A committee is a group of people subordinate to a deliberative assembly, such as a Congress or a business convention. It is formed to investigate a particular issue or project, and often reports back to the assembly with findings and recommendations. Committees are also found in government, private organizations, and educational institutions.
The committee has conducted dozens of interviews and issued many subpoenas in the months since it was formed, but the committee’s investigation is far from complete. Several potential criminal referrals are reportedly under consideration, including whether former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort abused his position by encouraging his team to use unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud to pressure state and local officials and by raising money for the Jan. 6 events, and whether former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark pushed the administration to use emergency powers to overturn election results.
Another focus for the committee is the growing threat to American national security from China, which is already being targeted with retaliatory tariffs by both parties in the House and Senate. Two incidents in recent weeks — the COVID-19 pandemic and the flight of what was suspected to be a Chinese spy balloon over the United States — have captured the public’s attention, and heightened tensions with Beijing.
Amid this backdrop, Gallagher’s goal is to shepherd several bills through his panel over the next two years and issue a set of long-term policy recommendations. He has the support of many Republicans who share a desire to rein in China’s influence in the world.
When the committee is finished, it typically provides its results in a written report to its parent body, which may then take further action on the matter or discharge the committee so that other members can handle it. A committee’s report is usually prefixed by a number that indicates the current Congress (currently 107th), and may include the methods used, the facts uncovered, the conclusions reached, and any recommended actions.
In addition to conducting investigations, committees often play a role in writing legislation and overseeing federal agencies and departments. The Congressional Budget Office, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations are all examples of committees that draft and pass legislation for consideration by the full membership of their respective chambers. The Committee on the Budget is the leading congressional body for examining and enacting fiscal restraint. Its work is vital to the nation’s future prosperity and financial stability.