Legal Definitions - standing committee

A standing committee is a group that is established for ongoing business and continues to exist from session to session. It is usually charged with considering business of a certain recurring kind. For example, a legislature may establish a standing committee concerned with a specific field of legislation. A legislative standing committee usually considers basic questions of legislative policy, holds hearings on legislation, eliminates unwanted bills, and prepares favored measures for passage.

Examples:

• The House of Representatives has a standing committee on education and labor.
• The Senate has a standing committee on foreign relations.

These examples illustrate how standing committees are established for ongoing business and are charged with considering specific fields of legislation.