Workload and Activity Report : United States Senate, 1946-1992

Congressional research reportAug 30, 1993

Ask Donna

What actually matters in this document.

Text

93-789 GOV

Workload and Activity Report :

United States Senate, 1946-1992

Robert Moon

Consultant

and

Carol Hardy Vincent

Analyst in American National Government

Government Division

August 30, 1993

CRS

WORKLOAD AND ACTIVITY REPORT:

UNITED STATES SENATE, 1946-1992

SUMMARY

This report is designed to furnish Senators and Senate staff with a single

source of statistical information on Senate activity and workload . The report

draws upon a variety of sources, including earlier CRS reports .

The report is divided into three sections : (1) floor activity ; (2) the committee

system, including numbers of committees and assignments ; and (3) indicators of

committee workload .

Floor Activity. The data indicate long-term stability since 1947 in the number

of measures introduced in the Senate ; however, there has been a decline in the

passage of these measures during the same time period. The figures also

indicate increases since 1947 in both the time spent in session and voting

frequency ; a related trend is the increase in the length of public bills since 1947.

Committee System . The figures demonstrate the ability of the Senate to scale

back its number of standing, special and select committees and subcommittees

as a part of larger reform efforts .

Workload Indicators. The data demonstrate the varying rates of referral and

reporting of measures among Senate committees, which is mainly a function of

the varying scope of committee jurisdictions .

Within each section, data are presented in a series of tables, augmented in

some instances with graphs . Some data are shown by session (year) as well as

by Congress (two years) . The report attempts, wherever possible, to compile

data for the entire 1947-1992 period (80th through 102d Congresses), as the

landmark Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 caused the emergence of the

"modern" congressional committee system . In some cases data for the 79th

Congress (1945-1946) and earlier Congresses are added, in order to provide

comparisons before and after the 1946 Act .

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE : FLOOR ACTIVITY

Introduction and Passage of Measures

Time in Session

Voting on the Floor

Number and Length of Enacted Bills

Cloture Votes

Quantity and Complexity of Floor Activity

Vetoes

Consideration of Presidential Nominations

Summary of Legislative Activity

PART TWO : THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM

Number of Committees and Subcommittees

Committee Assignments

Effect of Subcommittee Growth on Senators' Assignments

Committee Sizes

PART THREE: COMMITTEE WORKLOADS

Hearings

Measures Referred and Reported

Presidential Nominations

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report is a revision of earlier CRS reports originally prepared by Arthur

Stevens, Roger Davidson, and Carol Hardy . The authors of this revision wish

to acknowledge the assistance of Richard Beth, Mildred Amer, Rogelio Garcia,

John Pontius, and Richard Sachs in preparing this report . In addition, Randall

Andrews, Linda Bailey, Daphne Bigger, Mildred Boyle, Joan Dickson, Patricia

Grant, Dolores Schofield, and JoAnn Thomas provided valuable production

assistance .

LIST OF TABLES

1-1

U.S. Senate, Legislative Proposals : 1947-1992

1-2

U.S. Senate, Floor Activity : 1945-1992

1-3

U .S. Congress, Number and Length of Bills Enacted : 1947-1992 . . 14

1-4

Attempted and Successful Cloture Votes : 1919-1992

1-5

Frequency of Cloture Action: 1917-1992

1-6

U.S . Congress, Vetoes : 1947-1992

1-7

Senate Action on All Presidential Nominations : 1947-1992

1-8

U.S . Senate, Legislative Activity : 1947-1992

1-9

U.S . Senate, Legislative Activity : First Sessions, 1947-1992

1-10

U.S . Senate, Legislative Activity : Second Session, 1947-1992

2-1

U.S . Senate, Number of Committees and

Subcommittees: 1945-1992

2-2

Senate, Committee Assignments : 1945-1992

2-3

Average Size of Senate Standing Committees and

Their Subcommittees : 1945-1992

2-4

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

2-5

Committee on Appropriations

2-6

Committee on Armed Services

2-7

Com

2-8

Committee on the Budget

2-9

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

2-10

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

2-11

Committee on Environment and Public Works

2-12

Committee on Finance

2-13

Com

ee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

ee on Foreign Relations

2-14

Committee on Governmental Affairs

2-15

Committee on the Judiciary

2-16

Committee on Labor and Human Resources

2-17

Committee on Rules and Administration

2-18

Committee on Small Business

2-19

Committee on Veterans' Affairs

3-1

U .S . Senate, Number of Printed Hearings,

by Committee: 1983-92

U.S . Senate, Number of Measures Referred to Senate Standing,

Select and Special Committees : 1983-92

U.S . Senate, Number of Measures Reported by

Senate Standing, Select and Special Committees : 1983-92

Presidential Nominations Received and Reported by

Senate Committees : 1985-92

3-2

3-3

3-4

LIST OF FIGURES

1-1

U.S . Congress, Total Measures Introduced : 1947-1992. . . . . . . . . . 12

1-2

U.S. Senate, Increased Quantity and

Complexity of Floor Activity : 1947-1992

Committee Size, Number of Subcommittees, and

Members' Assignments to Them : 1945-1992

1-3

WORKLOAD AND ACTIVITY REPORT:

UNITED STATES SENATE, 1946-1992

INTRODUCTION

This report provides statistical information on Senate activity and workload .

The report draws upon a variety of sources, including an earlier CRS report

compiled by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy Vincent .' This update adds

some new data categories, as well as alters the structure of the document .

A companion study of the House of Representatives documents both floor and

committee activity of that chamber in statistical terms .' This report on the

Senate is similarly organized, and wherever possible we have presented statistics

comparable to those compiled for the other body . The intention of both reports

is to provide benchmarks for comparison and analysis on the part of Members,

staff, and outside observers .

The report is divided into three sections : (1) floor activity; (2) the comm ttee

system, including numbers of committees and assignments ; and (3) indicators of

committee workload . Within each section, data are presented in a series of

tables, augmented in some instances with graphs . Some data are shown by

session (year) as well as by Congress (two years) . We have attempted wherever

possible to compile data for the entire 1947-1992 period (80th through 102d

Congresses), as the landmark Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 marks the

emergence of the "modern" congressional committee system . In some cases data

for the 79th Congress (1945-1946) and earlier Congresses are added, in order to

provide comparisons before and after the 1946 Act .

Brief explanations and discussions in each section accompany the tables and

charts . In many instances, the indicators presented highlight and clarify

significant trends in the Senate, as well as in the environment in which it

functions . For example, increases in the numbers and sizes of committees reflect

the persistent desire of Senators for broad participation in committee activities ;

however, these increases are often followed by cutbacks as multiple assignments

become too burdensome . In this and other cases, studying the statistical trends

often provides insights into the operation of the Senate .

'Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . "Indicators of Senate

Activity and Workload." CRS Report for Congress, 87-492S, by Roger H .

Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 .

'Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . "Indicators of House

of Representatives Workload and Activity ." CRS Report for Congress, 87-492S,

by Roger H. Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 .

CRS-2

However, anyone who interprets these data should be aware of their

limitations . First, defining terms is critical, and is not always simple or selfevident . For example, what is a "meeting" held by a Senate committee? Is it any

meeting of the committee members, however informal, or only those officially

documented? Clearly, which definition of a "meeting" is used will greatly

influences the researcher's indicators of committee workloads .

Second, collecting the data involves decisions on the methodology to be

utilized : which sources to use, what dates to use as beginning and end points,

and so forth . For example, number and sizes of Senate committees can vary

over the course of a session or a Congress . Should a given month be picked as

most representative, or should the figures be aggregated over an entire

Congress? Even when rational and consistent guidelines are decided upon,

errors or anomalies can creep into the figures .

Finally, when figures are interpreted as clear-cut indicators of workloads,

caution must be exercised . Sizable shifts in numbers may reflect changes in

procedure, for example, rather than changes in political conditions or the nature

of political demands . The number of measures introduced is affected not only

by the political marketplace but also by rules and practices governing

cosponsorship . Increasing the number of permitted cosponsors will probably

reduce the number of individual bills introduced . If certain kinds of measures

decline over a given period, does that mean that policy demands have abated?

Perhaps the Senate has merely transferred the issues to administrative forums .

Or perhaps the Senate is "packaging" its legislation differently into longer and

more complex forms .

These considerations should be kept in mind in studying this report, and

caution should be exercised in drawing conclusions from the data .

ASSESSING THE INDICATORS

Each of the indicators for which data are provided point to an aspect of what

is broadly understood as congressional workload in the Senate . However, each

has its own limitations . Taken individually, none should be regarded as a

sufficient indicator of the intensity or quantity of congressional activity as a

whole . When considering each of these indicators, it is important to understand

the usefulness and limits of the indicators in providing that information . In

short, it is necessary to use the appropriate indicator cautiously .

Familiarity with the methods by which the Senate operates will resolve most

questions about the appropriateness of given indicators for particular purposes .

However, a few caveats remain regarding measures of the workload of the

Senate that should be noted .

CRS-3

First, generalizing about specific aspects of activity or workload should rest

on combined use of all appropriate indicators, rather than on any one indicator

thought to be most appropriate . For example, simply relying on the number of

bills or resolutions introduced in discussing the workload of the Senate from

1978-1992 could lead one to conclude that productivity has declined . However,

trends in floor votes and pages per statute point to a rise in output . This

example illustrates how focusing on one or two indicators could lead to faulty

and incomplete conclusions . Any realistic assessment of workload must take

into account several indicators .

