What is Joint Committee?

Definition and meaning of joint committee: A joint committee is a legislative body composed of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This type of committee is formed to consider bills and other matters that need the approval of both houses of Congress. The joint committee is a powerful tool for creating consensus in the legislative process, as it is composed of members from both major parties. For example, the Joint Committee on Taxation is a joint committee that is responsible for providing Congress with nonpartisan analyses and estimates of the revenue effects of proposed tax legislation. Joint committees are composed of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and as such, are inherently less independent than single-house committees. This can limit their effectiveness in producing meaningful reform.