Authorizing Committee: Both the Senate and the House have
sitting committees that are charged with overseeing legislation
dealing with specific programs. These authorizing committees
hold hearings and make alterations to bills before the
legislation is moved to the full Senate or House for
consideration. For example, the Senate Health, Education, Labor
and Pensions Committee holds hearings on bills that would set
federal laws for smoking prevention. Budget reconciliation:
Under congressional budget rules, when the House and Senate draw
up the budget resolution each year, they can include a budget
reconciliation directive mandating that various committees
change laws governing entitlement programs to save money. Budget
resolution: This is a joint House and Senate blueprint of
anticipated federal spending and revenues. The resolutions,
which lay out the committees’ spending, revenue, borrowing and
economic goals, serve as the vehicle for imposing internal
budget discipline. The measures go to the full House and