What are the responsibilities of the Committee of Elders in The Giver?

The Committee of Elders are responsible for making all of the decisions in their society. They watch children as they are growing up and decide what assignments to give. Not only do they assign jobs, but they make almost every choice in each person's life: who to marry, where to live, which child to have, even what name a person will have. Whenever the Committee of Elders have difficulty making such a decision, they consult the Giver, who holds all of the memories for all of the people and can inform them of past decisions.