The United States Congress has operated with more than 1,500 standing, special, select, or joint committees over the years. , United States Senate Historical Office. June 2008.
Most of these committees are now defunct. In some cases, their responsibilities were merged with those of other committees. For others, the committee remained in existence, but its name was changed. However, the bulk of committees were eliminated because they served a single purpose or it was deemed that subject matter no longer merited its own committee.
These lists contain both select and standing committees. When known, the committee's type, years, reason for elimination, and any successor committees are noted. Some committees, such as the myriad "Committee(s) to Investigate," are included in the list alphabetically by the primary subject matter being studied or investigated.
Early select committees were very fluid, serving their established function and then going out of existence. This makes tracking committees difficult, since many committees were known by the date they were created or by a petition or other document that had been referred to them. In a number of instances, the official journal and other congressional publications did not consistently refer to an individual committee by the same title. Though such inconsistencies still appeared during the 20th century, they were less frequent. Therefore, this list does include hundreds of select committees established by Congress during its early years, particularly prior to 1795 and 1816, when a system of permanent standing committees was established in the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively. The majority of these committees were assigned specific legislative bills, but many served merely ceremonial functions.
In the 1st Congress (1789–1791), the House appointed about 220 select committees over the course of two years. By the 3rd Congress (1793–1795), Congress had three permanent standing committees, the House Committee on Elections, the House Committee on Claims, and the Joint Committee on Enrolled Bills, but more than 350 select committees. While the modern committee system is now firmly established in both House and Senate procedure, with the rules of each House establishing a full range of permanent standing committees and assigning jurisdiction of all legislative issues among them, select committees continue to be used to respond to unique and difficult issues as the need arises.
Defunct House committees CommitteeTypeEstablishedTerminatedNotesAlleged Abstraction of Books from the Library of the HouseSelectInvestigation of rumors that representatives from southern seceding states had stolen books from the House library.Alleged Abstraction of a Report from the Clerk's OfficeInvestigation into the disappearance of a committee report from the Select Committee on Government ContractsAccountability of Public MoneysSelect committee expiredAccountsStandingMerged with House AdministrationAdmission to the FloorSelectSelect committee expiredAffairs with AlgiersAging (Permanent Select)Terminated at the end of the 102nd Congress. Committee not renewed during the 103rd Congress.Memorial of the Agricultural Bank of MississippiMemorial requesting forgiveness of a debt to the United States.Air AccidentsSelect committee expiredAir ServicesAlabama’s Admission to the UnionAlabama AffairsAlcoholic Liquor TrafficBecame a standing committeeAlcoholic Liquor TrafficStandingAlleged Assault on Senator SumnerSelectSelect committee expiredAmendment to the ConstitutionAmendment related to the Election of President and Vice PresidentSelect committee expiredAmendment related to the Appointment of Members of Congress to officeSelect committee expiredAmerican Colonization SocietyMemorial of the American Colonization SocietySelect committee expiredAmerican Retail FederationSpecialSelect committee expiredAmerican Ship buildingSelectAmerican Sugar Refining CompanySpecialAnthracite Emergency ProgramProgram to stabilize the Pennsylvania coal industry.Pennsylvania Governors: Governor Arthur H. James. Not authorized to hold hearings and no appropriations were authorized for it.Apportionment of RepresentativesSelectBring a Bill for the Apportionment of RepresentativesSelect committee expiredApportionment of Representatives under the 4th CensusSelect committee expiredApportionment of Representatives under the Next CensusSelect committee expiredApportionment of Representatives under the 6th CensusSelect committee expiredArkansas AffairsSelect committee expiredArkansas TerritoryArkansas Territorial LimitsArms ContractsArms ExportsArmy Appropriations InquiryArmy PayArmy RegulationsArmy Supply ContractsAssassinationsInvestigation into the Assassinations of President John. F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Select committee expiredAssault on the President’s SecretarySelect committee expiredEstablishing an Assay Office in the Gold RegionExport ControlSelect committee expiredAssent of Congress to an Act of the Virginia LegislatureAstronautics and Space ExplorationAsylum for the BlindAttorney General's OfficeInvestigate the Incorporation of the Baltic States into the U.S.S.R.Replaced by the Committee on Communist AggressionBank of the United StatesConduct and Management of the Bank of the United StatesSelect committee expiredPetition of the Bank of the United StatesSelect committee expiredUnited States Bank AffairsSelect committee expiredBanking and CurrencyStandingRenamed Banking, Currency, and HousingBanking, Currency, and HousingRenamed Banking, Finance, and Urban AffairsBanking, Finance, and Urban AffairsRenamed Banking and Financial Services: Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Fourth Congress.Banking and Financial ServicesRenamed Financial Services: Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Seventh Congress.Banking MemorialsSelectMemorials of Banking Institutions and Insurance Companies