Second, there are few readily available indicators of the qualitative aspects of

congressional activity . Such measures would help to provide a fuller, wellrounded picture of the legislative process . Moreover, they could help resolve

seeming paradoxes suggested by trends in quantitative indicators . For example,

floor sessions have been increasing in recent years, but the number of measures

passed has declined . This apparent paradox might be resolved were there an

indicator of the nature of passed legislation . Such an indicator, which would

document the breadth of legislation considered on the Senate floor, could help

clarify the reality underlying the paradox .

Finally, as has already been noted, indicators of activity and workload are

especially unsatisfactory at the committee and subcommittee level . The number

of printed hearings and the number of measures reported give an incomplete

picture of the daily workload of committee Members and staff . Again, this

applies especially to oversight and investigations, which are often conducted

informally and may or may not result in printed hearings . Other aspects of

committee work are also not reflected in these indicators-- for example, meetings

with policy experts and other interested citizens .

In conclusion, the eventual development of measurements which categorize

these and other committee activities would help to paint a more complete,

nuanced picture of the responsibilities and accomplishments of Senate

committees, and thus, the Congress in general . The need for more in-depth,

qualitative indicators extends beyond the committee and subcommittee level,

however . Additional collection of data on more congressional activities will yield

further insight into the legislative environment, and thus build on what is

known today .

CRS-5

PART ONE : FLOOR ACTIVITY

INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE OF MEASURES

Overall trends in the origin and passage of bills and resolutions are displayed

in Table 1-1 and Figure 1-1 . As Figure 1-1 demonstrates, the introduction of all

measures (including bills and joint, simple, and concurrent resolutions) has

varied since 1947, although not by large margins .' These variations are

illustrated in the next-to-last column in Table 1-1, where the average number

of measures introduced per Member experiences minor fluctuations over time .

However, the figure has remained quite stable from 1976 to 1992, as it has

never varied by more than two for those seven Congresses . This relative

consistency contrasts with the figures from 1947 to 1974, when the average

number of measures introduced per Member varied from a low of 36 .8 in 19471948 to a high of 54 .7 in 1969-1970 .

Regarding categories of legislative proposals, Table 1-1 indicates that the

introduction of bills and joint resolutions has fallen somewhat in the past fifteen

years from the 1965-1976 peak. The data show that during the 95th-102d

Congresses (1977-1992), the introduction of bills and joint resolutions averaged

approximately 3500 per Congress, down from an average of 4400 per Congress

for the 89th-94th Congresses (1965-1976) .

This decline amounts to

approximately 20 percent.

The introduction of simple and concurrent resolutions displays a similar

pattern . After peaking at 798 in the 94th Congress (1975-1976), the number

declined to 507 in the 102d .

While the number of bills and joint resolutions introduced each Congress has

remained fairly steady, today these measures are less likely to gain passage . The

success rate for these measures, as determined by the ratio of measures passed

to measures introduced, has fallen rather steadily since 1955 . In the immediate

postwar years, the Senate passed more than fifty percent of bills and joint

resolutions introduced ; today, less than thirty percent are approved. In

addition, since the mid-1960s, the number of bills and resolutions passed has

fallen in absolute terms as well . In sum, although Senators introduce about as

many bills as in the past, today they approve fewer of them .

The patterns for passage of simple and concurrent resolutions since 1947

Conversely, the variations in the figures for the House are quite large .

These major fluctuations are largely due to a change in House rules governing

co-sponsorship .

CRS-6

differ from those for bills and joint resolutions . As noted above, the total of

such resolutions peaked in the 94th Congress, and has decreased since . The

number passed by the Senate peaked in the 95th Congress, but since then has

decreased at a faster rate than that for the number introduced . Therefore, while

the ratio of passed to introduced legislation peaked in the 94th Congress, it has

experienced a modest decrease since then .

TIME IN SESSION

Some basic measures of floor activity are presented in Table 1-2 . Regarding

the amount of time Senators have spent in session, year-round sessions have

been the norm since the 1960s . Once quite variable in length from one Congress

to the next, the length of congressional sessions since the 87th Congress

(1961-1962) has been stable . From the 79th to the 87th Congress, there were

6 instances where the total length of a session varied by at least 40 days from

the previous Congress . Conversely, this occurred only once from the 87th

through the 102d Congress (between the 87th and 88th Congress) . The length

of sessions in hours, while volatile, has been higher on average since the 87th

Congress than in the period from the 80th to 86th Congress . For the first time

since the 80th Congress, the Senate met for an average of 8 hours per day of

session in the 99th Congress ; this figure dropped to 7 .6 hours in the 100th, but

increased to 8 in both the 101st and 102d Congresses .

VOTING ON THE FLOOR

Table 1-2 also illustrates the tremendous rise in voting frequency from the

1940s through the 1970s . Most of the increase occurred in the 1960s and early

1970s, with large gains made from 1967 to 1976 . Since 1976, however, the total

number of recorded votes has decreased quite dramatically, and at a faster pace

than the 1945-1976 increase . In the 102d Congress, Senators were summoned

to the floor-- for yea and nay votes or quorum calls-- less than half as many

times as in the 94th Congress (1975-1976), the all-time high in floor voting .

Nevertheless, today's Senators generally cast more yea-nay votes than did their

predecessors of a generation or so ago .

Regarding workload, the responsibility of voting on a wide variety of complex

issues places burdens on Senators and their staff, not to mention strains on

their informational networks and daily schedules . Indeed, the problem is so

pervasive that scheduling votes has become a major concern for Senators and

the Senate leadership .

Although roll-call votes are numerous, the number of "live" quorum calls has

fallen dramatically since the early 1960s . The 102d Congress' total of eight

represents the lowest figure since the 80th Congress, and is a mere fraction of

CRS-7

the totals of the 1940s-1960s . The data count only those quorum calls ("live

quorums") in which proceedings are completed and the number of Senators

present is actually recorded . No data are available on the number of quorum

calls initiated for purposes of constructive delay and terminated by unanimous

consent before their conclusion .

NUMBER AND LENGTH OF ENACTED BILLS

Table 1-3 highlights trends in the actual legislative products of the Senate-action on public and private bills . However, these figures should be interpreted

with care .

While the volume of enactments over time is helpful in

understanding Congress' work, it is not a flawless indicator of how productive

the institution has been . This is due to the fact that the volume of enactments

fluctuates not only with policy demands, but also with shifting legislative

practices . Two of these shifts bear mentioning, because they illuminate

important features of the contemporary legislative workload .

First, Congress increasingly delegates certain classes of decisions to

administrative agencies or tribunals . As a result, the legislative agenda has been

freed of large quantities of business items, most of which are relatively brief and

routine in nature . This effects of this development is seen most dramatically in

the long-term decline of private bills-for example, private immigration or

claims cases . The trend is also reflected in the numbers of public laws enacted .

That is, statutory "production" was numerically high during the later 1940s and

peaked in the 84th Congress (1955-1956), a period not noted for significant

policy and program innovations . From the high of the mid-1950s, the number

of public laws enacted declined through the 1960s . From the late 1960s through

the 102d Congress, the number has remained roughly the same, with the

exception of the 97th Congress (1981-1982), which enacted a lower number of

public laws than any Congress in modern history .

The second shift in legislative practices which affect the legislative production

statistics is the increasing complexity of congressional enactments .

1955-1956, when Congress enacted more than a thousand public laws, the

average enactment occupied less than two pages in the statute books . In 19911992, the average law took up approximately thirteen pages . This reflects not

only growing sophistication in drafting, but also a tendency to enact omnibus

statutes . This tendency was reinforced by the establishment of the modern

congressional budget process in 1975 (94th Congress) .

As a result,

contemporary Congresses tend to package a larger proportion of their policy

decisions in a relatively small number of broad-scale vehicles . These vehicles

include : authorizations and reauthorizations ; omnibus revenue measures ;

appropriations bills ; continuing resolutions ; and budget resolutions . Clearly the

legislative schedule has not yet fully adapted to this relatively new method of

operation, but the tendency toward fewer yet lengthier enactments is quite

evident .

CRS-8

CLOTURE VOTES

A growing area of Senate floor activity is the recourse to cloture under Rule

XXII . Until 1917, the Senate had no way of terminating debate on either a bill

or an amendment except through unanimous consent . In that year, the first

cloture (debate-ending) rule was adopted . In its current form (as amended in

1975 and 1979), the rule calls for the end of debate if three-fifths of the Senate

(60 of the 100 members) votes to invoke it .

Table 1-4 presents both the frequency and success rates of cloture votes since

1919 (It should be noted that not all cloture petitions that are filed actually

result in floor votes . Some are withdrawn, or vitiated .) . As the table

demonstrates, cloture votes were rarely taken until the 1970s ; since then,

however, they are much more frequent . Indeed, in the first 50 years following

adoption of Rule XXII, there were only 43 votes on closing debate, with only ten

of them successful . Conversely, since the 92d Congress (1971-1972), an average

of 26 votes have been taken in each Congress, and an average of ten of them

have succeeded. Furthermore, in two of the last three Congresses, the Senate

set new records for the number of cloture votes since 1917 .

Table 1-5 lists the number of cloture motions filed and actually voted on in

its first two columns, but, more intriguing are its last two columns, which

document the number of business items that were the focus of cloture action .

In this table, "business items" refers to individual measures or matters in

relation to which one or more cloture motions were filed and/or voted on . In

short, then, these last two columns track the number of "legislative battles"

involving cloture motions since 1917 . As is clear, many more items of business

have been the subject of contentiousness, as measured by cloture activity . Since

1980, 135 separate business items have been subjected to one or more cloture

motions ; this indicates a more contentious period in the Senate, as only 118

similar items of business were the focus of cloture activity in the preceding 63

years .

