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| Number of Standing Committees | 19 | 16 |
| Committee assignments per member | About 5 | About 7 |
| Power or Prestige Committees | Appropriations, Budget, Rules, Ways & Means | Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, Foreign Relations |
| Treaties and Nominations submitted by the president | No Authority | Committees review |
| Floor Debate | Representative activity is somewhat confined to the bills reported from the panels on which they serve | Senators can choose to influence any policy area regardless of their committee assignments (or expertise) |
| Committee consideration of Legislation | More difficult to bypass | Easier to bypass |
| Committee Chairmen | Subject to Party and Speaker influence that limits their discretionary authority over committee operations | Freer rein to manage committees |
| Committee staff | Less assertive in advocating ideas and proposals | More aggressive in shaping the legislative agenda |
| Subcommittee Chairmanships | Representatives of the majority party usually must wait at least one term | Majority Senators, regardless of their seniority, usually chair subcommittees |