What is a joint committee?

Answer 1

A Joint Committee of the US Congress is composed of Members of Congress appointed from the US House of Representatives and the US Senate to consider topics of legislation that are of interest to both bodies. Joint committees may be permanent (standing) or special (select), depending upon whether their charter extends across sessions of the chamber or, in the latter case, is of a limited scope and duration. Select committees are given jurisdiction over matters that are beyond the scope of the standing committees.

A Conference Committee is a special, joint committee that is formed to amend legislation that has been passed in one form in the House and another form in the Senate so that it will can emerge in a form that will be acceptable to both chambers of the Congress.

Answer 2

A joint committee is a type of legislative committee that has both Senators and Representatives as members. It is unusual because normally committees work within their own Houses and consist of only Representatives for House committees and Senators for Senate committees. Joint committees are formed in order to get input on proposed laws from both Houses of Congress in order to facilitate the legislative process. Normally, one or the other House of Congress passes a proposed law, then sends it to the other House for approval. However, it often happens that the next House wants to make changes in it. If it does, it makes the changes then sends it back to the House that originated the bill with a statement why the changes were made. This process could waste time so to avoid that, some of the more important and complex bills are reviewed by a joint committee so the bill is acceptable to both Houses right away.
Congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.

Answer 3

An example of a joint committee is:

Say if the Transportation committee wants a new road the taxes committee will have to work with the Transportation committee to make sure that the new road will be in the budget. That will make the two houses have to join up and work together. Which makes a joint committee.

Hope that helps!

Answer 4

It provides a way for politicians to more easily screw over our country, no matter what stupid, idiotic idea one member comes up with, the others can help make it more stupid and idiotic. Then when the American people find out they've been screwed, the politicians can point at other members of the committee and blame them and keep getting re-elected by the more than stupid and idiotic American voters. (Well, at least the majority of them.)