Key Congressional Committees and Subcommittees

Key Congressional Committees and Subcommittees

Certain committees, subcommittees, and committee members are more relevant than others to biomedical research. These committees are listed below, and subcommittees are bulleted.

House Committees

Appropriations Committee

The Appropriations Committee determines funding for specific federal programs, including NIH, NSF, and the VA.

  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce

House Budget Committee

The Budget Committee is responsible for setting revenue levels and spending limits for the government as a whole.

Senate Committees

Appropriations Committee

The Appropriations Committee determines funding for specific federal programs, including NIH, NSF, and the VA.

  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science

Senate Budget Committee

The Budget Committee is responsible for setting revenue levels and spending limits for the government as a whole.

Conference Committee

Once both the House of Representatives and Senate have approved their respective appropriations bills, the differences in the two bills must be ironed out. A conference committee is the temporary, ad hoc panel composed of House and Senate members that is formed to reconcile differences in legislation that has passed both chambers.

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