[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3592 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3592

To establish the permanent Joint Committee for Review of Administrative 
  Rules to review rules of Federal agencies and to amend chapter 8 of 
                   title 5 of the United States Code.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2000

    Mr. Green of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the permanent Joint Committee for Review of Administrative 
  Rules to review rules of Federal agencies and to amend chapter 8 of 
                   title 5 of the United States Code.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment and Membership.--There is established a permanent 
Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (hereinafter 
referred to as the ``Joint Committee'') to be composed of--
            (1) 10 members of the Senate to be appointed by the 
        majority leader of the Senate; and
            (2) 10 members of the House of Representatives to be 
        appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Membership.--Vacancies in the membership of the Joint Committee 
shall not affect the power of the remaining members to execute the 
functions of the Joint Committee and shall be filled in the same manner 
as in the case of the original selection. The Joint Committee shall 
select a Chairman and a Vice Chairman from among its members at the 
beginning of each Congress. The Vice Chairman shall act in the place 
and stead of the Chairman in the absence of the Chairman. The 
chairmanship shall alternate between the Senate and the House of 
Representatives with each Congress, and the Chairman shall be selected 
by the Members from that House entitled to the chairmanship. The Vice 
Chairman shall be chosen from the House other than that of the Chairman 
by the Members from that House.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY AND DUTIES.

    The Joint Committee shall review rules of Federal agencies as 
provided by chapter 8 of title 5 of the United States Code. Any joint 
resolution that is referred to any committee pursuant to section 802 of 
title 5, United States Code, which is reported by, or discharged from, 
that committee shall be referred to the Joint Committee for its 
consideration. The members of the Joint Committee who are members of 
the Senate shall from time to time report to the Senate, and the 
members of the Joint Committee who are members of the House of 
Representatives shall from time to time report to the House, by joint 
resolution their recommendations with respect to matters within the 
jurisdiction of their respective Houses which are referred to the Joint 
Committee.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY AND EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION OF STAFF.

    (a) Authority of Joint Committee.--The Joint Committee may--
            (1) sit and act at such places and times as the Joint 
        Committee determines is appropriate during the sessions, 
        recesses, and adjourned periods of Congress; and
            (2) require the attendance of witnesses and the production 
        of books, papers, and documents, administer oaths, take 
        testimony, and procure printing and binding.
    (b) Appointment and Compensation of Staff.--(1) The Joint Committee 
may appoint and fix the compensation of such experts, consultants, 
technicians, and staff employees as it deems necessary and advisable.
    (2) The Joint Committee may utilize such voluntary and 
uncompensated services as it deems necessary and may utilize the 
services, information, facilities, and personnel of the departments and 
establishments of the Government.
    (c) Witnesses.--Witnesses requested to appear before the Joint 
Committee shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other 
necessary expenses incurred by them in traveling to and from the places 
at which they are to appear.

SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF AGENCY RULEMAKING.

    (a) Congressional Review.--Section 801(a) of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(C), by inserting ``and to the Joint 
        Committee for Review of Administrative Rules'' before the 
        period; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``and to the Joint 
        Committee for Review of Administrative Rules'' after 
        ``Congress''.
    (b) Congressional Disapproval Procedure in the Senate.--(1) Section 
804(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by--
            (1) striking ``placed on the calendar'' and inserting 
        ``referred to the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative 
        Rules for a period of not to exceed 10 session days''; and
            (2) adding at the end the following new sentence: In the 
        Senate, if the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative 
        Rules has not reported such joint resolution (or an identical 
        joint resolution) at the end of 10 session days after such 
        joint resolution is referred to it, such joint committee may be 
        discharged from further consideration of such joint resolution 
        upon a petition supported in writing by 30 Members of the 
        Senate, and such joint resolution shall be placed on the 
        calendar.''.
    (2) Section 804(d) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``and the joint committee'' after ``committee'' the first 
place it occurs and by striking ``a committee'' and inserting ``the 
joint committee''.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) In General.--This Act and the amendments made by it shall take 
effect on noon January 3, 2001, and shall apply to rules promulgated 
after such date.
    (b) Definition.--As used in subsection (a), the term ``rule'' has 
the meaning given such term by section 804(3) of title 5, United States 
Code.
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