## Overview The House Rules Committee is a pivotal and uniquely powerful committee in the United States House of Representatives, often described as the “traffic cop” or “gatekeeper” of the House floor[6]. Unlike other committees that focus on specific policy areas, the Rules Committee is solely concerned with the procedures governing how legislation is debated, amended, and voted upon in the House[1][3]. This gives it substantial control over the legislative agenda, effectively determining which bills reach the floor, under what conditions, and in what form[1][2]. ## Functions and Powers The committee’s primary responsibility is to devise “special rules”—resolutions that set the terms for debate on each major piece of legislation[1][6]. These rules can be open (allowing many amendments), modified, structured, or closed (permitting few or no amendments), thus shaping the legislative process to suit the majority party’s priorities[1][6]. The committee can also include “self-executing” provisions, allowing certain measures to pass automatically without a separate vote[1]. By controlling the flow, timing, and amendment process for bills, the Rules Committee exerts significant influence over legislative outcomes[2][3]. ## History and Evolution Established on April 2, 1789, the Rules Committee initially functioned as a select committee proposing general procedural guidelines for the House[1][3]. For much of its early history, it played a limited role, but its importance grew as the legislative workload increased. In 1880, it became a permanent standing committee, and its modern, influential form emerged—especially under figures like Speaker Thomas Brackett Reed, who used the committee to centralize power in the speakership[3]. Over time, the committee evolved into a key instrument for majority party leadership, earning the nickname “the Speaker’s committee”[1][5]. ## Current Status and Notable Aspects Today, the Rules Committee is composed of 13 members, with a