What's the point of the ranking minority member being consulted before a subpoena is issued by the chair?

Question

A 2018 CRS document summarizing the subpoena power of committees of Congress says

Most House committees have also delegated to their chair the power to authorize subpoenas. Many of these rules delegating authority also require the chair to consult or notify the committee’s ranking minority member. Most Senate committees’ subpoena rules delegate to the chair and ranking minority member together the power to authorize subpoenas.

In addition to rules on authorizing subpoenas, the rules of most committees in both chambers also address issuing subpoenas. Most House committees’ rules delegate authority to issue subpoenas to the chair, and allow another committee member who has been designated by the committee to sign a subpoena. Most Senate committees’ rules delegate authority to issue subpoenas to the chair, and allow another committee member designated by the chair to sign a subpoena.

As you can see from that table (which only covers the House or Representatives), in no committee may the ranking minority member actually block a subpoena initiated by the chair (the "concurs" column is completely empty). In contrast, in the Senate, most committees require a joint decision by the chair and the ranking minority member.

(I've omitted the footnotes for this latter table because they take a page and a half, i.e. they're longer than the table itself.)

So, what's the point in the House committees of formally consulting the ranking minority member? Just so they can go on record as having approved or opposed the specific subpoena? Are these records kept and made available to the public?

Answer 1

Q: What's the point of the ranking minority member being consulted before a subpoena is issued by the chair?

Several witnesses may be subpoenaed for a hearing. In the absence of consultation, the minority may be denied the ability to subpoena its own witnesses under Rule XI, clause 2 ( j )(1).

( j )(1) Whenever a hearing is conducted by a committee on a measure or matter, the minority members of the committee shall be entitled, upon request to the chair by a majority of them before the completion of the hearing, to call witnesses selected by the minority to testify with respect to that measure or matter during at least one day of hearing thereon.

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Q: Are these records kept and made available to the public?

In an updated version of the referenced CRS report, a footnote states:

³ House and Senate rules do not require committees to provide public notice detailing their exercise of the subpoena power. Accordingly, comprehensive data on how frequently or infrequently committees issue subpoenas is not readily available.