Members of Congress legislate on a wide range of issues: education, energy, agricultural, space, finance, taxation, national defense, immigration, to name a few. Can we reasonably expect members to be well-versed in the particulars in each of these issues as they pertain to upcoming or pending legislation? Not likely. Enter the committee systems. Over 200 congressional committees and sub-committees exist to address these issues. We are discussing the history of these committees and how they are used in today's political climate. We are honored to have Former Member of Congress Vin Weber joining our student panel for this insightful discussion.