The impact of cloture votes on a Senator's workload seems somewhat indirect

and difficult to ascertain . Clearly, any time a Senator must go to the floor and

cast a vote affects both his and his staff's schedules, as well as places demands

on their information networks . But some cloture votes may involve more

negotiations than others, and thus impact a Senator's workload more than a

more routine cloture vote . Regardless, the recent rise in the frequency of cloture

activity must be taken into account when assessing the modern Senator's

workload .

CRS-9

QUANTITY AND COMPLEXITY OF FLOOR ACTIVITY

Figure 1-2 demonstrates the increase in both the quantity and complexity of

floor activity in the Senate since 1947 . The graph possesses two Y-axes, each

of which has a different range of values . Thus, they are useful for graphing

three sets of data that have drastically different minimum and maximum values .

Attempting to graph these three sets on the same Y-axis would require a scale

of 1 to 2,000 ; such a graph would not be very illuminating, as the lack of

spacing between the points on the Y-axis would result in relatively flat lines .

As both the Y-axis labels and the legend indicate, the two lines representing yea

and nay and recorded votes are plotted on the primary (left-hand) Y-axis, while

the pages per statute are graphed on the secondary Y-axis .

As noted in earlier sections, today's Senators both cast more yea- and nayvotes and attempt more cloture votes than their predecessors . Furthermore, the

rise in the average number of pages-per-statute indicates these votes involve

more complex legislative issues . Needless to say, these recent trends in the

Senate place multiple burdens on Senators, staff, and daily schedules .

VETOES

Through the use of his veto power, the Chief Executive is a key player in the

legislative process . Table 1-5 illustrates the frequency of vetoes, as well as of

congressional attempts to override them . Pocket vetoes do not have as much

impact on congressional workload, as Congress cannot formally override them .

However, regular vetoes offer the possibility of further congressional action and

therefore have the potential to impact the workload . While vetoes in current

Congresses have not been as numerous as those of the early 1970s, they are

nonetheless part of the overall legislative workload picture .

CONSIDERATION OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS

The power to make appointments to critical positions in the Federal

Government is shared between the President and the Senate . The President

selects a nominee, and the Senate must approve or reject the nominations .

Presidential appointments are not final until the Senate has confirmed them .

The consideration of Presidential nominations significantly adds to the

Senate's workload . Various questionnaires, financial disclosure statements, and

background reports must be assembled and perused by Senators . Formal

confirmation hearings are held for higher level nominations, and informal

meetings are the norm for many others . Thus, the Senate stage of the

CRS-10

Presidential nominations process is labor-intensive and relatively timeconsuming.'

Table 1-6 tracks the quantity of nominations received in the Senate from

1981 through 1992 . There are three categories of Presidential nominations :

civilian nominations, civilian lists, and the military . "Civilian" nominations are

those of single individuals, and only involve appointments to Federal positions .

The "civilian lists" are used only for certain organizations : the Coast Guard ;

Foreign Service ; the uniformed service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration ; and the uniformed service of the Public Health Service . The

"military" category includes the uniformed armed forces. The lists usually

consist of multiple individuals, wherein the Senate votes on the entire list, and

are used for both appointments and promotions within the aforementioned

organizations . Regarding the workload of the Senate, it is the individual civilian

appointments which consume the most time, as they involve appointments to

important policy-making positions . Most of the civilian list and military

selections involve rather routine appointments and promotions within the given

organizations, and thus are routinely confirmed . This difference between the

civilian category and the other two is seen in it possessing a lower percentage

confirmed (81%) than both civilian list (97 .8%) and military (99 .1%) .'

Three other trends stand out in Table 1-6 . First, for obvious reasons, the

Congresses immediately following a Presidential election experience the highest

numbers of Presidential nominations . Second, more nominations are received

in the first session of every Congress than in the second sessions . Finally, given

the statistics for 1981, it appears that a change in party control of the

Presidency spurs a large number of Presidential nominations . From these

figures, we can estimate that the first session of the 103d Congress will place

many demands on the Senate, as it deals with the nominations of the new

President.

SUMMARY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY

A comparison of the Senate's legislative activity by session can be conducted

using the final three tables of this section (Tables 1-7 through 1-9) . While Table

1-7 essentially restates information found in previous tables, Tables 1-8 and 1-9

demonstrate the effect of the electoral process on the Senate's workload .

For a more analytical discussion of the process, see Library of Congress .

Congressional Research Service . "Senate Action on Nominations to Policy

Positions in the Executive Branch, 1981-1992 ." CRS Report No . 93-464 GOV,

by Rogelio Garcia . Washington, 1993.

s Ibid. p. 1-4.

CRS-11

Although the pattern is not completely consistent, first sessions tend to be

longer in days . (In election years, perhaps Senators prefer to spend less time in

session, thus allowing for more time in their states .) More bills and resolutions

are introduced in the first session, but more are reported and passed in the

second sessions . Finally, there are generally more floor votes in the first session

than in the second .

Uttb-tZ

TABLE 1-1 . U .S . Senate Le slative Pro osals : 1947-1992

::Bills and Joint Resolutions '

Simple and Concurrent Resolutions

Con

tottd,

•s

rod

led

sod

Total Measures

me a

tro per

Ratio?

se su a

Avg. no,

measuress

intro per,

Member

is Of

e arm

passed to

_d.e

lntro

sd,

(1947-48)

3,186

1,836

1,670

33 .2

0 .524

343

267

242

3 .6

0.706

36 .8

0 .542

(1949-50)

4,486

2,604

2,362

46 .7

0 .527

489

352

336

5 .1

0.687

61 .8

0 .542

(1951-52)

3,666

1,991

1,849

38 .2

0 .505

444

313

304

4 .6

0.685

42 .8

0 .524

(1953-64)

4,077

2,419

2,231

42 .5

0 .547

444

402

321

4 .6

0.723

47 .1

0 .564

(1955-56)

4,518

2,663

2,550

47 .1

0.664

417

392

330

4 .3

0.791

51 .4

0 .584

(1957-58)

4,532

2,329

2,202

47 .2

0.486

514

473

378

6 .4

0.735

52 .6

0 .571

(1959-60)

4,149

1,778

1,680

42 .3

0.405

509

461

868

6 .2

0.723

47 .5

0,440

(1961-62)

4,048

2,047

1,963

40 .5

0.482

418

504

392

4 .2

0.938

44 .7

0 .525

(1968-64)

3,457

1,365

1,341

34 .6

0.388

480

448

360

4 .8

0.729

39 .4

0 .430

(1965-66)

4,129

1,703

1,636

41 .3

0.396

438

448

332

4 .4

0.758

45 .7

0 .431

(1967-68)

4,400

1,457

1,376

44 .0

0.313

506

455

355

5.1

0.702

49 .1

0 .353

(1969-70)

4,867

1,270

1,271

48 .7

0.216

599

438

405

6 .0

0 .676

54 .7

0 .307

(1971-72)

4,408

1,026

1,035

44 .1

0.235

488

276

336

4 .9

0 .689

49 .0

0-280

(1973-74)

4,524

1,094

1,115

45 .2

0.246

603

330

449

6 .0

0 .745

51 .2

0 .305

(1975-76)

4,114

988

1,038

0.252

798

387

514

8 .0

0 .644

49 .1

0.816

(1977-78)

3,800

1,014

1,070

38 .0

0.282

713

464

526

7 .1

0 .738

45 .1

0 .354

(1979-80)

3,480

862

977

34 .8

0.281

714

441

506

7 .1

0 .709

41 .9

0 .354

(1981-82)

3,396

708

786

34 .0

0.232

668

311

424

6 .7

0 .635

0.298

(1983-84)

3,464

836

936

34 .5

0.271

643

303

386

6 .4

0 .600

41 .0

0.323

(1985-86)

3,386

831

940

33 .9

0.278

694

192

391

6 .9

0 .663

40 .8

0.326

100

(1987-88)

3,326

773

1,002

33 .3

0 .301

688

136

428

6 .9

0 .622

40 .1

0.356

101

(1989-90)

3,669

803

980

36 .7

0 .267

515

341

5 .2

0 .662

41 .8

0.316

102

(1991-92)

3,738

638

947

37 .4

0 .253

607

330

5 .1

0 .651

42 .5

0.301

Sources: Data for the 80th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report

No, 87-497, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy. Washington, June 8, 1987. Figures for the 100th-102d Congresses are compiled from the Daily Digest of the Congressional Record .

1 These figures include both Senate and House bills and joint resolutions .

2 These figures include both Senate and House simple and concurrent resolutions .

3 Occasionally measures are taken up on the floor without having been referred to or reported by co

reported .

which partially amounts for the passed sometimes exceeding the number

FIGURE 1-1 . US Congress, Total Measures

Introduced : 80th-102d Congresses

86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

CONGRESS

I am Tots/ Son . Measures

95 96 97 98 99 1

Total Hsa. Measures

CRS-14

Co gress

~6-

(1971-72)

-2

S. Senate,

loo

Hours per

day in

ion

(1983-84)

o . of

quorum

Days in

session

session : :

345

1,814

®®

348

2,294

f®

ENRO

5-1992

312

2,160

o +of

ea & .nay

votes

497

966

1,951

6.9

673

313

2,531

740

100

(1987-88)

307

2,342

7 .6

799

101

(1989-90)

274

2,254

8 .2

638

102

(1991-92)

287

2,291

8 .0

550

Sources : Data for the 79th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S. Library of Congress . Congressional Research

Service. Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report No . 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy .

Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 100th-102d Congresses are compiled from the Daily Digest of the

Congressional Record .

NA - These data are not available .

I This figure does not include 3 quorum calls which did not develop quorums .

2 This figure does not include 1 yea and nay vote which was ruled invalid for lack of a quorum .

CRS-15

1-3!.

S . Congress, N

her

947-92

ublic Bills

o. of :

bills

Congress;

acted

Pages o€:

bills

acted .

iva

Pages, . .

per

ute

milli

MENEM

ills

enact

Bill

ges of »

bills

enacted

ages

458

182

0.40

1,103

417

0.38

1,023

360

0 .35

1,002

365

0 .36

893

364

0 .41

784

349

0 .45

492

201

0.41

684

255

0.37

360

144

0.40

473

188

0 .40

362

128

0 .35

246

104

0 .42

161

0 .42

123

0 .39

(1975-76)

588

4,121

7 .0

141

0 .53

(1977-78)

633

5,403

8.5

170

0 .44

(1979-80)

613

4,947

8.1

123

0 .54

(1981-82)

473

4,343

9 .2

0 .45

(1983-84)

623

4,893

7 .8

0 .48

(1985-86)

664

7,198

10.8

100

(1987-88)

713

4,839

6 .8

101

(1989-90)

650

5,767

8 .9

102

(1991-92)

590

7,544

12 .8

Sources : Data for the 80th-97th Congresses are compiled from U .S. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service .

Indicators of House of Representatives' Workload and Activity. Report No . 87-492 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy.

Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 98th-102d Congresses are compiled from Congressional Quarterly, Inc . . Vital Statistics

on Congress, 1991-1992, by Norman J . Ornstein, Thomas Mann, and Michael J . Malbin. Washington, 1992.

NA - These data are not available .

CRS-16

AB E l

ted d Successf

1st:session:-

Clot e o

ess

success£

1945-46

1947-48

1979-80

100

1985-86

1987-88

1989-90

101

102

(1991-92)

cee f 1d

-0

No MEN

att . .

Sources: Data for the 66th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress .

Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report No . 87497 S, by Roger H. Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 100th102d Congresses are derived from the SCORPIO bill status system .

CRS-17

TABLE 1-5 . Frequency of Cloture Action, 1917-1992

um.

o c o to

on e

19171958'

101

102

195919702

197

1972

19731974

197519 76 3

197

1978

197

1980

19811 982

19831984

100

Items of business on

which cloture motions

were

®®®

19851986

®®

198

1988

1981990

19911992

®®®®

Sources : Congressional Record, Daily Digest, SCORPIO, and LEGIS,

and Senate Journal . Compiled by Richard Beth, Specialist in American

National Government. Congressional Research Service .

1 Period during which cloture could not be moved on motions to

proceed to consider. Includes periods during which cloture required

(1) two thirds of Senators present and voting or (2) two thirds of the

full Senate.

2 Beginning of period during which cloture required two thirds of

Senators present and voting, except that rules changes still required

two thirds of the full Senate, but cloture could be moved on motions

to proceed to consider .

3 Beginning of period during which cloture requires three fifths

of the full Senate, except that rules changes require two thirds of

Senators present and voting .

CRS-18

FIG. 1-2. Senate Floor Activity

Increasing Quantity & Complexity

100

-5

Congress

# YWNoy Votes

-Ar Cloture Votes

-F- Pages per statute

100

102

CRS-19

E -6.

e oesa :

0.0

oes

icon

No. of p

vetoes

o no . of

presidential

vetoes?

N .

% of regular

: :vetoes

House attempts

to override

vetoes : ::

Senate attempts

to override

:vetoes

14 .3

4 .3

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1968-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

d' an'z

9.1

(1969-70)

28 .6

(1971-72)

33.3

(1973-74)

18.5

(1976-76)

25.0

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

28 .6

(1981-82)

22 .2

(1983-84)

22 .2

(1985-86)

10 .0

(1987-88)

37 .5

(1989-90)

0 .0

(1991-92)

6 .6

Sources : Data for the 80th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service . Indicators of House of

Representatives' Workload and Activity . Report No . 87-492 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy. Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 100th

Congress were collected from U.S. Congress . Secretary of the Senate . Presidential Vetoes, 1789-1988 . Washington, U .S . G .P .O ., 1992 . Data for the

101st and 102d Congresses are compiled from Congressional Quarterly, Inc . . "President Bush's Vetoes" . CQ Weekly Report . Washington, December 19,

1992 . p. 3925 .

: . TABLE 1-7. Senate Action, On All Presidential Nominations, 1981 1992

do s

102nd Congress

10 at

gres

l99S1

1st

Seas

1991

9 9

2nd

Sess

1990 1

at .t

sees

1987

,. 2nd

' Sass

.:19921

Con

S s.

let : .

Sees - :

1986

2nd

Sess

1986 1

97th Congress

let

Sess

1988

2nd

Sass

1984

Sees

1981

3,464

2,978

474

4,127

4,001

107

6,037

4,326

2nd

: Seas

1982

otal :

All Civilian.

Received

Confirmed

Withdrawn

Returned

Rejected

8,376

3,256

2,661

2,641

193

3,564

3,399

2,364

2,145

287

4,718

4,569

2,670

2,357

424

3,719

3,603

2,046

2,037

636

420

408

289

189

586

422

435

430

470

331

404

335

170

606

491

420

411

2,840

2,836

2,253

2,252

2,978

2,977

1,929

1,716

214

4,248

4,238

2,266

2,022

254

3,113

3,112

1,626

41,998

41,924

28,416

28,078

396

44,870

42,186

42,570

40,848

4,902

47,211

41,835

34,594

89,960

55,924

52,415

34,248

37,866

62,587

52,558

37,699

37,725

45,369

45,180

31,077

30,619

689

48,434

45,585

44,934

42,493

6,189

51,929

46,404

37,264

42,317

428

59,643

65,918

86,294

39,893

56,041

55,536

477

41,826

41,726

107

2,769

3,343

40,496

38,654

152

1,734

96 .2%

.4%

4 .3%

.0%

3,866

3,129

617

81 .0%

2 .4%

16.0%

.0%

21,263

20,778

474

97.8%

.0%

2.2%

101,583

100,969

76,694

76,217

697,289

692,061

5,310

99 .1%

.0%

.9%

.0%

106,620

105,284

78,363

79,560

637,794

630,615

170

7,041

98 .9%

.0%

1 .1%

.0%

Civilian

Received

Confirmed

Withdrawn

Returned

Rejected

Civilian Lists3

Received

Confirmed

Withdrawn

Returned

Rejected

Military

Received

Confirmed

Withdrawn

Returned

Rejected

Summa;y5

Received

Confirmed

Withdrawn

Returned

Rejected

U MS-21

Source : Compiled from Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate for 1985-1991 ; and Congressional Record (daily edition), Jan . 5, 1993, p . D2 . Regalia Garcia, Analyst

in American National Government, Congressional Research Service.

no Not available

1 Some nominations were carried over from the First Session .

2 May riot add up to 100% because of rounding .

3 Includes civilian nominations for appointments to, and promotions in, the Coast Guard, Foreign Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health

Service .

4 Includes nominations to and promotions in the military services (Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps) .

5 The statistics provided by the Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate are incomplete . The number of nominations confirmed, withdrawn, returned, and rejected,

do not add up to the number of nominations received for the various Congresses . It is assumed that the difference is made up of nominations that were not confirmed but that were

not accounted far at the end of the Second Session of a Congress . In Table 2, nominations that were listed as "unconfirmed" at the end of the Second Session of a Congress are listed

under the "returned" category .

Ultt$-22

TABLE 1-8 . U .S . Senate, Le dative Activit : 1947-1992

(1947-48)

257

1,462

3,186

1,835

1,670

343

257

242

577

248

(1949-50)

389

2,410

4,486

2,604

2,362

489

352

336

867

455

(1951-52)

287

1,648

3,665

1,991

1,849

444

313

804

410

331

(1963-64)

294

1,962

4,077

2,419

2,231

444

402

321

464

270

(195556)

224

1,862

4,518

2,663

2,660

417

392

330

166

224

(1957-58)

271

1,876

4,532

2,329

2,202

514

473

378

253

313

(1959-60)

280

2,199

4,149

1,778

1,680

509

461

368

187

422

(1961-62)

323

2,164

4,048

2,047

1,953

418

604

392

116

434

(1963-64)

375

2,395

3,457

1,365

1,341

480

448

850

335

541

(1966-66)

346

1,814

4,129

1,703

1,636

438

448

332

117

491

(1967-68)

368

1,961

4,400

1,467

1,376

506

455

355

1284

6955

(1969-70)

384

2,352

4,867

1,270

1,271

599

438

406

667

(1971-72)

348

2,294

4,408

1,026

1,036

488

276

336

956

(1973-74)

334

2,028

4,524

1,094

1,115

603

330

449

1,138

(1975-76)

320

2,210

4,114

988

1,038

798

387

514

155

1,311

(1977-78)

337

2,510

3,800

1,014

1,070

713

464

526

1,156

(1979-80)

333

2,324

3,480

862

977

714

441

506

1,055

(1981-82)

312

2,160

3,396

708

786

668

311

424

966

(1983-84)

281

1,961

3,454

836

936

643

303

380

673

(1985-86)

313

2,631

3,386

831

940

694

192

391

740

100

(1987-88)

307

2,342

3,325

773

1,002

688

136

428

799

101

(1989-90)

274

2,264

3,669

808

980

515

341

638

102

(1991-92)

287

2,291

3,738

638

947

507

330

660

Sources : Data for the 80th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload

. Report

No . 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 100th-102d Congresses are compiled from the Daily Digest

of the Congressional

Record .

