Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) was recently appointed to the House Education and Labor Committee. Before getting into the outrage this appointment evoked or repeating the litany of complaints from House Democrats and others denouncing GOP leaders for tapping Greene to serve on this committee amid a growing outcry over her past comments challenging the veracity of deadly school shootings, I think it would be useful to explain the importance of congressional committees in general and to describe what this committee actually does, because I believe her appointment should only further enrage us.

First, a congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty, rather than the general duties of Congress. Committees are intended to provide valuable informational services to Congress by investigating and reporting about specialized subjects; and they enable members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction. Essentially as “little legislatures,” the committees monitor ongoing governmental operations, identify issues suitable for legislative review, gather and evaluate information and recommend courses of action to their parent body.