Which term describes a committee that is authorized to take action on matters referred to it?

Which term describes a committee that is authorized to take action on matters referred to it?

• A. Ad Hoc
• B. Standing
• C. With Power
• D. Subcommittee

Answer: (C)

When a body assigns a matter to a committee and also authorizes that committee to act on it, the committee is given authority to take final action. This is described as the committee having power to act on the referred matter. That distinction matters because it means the committee isn’t merely studying or recommending; it can make binding decisions or resolutions on its own, within the limits set by the assembly. The other types describe different roles or durations rather than explicit authority to act: an ad hoc committee is temporary and set up for a specific task; a standing committee is a permanent, ongoing group; a subcommittee is a smaller panel created by another committee. None of these inherently implies the committee can take final action on referred matters the way a “with power” committee does.

When a body assigns a matter to a committee and also authorizes that committee to act on it, the committee is given authority to take final action. This is described as the committee having power to act on the referred matter. That distinction matters because it means the committee isn’t merely studying or recommending; it can make binding decisions or resolutions on its own, within the limits set by the assembly.

The other types describe different roles or durations rather than explicit authority to act: an ad hoc committee is temporary and set up for a specific task; a standing committee is a permanent, ongoing group; a subcommittee is a smaller panel created by another committee. None of these inherently implies the committee can take final action on referred matters the way a “with power” committee does.