in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Bank of the United StatesSelect committee expiredBankrupt LawSelect committee expiredBankruptcyEstablishing a Uniform System of BankruptcySelect committee expiredBanks of the District of ColumbiaSelect committee expiredBenefits for Dependents of Armed Services VeteransCommittee to Investigate and Study Certain Benefits for Surviving Dependents of Deceased Members and Former Members of the Armed ForcesSelect committee expiredBerkshire AssociationSelect committee expiredBible Society of PhiladelphiaBiennial RegisterBills of ExchangeBills and Resolutions Introduced in the HouseBonus of the National BankBoundary of the Chickasaw IndiansCommittee to review the True Boundary of the Chickasaw Indians, Between the Tennessee and Mississippi RiversSelect committee expiredBounty Land Act of 1850Select committee expiredBounty Lands CommutationBoynton InvestigationBritish Depredations of the Northern FrontierBrownstown TreatyConduct of Peter J. BruinCommittee investigated the conduct of Peter J. Bruin, one of the Judges of the Superior Court of the Mississippi TerritoryBudgetSelect committee expiredCensusStandingJurisdiction merged into Post Office and Civil ServiceChildren, Youth, and FamiliesSelectCivil ServiceStandingJurisdiction merged into Post Office and Civil ServiceClaimsJurisdiction merged into JudiciaryClimate CrisisSelectTerminatedCoinage, Weights and MeasuresStandingJurisdiction merged into Banking and CurrencyCommerce and ManufacturesRenamed and split into Commerce and ManufacturesCommerceFirst period.Renamed Interstate and Foreign CommerceConservation of Wildlife ResourcesSelectCommunist AggressionDisposition of Executive PapersStandingJurisdiction merged into House AdministrationDisposition of Surplus PropertySelectSelect committee expiredDistrict of ColumbiaStandingJurisdiction merged into Government ReformEconomic and Educational OpportunitiesRenamed Committee on Education and the WorkforceEconomic Disparity and Fairness in GrowthSelectTerminatedEducationStandingMerged into Education and LaborEducation and LaborSplit into Education and Labor1947–1995: Restored as Economic and Educational Opportunities1997–2007: Renamed Education and the WorkforceRestored in 2007ElectionsJurisdiction merged into House AdministrationElection of the President, Vice President and Representatives in CongressEnergy Independence and Global WarmingSelectTerminatedEngravingStandingJurisdiction merged into PrintingEnrolled BillsJurisdiction merged into House AdministrationEvents Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in BenghaziSelectTerminatedExpenditures in the Executive DepartmentsStandingCreated by the merger of several predecessor expenditure committeesJurisdiction merged into Government OperationsExpenditures in the Agriculture DepartmentJurisdiction merged into Expenditures in the Executive DepartmentsExpenditures in the Commerce and Labor DepartmentsSplit between Expenditures in the Commerce Department and Expenditures in the Labor DepartmentExpenditures in the Commerce DepartmentMerged into Expenditures in the Executive DepartmentsExpenditures in the Interior DepartmentExpenditures in the Justice DepartmentExpenditures in the Labor DepartmentExpenditures in the Navy DepartmentExpenditures in the Post Office DepartmentExpenditures in the State DepartmentExpenditures in the Treasury DepartmentExpenditures in the War DepartmentExpenditures on Public BuildingsFlood ControlJurisdiction over related subjects previously under Rivers and Harbors, and some issues included from Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River before its termination in 1911. Committee terminated by 1946 Reorg., with its successor being Public Works.Freedmen's AffairsImplementation of 14th and 15th AmendmentsGovernment OperationsMoved into Government ReformGovernment ReformRenamed Oversight and Government ReformGovernment ResearchSelectSelect committee expiredHouse Beauty ShopMoved into House AdministrationHouse RestaurantHurricane KatrinaSelect committee expiredImmigration and NaturalizationStandingMoved into JudiciaryIndian AffairsMoved into Public LandsIndustrial Arts and ExpositionsInsular AffairsCuban affairs moved to Foreign Affairs in 1906Moved to Public LandsInterior and Insular AffairsMoved to ResourcesInternal SecurityFunctions transferred to the JudiciaryInternational RelationsRenamed Foreign AffairsRestored 1995–2007Reverted to Foreign AffairsInterstate and Foreign CommerceRenamed Energy and CommerceInquiry into Operation of the U.S. Air ServicesSelectSelect committee expiredInvalid PensionsStandingTerminatedIrrigation and ReclamationMoved to Public LandsIrrigation of Arid LandsRenamed Irrigation and ReclamationJanuary 6th attackSelectOfficial title: Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol TerminatedKatyn Forest Massacre InvestigationSelect committee expiredLaborStandingMerged into Education and LaborLevees and Improvements of the Mississippi RiverCommittee terminated, with its successor being Rivers and Harbors.LibrarySome functions moved into House Administration. Now Joint Committee on the LibraryLobbying ActivitiesSelectSelect committee expiredManufacturesStandingCreated from the split of Commerce and Manufactures in 1819, it became inactive during its later years and was eliminated in 1911.MemorialsMoved into House AdministrationMerchant Marine and FisheriesMerchant Marine, Radio and FisheriesTemporary renaming of Merchant Marine and FisheriesMileageDuties returned to AccountsMilitary AffairsMoved into Armed ServicesMilitary PensionsRenamed Invalid PensionsMilitiaMoved to Military AffairsMines and MiningMoved to Public LandsMississippi LeveesRenamed Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River, until 1911.Modernization of CongressSelectTerminatedImpeachment Trial Investigation Official title: Select Committee to Investigate in Regard to Alleged Improper Influences on the Impeachment Trial