Committees play an integral role in the function of Congress overall and in the legislative process, certainly. Committee work is where bills are shaped and where members of Congress make decisions about a bill's future in that process. Especially now that Democrats are in the majority in the House for the 116th Congress, we're seeing how that function is changing from the previous one.
The introduction of bills, speeches, and votes are important and a fundamental understanding of committees is crucial for any successful advocate. For monitoring work in education at the federal level, I try to stay abreast of the work of the following committees:
- House Committee on Education & Labor (@HELPCmteDems on twitter)
- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (no Committee twitter account that I know of)
- Senate Committee on the Budget (@BudgetGOP: Official Twitter account for the (majority) Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee)
- Senate Committee on Appropriations (no Committee twitter account, so far as I know)
If you're on twitter, you may be interested in subscribing to my ED & DC list, as individuals and groups included on it follow the work of the above Committees closely, as well as to provide context for the greater, holistic picture; their work can aid to improve our understanding and advocacy efforts. Are there additional Committees you think I should consider adding to the above? What groups and individuals could be added to the ED & DC list?
- - -
Image credit: View from Senate Park of U.S. Capitol Dome (amid restoration), April 2016
- - -
Image credit: View from Senate Park of U.S. Capitol Dome (amid restoration), April 2016