Joint committees are committees with members from multiple organizations, often used in politics. In the US Congress, there are four standing joint committees, and special versions can be formed for specific topics. Parliamentary democracies also use joint select committees. International organizations and trade agreements often use joint committees. Non-governmental organizations may also form joint committees.
A joint committee is a committee that draws its members from more than one organization. In countries with a bicameral legislature, the term is most frequently used in politics to describe a committee with members from both houses of the legislature. While the term most often refers to a government committee, these types of committees can also be found when non-governmental organizations work together.
In the US Congress, these committees are bodies with members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are four standing joint committees in the United States Congress: one on taxation, one on the library, one on the press, and the Joint Economic Committee. The chairmanship of these committees rotates between the committee’s most senior senator and his or her most senior representative.
Special versions of these committees may be formed temporarily for more specific topics, such as the Joint Reconstruction Committee. The scope of these committees can vary enormously, ranging from the United States Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of War, which helped oversee the Civil War, to committees on very narrow issues such as organizing the bicentennial. In addition, the Congressional Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is formed once every four years to plan the inauguration ceremony of the President of the United States, along with associated events.
Parliamentary democracies using the Westminster system of government also have joint select committees with members from both Houses of Parliament to address particular topics. For example, in the UK, there are two standing joint committees which meet regularly, the Human Rights Committee and the Statutory Instruments Committee. This type of committee can also be formed on a temporary basis for specific issues or bills. The UK also uses the term ‘joint committee’ to refer to delegated local government bodies which oversee the delivery of government services in their areas and consult with local councils.
These types of committees often appear in international relations and international organizations. International groups such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) often form such committees for important issues. For example, the Joint Committee on Proliferation is a NATO advisory body with representatives from all NATO member states that publishes reports on the proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Trade agreements between nations are often written by committees with members from each country or by international bodies such as the European Free Trade Association.
The term “joint committee” also appears in nongovernmental contexts, such as the Committee on Testing Practices. It is a cooperative effort of three groups in the United States: the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education.
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