committee of the whole

noun phrase

: the whole membership of a legislative house sitting as a committee and operating under informal rules

Examples of committee of the whole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The City Council, acting as a committee of the whole, recommended approving a proposal raising the salaries of the mayor, city clerk/treasurer, city attorney and for members of the City Council and... —Tom Sissom, arkansasonline.com, 21 Nov. 2023

The council, working as a committee of the whole, on Wednesday moved forward for a vote a $3.7 million contract with GeoSurfaces for purchase and installation of the turf. —Laurinda Joenks, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2023

Oswego Village Board members met as a committee of the whole recently and discussed impact fees developers pay to the village, schools, park district, library and fire district in town. —Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2023

The library board and staff are very aware of Springdale's community standards, which were expressed Monday night as the City Council met as a committee of the whole, noted Paula Wilson, chairman of the library board. —Laurinda Joenks, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2023

Oswego Village Board members as a committee of the whole Tuesday will discuss the possibility of limiting the number of video gambling licenses in town. —Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1689, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

committee of the whole

: the whole membership of a legislative house (as the House of Representatives) sitting as a committee and operating under informal parliamentary rules

called also Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union