1 These figures include both Senate and House bills and joint resolutions .

2 These figures include both Senate and House concurrent and simple resolutions .

3 Occasionally measures are taken up on the floor without having been referred to or reported by committees, which partially accounts for the number passed sometimes exceeding

the number reported .

4 This figure does not include 3 quorum calls which did not develop a quorum .

5 This figure does not include one yea and nay vote which was ailed invalid due to a lack of a quorum .

TABLE 1-9 . U .S . Senate, Legislative Activity: First Sessions, 1947-1992

Time;in session

gres

r of bills' ':

Number of resolutions2 :

Hours

Introd.

Repdt 3

Passed3

trod .

Repdt 3

Passed 3

nor

Its

No, of

ea &&

pis 0

rid

(1947-48)

143

808

2,094

842

723

218

131

118

332

138

(1949-50)

186

1,146

2,902

1,160

1,035

258

170

166

413

226

(1951752)

172

997

2,460

962

883

283

180

177

289

202

(1958-54)

125

764

2,712

789

705

219

180

146

188

(196656)

105

560

2,863

1,244

1,182

207

182

143

(1957-58)

133

861

3,043

1,098

1,034

254

221

176

189

111

(1959-60)

140

1,010

2,881

916

862

280

231

190

215

(1961-62)

146

1,005

2,789

987

944

282

252

189

207

(1963-64)

189

1,045

2,558

661

673

314

229

188

229

(1965-66)

177

961

2,853

817

797

231

218

170

269

(1967-68)

200

1,091

2,953

819

783

254

233

182 -

315

(1969-70)

176

927

3,472

500

483

364

245

201

245

(1971-72)

186

1,157

3,218

449

442

275

186

162

423

(1973-74)

166

960

3,044

621

521

290

156

202

594

(1975-76)

178

1,177

2,997

414

434

427

173

248

611

(1977-78)

178

1,144

2,489

395

413

407

243

292

636

(1979-80)

167

1,159

2,320

396

391

392

246

261

509

(1981-82)

166

1,080

2,142

277

268

336

165

220

497

(1983-84)

150

1,007

2,407

410

390

388

160

200

381

(1985-86)

170

1,253

2,265

361

373

396

116

211

381

100

(1987-88)

170

1,215

2,237

320

384

448

232

420

101

(1989-90)

136

1,003

2,234

832

405

314

200

312

102

(1991-92)

158

1,200

2,374

293

432

327

194

280

Sources : Data for the 80th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and

Workload . Report No . 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the IOM-102d Congresses are compiled from the Daily

Digest of the Congressional Record .

1 These figures include both Senate and House bills and joint resolutions .

2 These figures include both Senate and House concurrent and simple resolutions .

3 Occasionally measures are taken up on the floor without having been referred to or reported by committees, which partially accounts for the number passed

sometimes exceeding the number reported .

TABLE 1-10, U .S . Senate Le dative Activit : Second Seas

mo > ii

esioo

rod

t,,

ills

umber of reso6~tiods '

s dd

trod'

ed3

No o

quo

a o

pts

otes :

etoes

(1947-48)

114

654

1,092

993

947

125

126

124

245

110

(1949-50)

203

1,265

1,584

1,444

1,327

231

182

170

444

229

(1951-52)

115

651

1,205

1,039

966

161

133

127

121

129

(1953-54)

169

1,198

1,365

1,630

1,526

225

222

175

276

181

(1955-56)

119

802

1,655

1,419

1,368

210

187

136

(1957-58)

138

1,015

1,489

1,231

1,168

260

252

202

114

202

(1959-60)

140

1,189

1,268

862

818

229

230

178

133

207

(1961-62)

177

1,159

1,259

1,060

1,009

136

252

203

227

(1963-64)

186

1,350

899

704

668

166

219

162

280

312

(1965-66)

168

853

1,276

886

839

207

230

162

238

(1967-68)

158

870

1,447

638

593

252

222

173

484

2805

(1969-70)

208

1,425

1,395

770

788

245

193

204

422

(1971-72)

162

1,137

1,190

577

593

213

140

174

532

(1973-74)

168

1,068

1,480

573

591

313

175

247

544

(1975-76)

142

1,033

1,117

574

604

371

214

266

700

(1977-78)

159

1,366

1,311

619

657

306

221

234

520

(1979-80)

166

1,165

1,160

466

586

322

196

245

646

(1981-82)

147

1,080

1,254

431

518

332

156

204

469

(1983-84)

131

940

1,047

425

544

255

143

182

292

(1985-86)

143

1,278

1,131

470

567

298

180

359

100

(1987-88)

137

1,127

1,088

463

618

240

196

379

101

(1989-90)

138

1,250

1,435

471

575

201

141

326

102

(1991-92)

129

1,091

1,364

345

515

180

136

270

Sources : Data for the 80th-99th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload

. Report

No. 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, dune 8, 1987 . Figures for the 100th-102d Congresses are compiled from the Daily Digest of the Congressional

Record .

1 These figures include both Senate and House bills and joint resolutions .

2 These figures include both Senate and House concurrent and simple resolutions .

3 Occasionally measures are taken up on the floor without having been referred to or reported by committees, which partially accounts for the number passed sometimes exceeding

the number reported .

4 This figure does not include 3 quorum calls which did not develop a quorum .

5 This figure does riot include l . yea and nay vote which was ruled invalid for lack of a quorum.

THE COMMI'1 I LE SYSTEM

NUMBERS OF COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES

Table 2-1 documents the evolution of the Senate's committee system from

1945 through 1992 . As the data indicate, the numbers of committees and

subcommittees have tended to climb slowly until the Senate scales them back as

part of a reorganization effort . This pattern of a steady increase followed by a

sharp cutback has occurred twice since 1945 .

The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 reduced the number of standing

committees in the Senate from 33 to 15, and the number of select and special

committees from 7 to 3 . From the time of this reduction to 1976, the number

of standing committees increased only from 15 to 18, but their subcommittees

doubled from 61 to 122 . In 1976, the Senate possessed a total of 180 panels :

18 standing committees ; 6 special and select committees; 7 joint committees ; and

149 subcommittees.

In order to rectify the situation, a Temporary Select Committee was

established ; its mission was to recommend changes in the committee system .

These recommendations resulted in S . Res . 4, which was passed in 1977. The

resolution eliminated three standing committees (District of Columbia, Post

Office and Civil Service, and Aeronautical and Space Sciences), and reduced

subcommittees by approximately one-third .

Between 1977 and 1984, the total number of panels remained relatively

unchanged . However, in the 97th Congress, the Select Committee on Small

Business was converted into a standing committee . Also during this time, the

Select Committee on Indian Affairs was created, and made permanent in 1984 .

In 1984, concern over the effects of the number of committees and

subcommittees on Senators' assignments and thus their daily schedules led to

the creation of a second Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate

Committee System . The panel concluded that "if Senators will agree to reduce

their committee assignments, our committees will be better able to perform their

duties and the Senate as a whole will be taken more seriously as a reliable and

informed national policymaker ."6

Accordingly, the Select Committee's

recommendations emphasized assignment limits, recommended membership

levels, and set numbers of subcommittees . Specifically, the committee proposed :

(1) eliminating exceptions to the assignment limits that had been granted to

'U.S. Senate . Temporary Select Com ee to Study the Senate Committee

System . Report Together with Proposed esolutions. S. Rept . 98-254 (98th

Congress, 2nd session), p . 5 .

CRS-28

Senators ; (2) reducing the number of seats on "A" and "B" committees ; (3)

limiting to five the number of subcommittees that could be created by any

standing committee (with the exception of Appropriations, which would retain

its 13 subcommittees) ; and (4) adopting a "nine-unit rule," limiting Senators to

a total of nine assignments on committees and subcommittees .

In response to the Temporary Select Committee's work, in the 99th Congress

the Senate reduced its number of standing subcommittees by 14 . In the 100th

Congress, the number was further reduced by 3 . From there, however, the

number climbed to 87 in the 102d Congress . The Temporary Select Committee's

work also resulted in an elimination of subcommittees of select and special

committees, although one was created in the 101st Congress . While the number

of full committees-- standing, special and select, and joint-- has remained steady

since 1984, the number of joint subcommittees has increased modestly.

Regardless, since 1984, the total number of Senate panels has been lower than

at any time in the past 30 years .

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

Table 2-2 lists the total number of assignments to seats on standing and

special and select committees, as well as their subcommittees, since 1945 . It also

provides the average number of assignments to each of these types of panels for

the period . These data follow a pattern similar to that of Table 2-1, which

tracks the total number of committees and subcommittees since 1945 . That is,

after the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 scaled down the numbers of

committees and subcommittees, the period from 1955 through 1976 saw the

total number of assignments to all committees and subcommittees slowly climb

from 874 to 1,557 (data are not available for 1947-1954) . The figure is then

reduced sharply, due to the effects of the 1976 Reorganization (S . Res . 4) ;

however, it begins to rise again, until it is reduced due to the 1984

Reorganization . The figure has resumed its rise since 1985, and stood at 1,145

at the end of the 102d Congress .

The number of assignments (i .e ., seats) to standing and special and select

committees, as well as to their subcommittees, registered most of its increases

from the mid-1960s through 1976 .

