The Contract with America was both a brilliant public relations ploy and a device with which to compel Republican candidates to adhere to ideological principles once in office. As PR, it positioned the Republicans as revolutionary outsiders intent on eliminating corruption from Congress, and it promised a high degree of accountability in hopes of overcoming public distrust. As ideological hammer, getting candidates to sign the Contract during the campaign made it more difficult to back away from commitments later. What the Republicans under Gingrich could not overcome, however, was the decline in turnout. Nearly every bill is referred to at least one committee after its introduction, and very rarely does a bill ever reach the floor of either house of Congress without first being approved by a committee.
Committees also have the power to amend and even rewrite bills.
Usually, an effort is made to place each member in a committee of their choice. Seniority normally determines rank on each committee, with the most senior member of the majority party serving as committee chair. He controlled committee assignments. Subcommittees were subjected to their parent committees. This, in turn, subtly enhanced staff power.