Final answer:
Congressional committee chairpersons have traditionally been chosen through the seniority system, giving preference to members with longer tenures in Congress. They hold significant power over committee actions but are limited to serving a maximum of six years in that role in both the House and the Senate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Traditionally, Congressional committee chairpersons have been chosen through the seniority system. The seniority system prioritizes members of Congress for committee chair positions based on their years of service and other factors such as state population. Despite the power committee chairs hold, such as controlling the committee's budget and determining the consideration of bills, there are limits in place. For instance, in the House of Representatives, committee chairs cannot serve more than six consecutive years in that role. Similarly, the U.S. Senate allows senators to chair a committee for only six years, although they may have leadership roles on other panels. The committee chairs are typically aligned with the majority party, which allows the majority to push their policy agenda, though each legislative chamber has its own distinct processes.