In 1976, when the Stevenson-Brock

Committee studied the committee system, there were 1,557 seats available to

Senators . The average Senator possessed 15 .6 assignments : 2-3 on standing

committees ; nearly 10 on subcommittees ; and 3-4 places on special, select or

joint committees (and their subcommittees) . Even more remarkable is the fact

that these figures do not include Senators' seats on other official bodies-- party

committees, panels, study groups, and boards and commissions . Including such

seats, there were 1,999 positions to be filled by the 100 Senators in 1976-- an

average of nearly 20 assignments per Senator .

This unmanageable number of assignments provided the impetus for the

7 Ibid., p . 6 .

CRS-29

scaling down of the Senate's committee structure in 1977 . The total number of

committee and subcommittee seats were cut by approximately one-third . Hit the

hardest were seats on subcommittees of both standing and special and select

committees, which were reduced by 32 percent and 70 percent, respectively .

These changes resulted in a reduction of about five assignments for the average

Senator . However, between 1977 and 1984, the total number of all committee

and subcommittee seats again edged upward ; this was fueled mainly by an

increase in standing committee and subcommittee seats .

When the Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee

System was formed in 1984, Senators held an average of nearly 12 assignments

to both standing and select and special committees, as well as their

subcommittees. The Committee discovered that 50 Senators-- half the chamber's

membership-- had been granted a total of 55 exceptions from the assignment

limits that had been adopted in 1977 .$ Thus, the panel recommended, among

other things : banning all exceptions to the assignment limits ; enforcing the

1977 rules strictly ; and cutting back on the number of committee and

subcommittee slots . As a result, 14 standing subcommittees and a total of 120

assignments were eliminated; this resulted in the average Senator losing one

assignment . Despite these efforts, the total number of assignments to standing

committees and subcommittees, as well as select and special committees and

subcommittees, has swelled from 1,075 in 1985 to 1,145 in 1992 . As was the

case for the 1977-1984 increase, this growth was mainly propelled by increases

in the number of standing committee and subcommittee seats .

EFFECTS OF

ASSIGNMENTS

SUBCOMMITTEE

GROWTH

SENATORS'

Figure 1-3 graphically illustrates the impact of the growth of subcommittees

on Senators' total assignments . The graph possesses two Y-axes, each of which

has a different range of values . Thus, they are useful for graphing three sets

of data that have drastically different minimum and maximum values .

Attempting to graph these three sets on the same Y-axis would require a scale

of 1 to 200 ; such a graph would not be very illuminating, as the lack of spacing

between the points on the Y-axis would result in relatively flat lines . As both

the Y-axis labels and the legend indicate, the bars representing both average

number of subcommittee and committee assignments are plotted on the primary

(left-hand) Y-axis, while the total number of subcommittees are graphed on the

secondary Y-axis.

'U.S. Senate. Temporary Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee

System . Report Together with Proposed Resolutions . S. Rept . 98-254 (98th

Congress, 2nd session), p . 5 .

CRS-30

Above it was noted that Senators' total number of assignments to all

committees and subcommittees has steadily risen since 1947, interrupted only

by sharp cutbacks in 1977 and 1985 . It was also noted that, while they rose

slightly, standing committees were not as "responsible" for this growth as were

their subcommittees . This is supported by Figure 1-3, where both the line

representing the total number of subcommittees and the bar representing

Senators' average number of subcommittee assignments rise from 1947-1977,

followed by a sharp drop, which is subsequently followed by another rise until

the restructuring of 1985 . Indeed, during the time periods of subcommittee

growth, the line representing total subcommittees "pulls" the bar representing

average number of subcommittee assignments with it . Meanwhile, the bar

representing the average number of committee assignments is not as volatile,

climbing only from 2 to 3 since 1947 .

COMMIT IEE SIZES

Table 2-3 presents data that document the average size of standing

committees and their subcommittees in the Senate since 1945 . While Table 2-1

indicates that the overall number of Senate standing committees has remained

relatively stable in these years, this table demonstrates that the size of these

committees has grown over the years . When the 1946 Reorganization Act was

implemented in 1947, the average committee had slightly more than 13

members ; in 1992, the average committee had more than 18 members . During

this same time period, subcommittees have grown from an average of about five

members to eight . Although they are not large, these changes are significant

because Senate committees are relatively small to begin with . Furthermore, in

specific cases, the changes are striking . For example, in 1947, Senate standing

committees were fixed at 13 members, except for the 21-member Appropriations

Committee . Today, Appropriations has 29 members, Budget (created in 1974)

has 21, and five others have 20 .

Some of this increase can be attributed to changes made by the Senate in the

committee system. For example, when the Senate eliminated several of its

committees in 1977, the size of the average committee rose by two members .

Further, the 100th Congress maintained the same number of standing

committees and reduced their total subcommittees by three, but increased both

units' average size . Since the 100th Congress, the average size of subcommittees

has increased from 8 .1 to 8 .5 Senators, while that of standing committees has

remained steady at approximately 18 .5 .

Tables 2-4 through 2-19 provide a committee-by-committee listing of size,

number of subcommittees, and number of assignments for all standing

committees of the Senate . The figures cover the period from 1947 through 1992 ;

for committees created after 1947, the data encompass the entire life span .

TABLE 2-1 . U .S . Senate, Number of Committees and Their Subcommittees : 1945-1992

Standing Committees

- . Select and Special

Committees

committees

or. P a

ess

No.

No:. of Subc,

;'. No .

No of Sube,

' No

(1945-46)

(1947-48)

1949-50)

1951-52)

1953-54)

195556)

1957-58)

130

1959-60)

128

1961-62)

129

1963-64)

134

1965-66)

142

1967-68)

1969-70)

101

1971-72)

115

1973-74)

127

1975-76)

Sub

157

159

173

190

122

180

(19?7-78)

12 1

138

(1979-80)

129

(1981-82)

101

135

(1983-84)

102

137

(1985-86)

118

100

(1987-88)

118

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

87 2

119

Sources : Data for the 79th-100th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research

Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report No . 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carl Hardy .

Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 101st and 102d Congresses are compiled from Monitor Publishing Co .,

Congressional Yellow Book .

NA - This information is not readily available .

I This figure includes one Ad Hoc Working Group of the Select Committee on Intelligence .

2 This figure excludes one task force of a standing committee .

Uttb-62

TABLE 2-2 . U .S . Senate, Committee Assi ments : 1945-1992

Total : no of assignments

Selec

Standin

ubc;'of

Standing

comm

>Mean no of committee assignments

Su.

< . . of

Comm :

om Co

0a1

Stand

Standing

comm ,

£special, ;&

joint comm .

Subc-of

Select, :: .

a cial, &

1 . comm,

7 o I'I

(1945-46)

489

437

5,09

4 .55

1 .02

(1947-48)

201

326

2 .09

3 .40

0.65

(1949-50)

203

313

2 .12

3 .26

0.62

(1951-52)

203

332

2 .12

3 .46

0.70

(1953-54)

211

373

2 .20

3 .89

0.66

(1955-56)

212

514

100

874

2 .21

5 .35

1 .04

0 .50

9 .10

(1957-58)

228

530

892

2 .38

5 .52

1 .02

0 .38

9 .29

(1969-60)

250

631

116

1,063

2 .50

6 .31

1 .16

0 .66

10 .63

(1961-62)

240

636

1,030

2 .40

6 .36

0.95

0 .59

10 .30

(1963-64)

256

660

101

1,103

2 .66

6 .60

1 .01

0 .86

11 .03

(1965-66)

250

727

101

154

1,232

2 .50

7 .27

1 .01

.54

12 .32

(1967-68)

262

752

120

165

1,289

2 .52

7 .52

1 .20

1 .65

12 .89

(1969-70)

246

797

110

184

1,336

2.46

7 .97

1 .10

1 .84

13 .36

(1971-72)

247

895

124

197

1,463

2.47

8 .95

1 .24

1 .97

14 .63

(1973-74)

258

946

148

217

1,669

2.58

9 .46

1 .48

2 .17

15 .69

(1975-76)

256

969

120

228

1,557

2.40

9 .69

1 .20

2 .28

15 .57

(1977-78)

248

658

1,054

2.43

6 .58

0 .84

0 .69

10 .54

(1979-80)

252

668

1,074

2.52

6 .68

0 .78

0 .76

10 .74

(1981-82)

282

693

1,119

2.82

6 .93

0 .76

0 .68

11 .19

(1983-84)

295

771

1,195

2.95

7 .71

0 .80

0 .49

11 .95

(1985-86)

282

672

1,075

2.82

6 .72

0 .74

0 .47

10 .76

100

(1987-88)

296

688

1,098

2.96

6 .88

0 .84

0 .30

10.98

101

(1989-90)

296

713

1,117

2.96

7 .18

0 .75

0 .33

.17

102

(1991-92)

294

738

1,145

2.94

7 .38

0 .83

0 .30

11 .46

Sources: Data for the 79th-100th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and

Workload . Report No . 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 101st and 102d Congresses are compiled from Monitor

Publishing Co ., Congressional Yellow Book .

NA - This data is not readily available .

