United States House Committee On Oversight and Government Reform

United States House Committee On Oversight And Government Reform

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is a United States House of Representatives committee that has existed in varying forms since 1816.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. After Republicans gained control of the House in 1995, the committee was reorganized to include just seven subcommittees. This reorganization consolidated the jurisdiction previously covered by 3 full committees and 14 subcommittees, and resulted in a 50 percent cut in staff. In 2007, Henry Waxman, (D-CA) the chairman of the committee proposed an additional reorganization which combined the duties of the seven previous subcommittees into five. This reorganization was adopted by the full committee January 18, 2007.

As of the 112th Congress, the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is Rep. Darrell Issa of California and the Ranking Member is Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings.

The Committee's government-wide oversight jurisdiction and expanded legislative authority make it one of the most influential and powerful committees in the House. The Committee serves as Congress' chief investigative and oversight committee, and is granted broad jurisdiction. The chairman of the committee is the only committee chairman in the House with the authority to issue subpoenas without a committee vote. However, in recent history, it has become practice to refrain from unilateral subpoenas.

Read more about United States House Committee On Oversight And Government Reform:  Establishment and Alumni of The Committee, Recent Events, 1997–2009, Hearing On February 16, 2012, Members, 112th Congress, Subcommittees

Famous quotes containing the words united states, united, states, house, committee, government and/or reform:

    ... the yearly expenses of the existing religious system ... exceed in these United States twenty millions of dollars. Twenty millions! For teaching what? Things unseen and causes unknown!... Twenty millions would more than suffice to make us wise; and alas! do they not more than suffice to make us foolish?
    Frances Wright (1795–1852)

    The veto is a President’s Constitutional right, given to him by the drafters of the Constitution because they wanted it as a check against irresponsible Congressional action. The veto forces Congress to take another look at legislation that has been passed. I think this is a responsible tool for a president of the United States, and I have sought to use it responsibly.
    Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)

    The traveler to the United States will do well ... to prepare himself for the class-consciousness of the natives. This differs from the already familiar English version in being more extreme and based more firmly on the conviction that the class to which the speaker belongs is inherently superior to all others.
    John Kenneth Galbraith (b. 1908)

    Ah, yet, ere I descend to the grave,
    May I a small house and large garden have;
    And a few friends, and many books, both true,
    Both wise, and both delightful too!
    And since love ne’er will from me flee,
    A mistress moderately fair,
    And good as guardian angels are,
    Only beloved and loving me.
    Abraham Cowley (1618–1667)

    What a wise and good parent will desire for his own children a nation must desire for all children.
    —Consultative Committee On The Prima. Report of the Consultative Committee on the Primary School (HADOW)

    No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.
    Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

    One point in my public life: I did all I could for the reform of the civil service, for the building up of the South, for a sound currency, etc., etc., but I never forgot my party.... I knew that all good measures would suffer if my Administration was followed by the defeat of my party. Result, a great victory in 1880. Executive and legislature both completely Republican.
    Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)