Congressional Membership and Appointment Authority to Advisory Commissions, Boards, and Groups (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Feb. 28, 2024 |
| Report Number |
RL33313 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Matthew E. Glassman, Government and Finance Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
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Summary:
Over the past several decades, Congress, by statute, has
established a wide array of commissions,
boards, and advisory bodies to provide it with assistance in meeting various legislative,
investigative, and administrative responsibilities. Some of these entities are temporary and
created to serve specific functi
ons, such as studying a discrete policy area or performing one
-
time
tasks. Others are permanent, serving an ongoing purpose, such as overseeing an institution or
performing a regular administrative function.
The majority of these congressional bodies provi
de that
Members
of Congress, particularly the
leadership, be intimately involved in the appointment process, either through direct service on a
commission, or by appointing or recommending candidates for membership.
The choice of a particular mechanism for
membership appointment may have implications for the
ability of these entities to fulfill their congressional mandates. Examination of the statutory
language creating these bodies reveals several common approaches to membership selection.
Each alternative
schema has its advantages.
A commission or board composed entirely of
Members
permits a high degree of congressional
control over the entity’s operations. Bodies composed mainly of qualified private citizens or
executive branch appointees may provide a br
oader expertise than
Member
-
only bodies.
Assemblages of mixed membership provide some of the advantages of both
Member
and citizen
-
only appointment schemes.
This report contains a compilation of
existing
commissions and boards that demonstrates the
range of alternative membership
-
appointment structures. It includes any statutorily created
advisory entity (boards, advisory panels, etc.) whose membership scheme mandates the
participation of
Members
of Congre
ss either as potential members or as participants in the
process of appointing the membership. For each entity, information on the purpose, duration,
appointment structure, and term of appointment is provided. Finally, information on the
involvement of
Mem
bers
of Congress in the appointment process is presented in a series of
tables.