CRS-33

FIG 14. No . of Subcomm . and Senators'

Assignments to Them : 1945-1992

CONGRESS

# of Suboonm,

® Avg # Subo, Assign ® Avg # Corm Assign

CRS-34

o Son e:Stan gComm

992

Congre :'

and

e S

Standing

committees

Sub of standing '. .

fnmmitteea

(1945-46)

14 .9

7 .7

(1947-48)

13 .4

5 .3

(1949-50)

13 .5

5 .0

(1951-52)

13.5

5 .1

(1953-54)

14.1

5 .7

(1955-56)

14.1

5 .9

(1957-58)

14.3

6.2

(1959-60)

15 .6

7.3

(1961-62)

15 .0

7.2

(1963-64)

16 .0

(1965-66)

15 .6

7 .9

(1967-68)

15 .8

7 .7

(1969-70)

15 .3

7 .9

(1971-72)

14.5

7 .8

(1973-74)

14.3

7 .5

(1975-76)

14.2

7 .9

(1977 .78)

16.2

6.9

(1979-80)

16 .8

7.4

(1981-82)

17 .6

6.9

(1983-84)

18 .4

7.6

(1985-86)

17 .6

7 .6

100

(1987-88)

18 .5

8 .1

101

(1989-90)

18 .5

8 .3

102

(1991-92)

18 .4

8 .5

Source : U.S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service .

Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report No . 87-497 S, by Roger H . Davidson

and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987.

CRS-35

TABLE 2-4 . Committee on Agriculture'

Full Committee

Members

tuber of Subc .

Suhc, Assignments

'. Available

igam. .

le i,

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

1002

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

Sources : Data for all committees for the 80th-100th Congresses are compiled from U .S. Library of Congress.

Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report No. 87-497, by Roger H . Davidson and

Carol Hardy. Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 101st and 102d Congresses are compiled from annual volumes of

Brownson, Congressional Staff Directory.

1 Named the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 80th-94th Congresses .

2 Figures for the 100th Congress reflect reorganizations and ratio changes following the death of one Senator and the

addition of two others .

CRS-36

';Cone. .

Full Committee

Members

Number of Soho,

o a

Subs, Assignments

s. Available

14 u

147

121

106

126

183

188

220

234

14 1

204

184

(1979-80)

174

190

(1983-84)

®®

158

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

151

135

138

167

®~

1 During these Congresses, the Committee organized subunits of subcommittees to specialize in certain areas . These

sub-panels are not included in the calculations .

is .

CRS-37

' LE 2-6 . Committee on Armed Serviced :'.

mit

Congress

her of'.Subc :)

able ?.

ignments

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

168

181

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

100

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

116

(1971-72)

113

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 Appointments to the Boards of Visitors to the Academies are not included .

le' :

CRS-38

; :. TABLE 2-7. : Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs'

till Comm 't

Members

of S Is,.

variable .

Full & Subc

Assignments Available

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

®S

1 Named the Committee on Banking and Currency, 80th-91st Congresses .

CRS-39

2-8. Committee on the Budget

co .

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

mbeas

gnments ailable

ignmen

vailable

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

931

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 The Budget Committee was established on July 12, 1974, pursuant to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974

(P .L . 93-344) .

CRS-40

9 'Comet .

mber

Subc

Committe

Members

Co grew

8( 1

(1947-48)

19 950)

(1951-52)

a o

S bb

gnxnents

vailable

ull

roan

Available.:.

124

(1969-70)

105

(1971-72)

111

149

167

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

102

S' 'e

(1991-92)

1 Named the Committee on interstate and Foreign Commerce, 80th-86th Congresses .

2 The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce was renamed the Committee on Commerce pursuant to S . Res. 177 of

the 87th Congress .

3 The committee'sjurisdiction was expanded and its name changed to the Committee on Commerce, Science and

Transportation on February 4, 1977, pursuant to S . Res. 4 of the 95th Congress .

4 In addition the full committee had one task force .

CRS-41

AML

Go'

ee on Ene

Commi to

um or

Members

She,

801

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 Named the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, 80th-94th Congresses .

2 The committee's jurisdiction was expanded and its name changed to the Committee on Energy and Natural resources on

February 4, 1977 pursuant to S . Res . 4 of the 95th Congress .

CRS-42

TABLE 2-it Committee on Environment and Public Works

80 1

mbe

S c

Sub

`, ; .

game

ailable

vailable

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

957 2

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 Named the Committee on Public Works, 80th-94th Congresses .

2 The committee's jurisdiction was expanded and its name changed to the Committee on Environment and Public Works on

February 4, 1977 pursuant to S. Res . 4 of the 95th Congress .

CRS-43

?I TABLE 2-12 . Committee on Finance

Subc

Assignments

'Available

umber=.

Cod

meats

ailable

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

CRS-44

TABLE 2-13. Committee on Foreign Relations

Coc g e

Co m

ble

lab a

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-62)

(1953-54)

601

(1955-56)

782

(1967-58)

723

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1965-66)

108

(1967-68)

117

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

loo 4

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 Includes six appointments of non-committee Members made by either the President of the Senate or the Vice President .

2 Includes ten appointments of non-committee Members made by the Vim President .

3 Includes eight appointments of non-committee Members made by the Vice President.

4 The number of both full committee members and subcommittee assignments reflect the reduction of each by one due to

the death of one Senator.

CRS-45

LE 2-14 . Committee on Governmental Affairs

Con

801

Full

Committee

embers

ss,

umber

Subc

Subc.

iguuents

Assignments ,

Available

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

822

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

953

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 Named the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments, 80th-81st Congresses .

2 The Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments was renamed the Committee on Government Operations

pursuant to S . Res . 280 of the 82d Congress.

3 The committee's jurisdiction was expanded and its name changed to the Committee on Governmental Affairs on

pFebruary 4, 1977 pursuant to S . Res . 4 of the 95th Congress .

5£

(36-1661

901

(06 -6961)

(89-L961

001

111

(98 -9861

(58-£861)

(49-£961)

1?9

POI

mm m

®®

91,

ajgo mny

sauamu9lesy ;

'algaFdsny

uamu2Fsay

'8 itad's

....

. ogng

(99- 4961)

(4-£ 6

£1

(99- 1961

(09-6561

£1

(9P-L561

00 a

30.

9 ag3zoo aagglmmoQ .''91Z39CVk

CRS-47

2 6 Commit

Congress .

II1

mmit'

Members

on Labor and Human:

tuber'r

Sum,

ignmenn

'ailable,

gnments

ail

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

95152)

N89I16

105

NINE

MMM M

102

®®

1 Named the Committee . . Labor and Public Welfare, 80th-94th Congresses .

2 The committee's jurisdiction was expanded and its name changed to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources on

February 4, 1977 pursuant to S . Res . 4 of the 95th Congress .

CRS-48

2-1

Commit.

on u1

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

9 8

(1959-60)

(1977-78)

(1919-80)

tGo

(1981-82)

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

~®

101

CRS-49

211

Cam it e

embers

Co.

on Small Rum.

umber .

goon.

vailable

amble

i S ce

(1947-48)

(1949-50)

(1951-52)

(1953-54)

(1955-56)

(1957-58)

(1959-60)

(1961-62)

(1963-64)

(1965-66)

(1967-68)

(1969-70)

(1971-72)

(1973-74)

(1975-76)

(1977-78)

(1979-80)

971

(1981-82)

(1983-84)

(1985-86)

100

(1987-88)

101

(1989-90)

102

(1991-92)

1 The Committee on Small Business was created on March 25, 1981 pursuant to S . Res. 101 of the 97th Congress .

CRS-50

Co .

Sub,

ignmeu

'table

(1955-a6)

(195758)

(1963-64)

921

(1971-72)

100

101

102

1 The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs was created pursuant to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (PL .

91-510, 84 Stat. 1163), which was signed into law near the end of the 91st Congress . Members were appointed to the Committee

at the beginning of the 92d Congress (1971-1973) .

PART THREE: COMMITTEE WORKLOADS

HEARINGS

Table 3-1 documents the number of hearings printed by each Senate standing,

special and select committee for the 98th-102d Congresses . While solid

indicators of a given committee's workload, these should be interpreted with

care for two reasons . First, some committees may be more inclined to order

printed virtually every hearing, regardless of its length and impact on public

policy. Second, a single printed "hearing" may actually contain the transcripts

of multiple days of hearings . Finally, the nature of a committee's business may

preclude the need to print ; for example, since it deals mainly with internal

issues of the Senate, the Committee on Rules and Administration does not have

many printed hearings . The same can be said for the Select Committee on

Intelligence, in that much of its business is classified .

Regardless, some general trends can be extracted from these data . First,

committee hearings seem to parallel the activity level for the full Senate in that

more hearings are generally printed in the first session of a Congress than the

second. Again, we see the impact of the electoral process . Second, it is clear

that committees with a wider policy jurisdiction conduct more hearings than

those whose jurisdiction is more narrow . For example, the Committees on

Appropriations, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Commerce, Science and

Transportation, and Labor and Human Resources print many more hearings

than the Committee on Small Business.

In general, these data are quite useful on a committee-by-committee basis .

That is, rather than using them for comparison across committees, they should

be used to track an individual committee's workload over time, and examine

changes in it in light of jurisdictional and political changes .

MEASURES REFERRED AND REPORTED

Tables 3-2 and 3-3 list the numbers of measures both referred to and

reported by Senate standing, special and select committees from the 98th

through the 102d Congress .

Several points emerge from examining the figures in Table 3-2 . First, the

numbers of measures referred vary considerably from committee to committee .

This is mainly a function of the committee's jurisdiction : the wider the

jurisdiction, the more measures will likely be referred to it . For example,

Finance receives many bills because tax policy attracts so many legislative

proposals . Second, one can track the figures for a given committee over time to

determine the effects of bursts of activity in its jurisdiction on its workload .

CRS-52

Thus, the impact of social, economic, and political changes can be seen on the

committees of the Senate .

