I cannot figure out yet which are truly 'the big ones'. I'm most interested now in those related to Clinton, the Trump campaign, the 2016 election, and Trump's presidency, etc.
Background note: the Senate sets up committees or subcommittees to address specific needs (e.g. the 1950 Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee Investigation of Charges by Senator McCarthy (The Tydings Committee))
One of the most important nonlegislative functions of the Congress is the power to investigate. This power is usually delegated to committees -- either the standing committees, special committees ..., or joint committees composed of members of both houses. Investigations are conducted to gather information on the need for future legislation, to test the effectiveness of laws already passed, to inquire into the qualifications and performance of members and officials of the other branches, and on rare occasions, to lay the groundwork for impeachment proceedings. (From American History from the colonial period until modern times the University of Groningen in the Netherlands)
Senate Judiciary Committee
This is a standing committee which votes on federal judge nominees and top appointments to the Justice Department; also deals with federal criminal law issues. Current chair is Grassley, ranking minority is Feinstein.
They started an investigation - which in the summer was focused on the work of the FBI (what did Comey do? McCabe? Others do? etc). There was some shift during October that led to the Republicans going ahead without the Dems and Dems proceeding without the Republicans. This included investigating the uranium ore thing (Clinton) and the Clinton probe overall.
MY takeaway is the Repubs starting looking for ways to discredit the hiring of Mueller and how to fire him 'for cause'.
The role of Strzok came out a few days ago and all kinds of drama are coming from the various Trump Loyalists.
Senate Permanent Subcommittee for Investigations
Portman is chair, ranking is Carper; the McCarthy investigations may be one of its legacies (name change?). It is under the Senate's Committee for Homeland Security & Government Affairs. The currently available document about its jurisdiction is for the 114th Congress.
It doesn't appear to have any relative investigation underway.
Senate Intelligence Select Committee
Richard Burr (North Carolina) is chair, ranking is Mark Warner (Virginia); they have oversight (?) on domestic surveillance - and they are pretty much OK with the policies as they are. this committee is pretty close mouthed as to progress. They seem to avoid conflicts with the president (they didn't tell Trump to buzz off when he demanded they stop the investigation). They are currently the one bi-partisan group working on relevant investigations. These links give decent summaries: MotherJones (10.24.17); Politico (12.4.17)
Members:
Republicans
James Risch Idaho
Marco Rubio Florida
Susan Collins Maine
Roy Blunt Missouri
James Lankford Oklahoma
Tom Cotton Arkansas
John Cornyn Texas
House Committees
Republicans on three House committees have also taken up investigative topics that Democrats and other critics see as tangents aimed at drawing attention away from the Trump administration’s ties to Russia. On Tuesday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) announced a joint probe by his panel and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee into the uranium deal that Grassley is also looking into. At a news conference, Nunes grew testy as multiple reporters asked him how his role in the probe jibes with his pledge earlier this year to step aside from his panel’s investigation into Russian interference. Nunes’ decision to step aside came after he was forced to admit he had secretly briefed the White House on findings. He said Tuesday that he has not talked to the White House about the uranium matter but will do so “if appropriate.” The House Oversight committee and House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday announced a separate probe into the Justice Department’s handling of its inquiry into Clinton’s email practices.
