Influence in the House

The House Rules Committee decides how bills reach the floor. For almost every major bill it writes a rule that sets how long debate lasts and whether amendments are allowed, and it can keep a bill from coming up at all. Because every important bill passes through it, a seat on Rules gives power over the whole House agenda, not one policy area. The majority leadership controls it closely for that reason.

Each choice

• A. Agriculture handles farm policy. It matters to members from farm districts but has no power over the House's general business.
• B. The foreign affairs committee shapes international policy, yet it has little control over what reaches the House floor.
• C. Transportation and Infrastructure is valued for bringing projects home to a district, but its reach stops at its own subject.
• D (correct). The Rules Committee sets the terms of debate and amendment for nearly every major bill, which gives power over the House itself.
• E. Veterans' Affairs serves a specific group and policy area. A seat there helps constituents more than it builds influence in the chamber.