As Table 3-3 demonstrates, the rates of reporting bills also vary significantly

from committee to committee . Like figures for referrals to committees, these

variations probably reflect different jurisdictional characteristics, as well as

intensified activity in different jurisdictions over time . A second point should

also be noted . That is, some committees' percentage of the total reported is

much lower than their percentage of the total referred . For instance, in the

102d Congress the Finance Committee reported 3.9 percent of all measures

reported by Senate committees, but received 21 .4 percent of all measures

referred to Senate committees. Rather than a low workrate, this pattern mainly

reflects the Committee's role of screening large numbers of discrete revenue and

tariff measures . Conversely, some committees account for a higher proportion

of the Senate's reported measures than those referred . For example, in the 102d

Congress the Judiciary Committee reported about 20 percent of all measures

reported by Senate committees, but received about 16 percent of all measures

referred to Senate committees. A large reason for these levels is the committee's

jurisdiction over commemoratives ; thus many of these reported measures were

joint resolutions honoring certain days or occasions .

PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS

Table 3-4 documents the number of Presidential nominations both received

and reported by relevant Senate committees . While the full Senate must

ultimately approve all nominations, much of the actual consideration is done at

the committee level . That is, it is mainly the committee of jurisdiction which

must expend its resources in compiling reports, analyzing information, and

holding hearings in order to provide the rest of the Senate with guidelines for

action .

Due to the fact that each committee's defined jurisdiction clearly states which

nominations it has jurisdiction over (if any), the figures for nominations received

and reported over time are relatively stable . For example, certain committees,

such as Armed Services and Judiciary, will consistently process a relatively high

number of nominations due to the nature of their jurisdiction .

CRS-53

abj

S: Senate, um

of Printed:

02d Congresses

gs b Commi

Congresses

102d11

din Com i

Appro

crest

ions

991

'culture Nutrition

ervi

Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs

udge

®fl®fl

fl®fl

®flfl®

fl® ®®flfl

fi® flfl®fl

M== M®

101st

100th

1990

9 8

1987

e ce

Trans o

Energy & Natural Resources

Environmen

P bI

or s

Finance

o & u

les

∎

Veterans' Affairs

1983

∎

Sma B sine

∎∎∎

source

1985

1986

∎

Foreign Relations

∎∎∎

o ernme

a98th

®®

∎∎ .∎

∎

Select sad Special Committees

Aging

n m

Intelligence

flflfl®

Source : Data are compiled from the CIS database .

I . Figures for the 102d Congress are incomplete, as the database only registers those hearings which have actually been

printed . As of this writing, not all hearings for the 102d Congress that are to be printed had been printed .

TABLE 3-2 . U .S . Senate Number of Measures Referred to Senate Standin Select and

102d Congress

(1991-92)

Stand

101st Congress

(1989-90)

100th Congress

(1987-88)

99th Congress

(1985-86)

98th Congress

(1983-84)

icu1ture Nutrition & Fore

128

2.8

19 .9

4 .5

201

4 .7

202

4 .6

200

4 .4

ppropriations

162

3.3

1 .0

1 .4

1 .3

ad Services

151

3.3

130

2 .9

104

2 .4

133

3 .0

104

2 .3

Banking Housing & Urban Affairs

189

4 .1

172

3 .9

138

3 .2

188

4 .3

180

4 .0

Budget

141

3 .0

1 .1

1 .5

ommerrc Science & Transportation2

256

5 .5

306

6 .9

268

6 .2

241

5 .6

261

5 .5

nergy & Natural Resourres3

373

8 .0

367

8 .3

391

9 .0

306

7 .0

333

7 .3

Environment & Public Works

248

5 .3

265

6 .0

263

6 .1

236

5 .4

280

6 .2

'income

990

820

18 .6

704

16 .3

727

16.6

761

16 .8

Foreign Relations

327

7 .1

274

6,2

289

6 .7

277

6 .3

246

5 .4

Governmental Affairs5

231

5 .0

237

6 .4

223

5 .2

253

5 .8

252

6 .5

782

15 .8

814

18 .5

864

20 .0

0 8

23.8

1,071

23 .6

359

7 .7

374

8 .5

306

7 .1

293

6 .7

325

7 .2

123

2 .7

144

3 .3

226

5 .2

4 .1

174

3 .8

Sm . Business

0 .6

0 .3

0 .5

0 .3

0 .7

130

2 .8

120

2 .7

120

2 .8

2 .1

0 .0

0.0

0 .0

iciary

La or

iuman Resourres6

& Administration

Set and Sp

mmrtte

Ethics

0 .0

0.0

0 .0

Indian Affairs

1 .5

1 .6

2.0

1 .4

1 .6

elligence

0 .8

0 .2

0.3

0 .1

0 .3

4,637

100 .0

4,410

100.0

4,321

100.0

4,370

100 .0

4,541

100 .0

0 .0

Sources. Data for the 98th and 99th Congresses are compiled from US . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate Activity and Workload . Report No . 87497 S,

by Roger H . Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987 . Figures for the 100th and 101st Congresses were gathered by Carol Hardy Vincent, Analyst in American National Government, Congressional

Research Service . Data for the 102d Congress are compiled from U .S . Congress . Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress . Committee System Background Materials. Washington, 1993.

1 Figures for the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Agriculture .

2 Figures for the 94th Congress are the combined totals of the Committees on Commerce and Aeronautical and Space Sciences .

3 Figures for the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs .

4 Figures for the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Public Works .

5 Figures for the 94th Congress are the combined totals of the Committees on the District of Columbia, Government Operations, and Post Office and Civil Service.

6 Figures for the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare .

9 The Committee on Small Business was converted from a select to a standing committee at the beginning of the 97th Congress .

8 Totals may not add to 100 .0% due to rounding .

TABLE 3-3 . U .S. Senate, Number of Measures Reported by Senate Standin , Select and S

102d Congress

(1991-92)

101st Congress

(1989-90)

ial Committees : 98th-102d Con eases

100th Congress

(1987-88)

99th Congress

(1986-86)

98th Congress

(1983-84)

_____

S . Tiding C

Agriculture Nutrition & Fore

Appropriations

Armed Services

0 .9

2 .8

1 .8

3.2

4.8

3 .5

3 .6

8 .7

3.5

5.5

4 .0

1 .8

2.4

1 .5

Banking Housing & Urban Affairs

1 .7

2 .3

2 .5

3.4

2.3

Budget

0 .8

1 .8

1 .2

8.2

5.9

Commerce Science & Transportation2

8 .4

11 .1

7 .2

7.1

8.8

nergy & Natural Resources 3

120

16.6

128

14 .3

148

15 .9

9.1

8.5

nvironment & Public Works4

2 .8

6 .0

5 .7

4 .9

7.1

inance

3 .9

1 .5

2 .1

2.1

2.6

8 .6

6 .0

5 .8

6.5

7.1

Governmental Affairs5

5 .0

2 .7

3 .9

4 .6

3 .6

Judiciary

150

20.7

233

26 .1

248

26 .6

135

34.5

3 .3

28 .7

o ign

latiens

union Resources6

6 .2

8 .6

6 .3

5.5

4 .0

Rules & Administration

4 .3

5 .8

7 .0

7.2

6 .5

Small Business ?

0 .4

0 .2

0 .9

0.6

1 .1

Veterans' Alfaire

2 .8

0 .8

1.4

1 .2

0 .9

0 .1

0 .2

0.1

0 .0

0 .1

0 .0

0.0

0 .0

Select and S

Ial Commi

ndian Affairs

0 .2

5 .7

3 .8

4 .7

2.8

4 .0

telligence

0 .6

0 .3

0 .6

0.5

0 .5

OTALSS

723

100 .0

894

100 .0

933

100.0

1,027

100.0

1,162

100.0

CRS- 5 7

Sources: Data for the 98th and 99th Congresses are compiled from U .S . Library of Congress . Congressional Research Service . Indicators of Senate

Activity and Workload . Report No . 87-497 S, by Roger 11. Davidson and Carol Hardy . Washington, June 8, 1987, Figures for the 100thand 101st Congresses were

gathered by Carol Hardy Vincent, Analyst in American National Government, Congressional Research Service . Data for the 102d Congress are compiled from U .S . Congress .

Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress . Committee System Background Materials . Washington, 1993 .

Igu

or the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Agriculture .

2 Figures for the 94th Congress am the combined totals of the Committees on Commerce and Aeronautical and Space Se ces .

3 Figures for the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs .

4 Figures for the 94th Congress are those of the Committee on Public Works .

5 Figures for the 94th Congress are the combined totals of the Committees on the District of Columbia, Government Operations, and Post Office and Civil Service .

6 Figures for the 94th Congress are these of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare .

7 The Committee on Small Business was converted from a select to a standing committee at the beginning of the 97th Congress .

8 Totals may not add to 100 .0% duo to rounding .

CRS- 58

102nd

' 11992

di Comm to :

Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs

Rmvd

Rptd

100th

987:1989

YD:

99th ; :

(19851986)

d" :

®©®®®®

700

670

®®®

®®

107

®®

Energy & Natural Resources

®®~®®®

®®®®

607

®®

®_®_® MMM~

®®®®®®

®O

O®

®n®®nn®®

®®®no®o

©®©

®MMMM

®®®®

239

®®®

205

281

114

107

117

203

155

1.319

®®

Source : LEGIS Nominations Files for the 99th through 102nd Congresses . Compiled by Rogelio Garcia, Analyst in American National Government .

Congressional Research Service .

1 A single "nomination" in this table represents any separate transmittal to the Senate, either a single name or a list of names .

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.