)
112-134
112-353
112-560
112-733
113-310
113-717
114-881
115-1111
CRS-14

link to page 18 link to page 18
Committee
110th
111th
112th (1st)
112th (2nd)
112th (3rd)
112th (4th)
113th (1st)
113th (2nd)
114th
115th
Judiciary
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-941
111-712
112-119
112-352
112-562
112-747
113-301
113-682
114-895
115-1112
Natural Resources
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-925
111-701
112-132
112-346
112-572
112-752
113-307
113-720
114-886
115-1128
Oversight and
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
Reformc
110-930
111-705
112-128
112-349
112-568
112-740
113-303
113-734
114-909
115-1114
Rules
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-931
111-714
112-129
112-357
112-567
112-751
113-317
113-726
114-905
115-1130
Science, Space, and
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
Technologyd
110-935
111-698
112-112
112-347
112-555
112-745
113-302
113-681
114-884
115-1080
Smal Business
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-926
111-695
112-146
112-339
112-554
112-729
113-304
113-684
114-880
115-1079
Transportation and
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
Infrastructure
110-936
111-711
112-124
112-348
112-573
112-718
113-316
113-718
114-899
115-1099
Veterans’ Affairs
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-927
111-697
112-120
112-341
112-547
112-706
113-300
113-659
114-879
115-1120
Ways and Means
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
H.Rept.
110-934
111-708
112-130
112-356
112-556
112-750
113-319
113-723
114-887
115-1115
Source: CRS search of congress.gov and https://www.govinfo.gov/app/col ection/crpt.
Notes: While CRS attempted to locate al activity reports, searching by committee names and using keyword searches, additional reports may exist. As stated above,
general y, since 1970, one report has been required each Congress. The Rules of the House adopted for the 112th and 113th Congresses experimented with increasing
the frequency of these reports, before reverting to the prior practice of one report per Congress in the 114th Congress (H.Res. 5, January 5, 2011, §2(e)(13); H.Res. 5,
January 3, 2013, §2(a); H.Res. 5, January 6, 2015, §2(a)(4).)
a. Formerly named the Committee on Education and the Workforce during the 112th-115th Congresses.
b. Formerly named the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct during the 110th and 111th Congresses.
c. Formerly named the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform during the 110th-115th Congresses.
d. Formerly named the Committee on Science and Technology during the 110th and 111th Congresses.

CRS-15

Guide to Committee Activity Reports: Purpose, Rules, and Contents

Author Information

Ida A. Brudnick

Specialist on the Congress

Acknowledgments
Jennifer E. Manning, Information Research Specialist, and Lara Chausow, formerly a CRS Research
Assistant, contributed to the compilation of information for this report.

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should n ot be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service
R45104 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED
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