[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 693 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 693

  Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish the 
    Permanent Select Committee on Oversight of the Executive Branch.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 19, 2016

 Mr. Yoho (for himself and Mr. Weber of Texas) submitted the following 
        resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish the 
    Permanent Select Committee on Oversight of the Executive Branch.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE 
              BRANCH.

    (a) Establishment.--Rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is amended by adding at the end the following new 
clause:
``Permanent Select Committee on Oversight of the Executive Branch
    ``12.(a) There is hereby established the Permanent Select Committee 
on Oversight of the Executive Branch (hereinafter referred to as the 
`Select Committee').
    ``(b)(1) The Speaker shall appoint 12 Members to the Select 
Committee, five of whom shall be appointed after consultation with the 
minority leader.
    ``(2) The Speaker shall designate one Member to serve as chair of 
the Select Committee, and the minority leader shall designate one 
Member to serve as ranking minority member of the Select Committee.
    ``(3) Any vacancy in the Select Committee shall be filled in the 
same manner as the original appointment.
    ``(4) The Select Committee shall enlist the assistance of a Special 
Task Force established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the 
sole purpose of assisting the Select Committee in its investigations.
    ``(c) The Select Committee shall investigate allegations of 
misconduct by officials of the executive branch. The Select Committee 
shall not have legislative jurisdiction.
    ``(d)(1) Notwithstanding clause 3(m) of rule X, the Select 
Committee is authorized to study the sources and methods of entities 
described in clause 11(b)(1)(A) of rule X insofar as such study is 
related to the matters described in paragraph (c).
    ``(2) Clause 11(e) and the first sentence of clause 11(f) of rule X 
(relating to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) shall 
apply to the Select Committee.
    ``(3) Rule XI applies to the Select Committee except as follows:
            ``(A) Clause 2(a) of rule XI shall not apply to the Select 
        Committee.
            ``(B) Clause 2(g)(2)(D) of rule XI shall apply to the 
        Select Committee in the same manner as it applies to the 
        Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
            ``(C) Pursuant to clause 2(h) of rule XI, two Members of 
        the Select Committee shall constitute a quorum for taking 
        testimony or receiving evidence and one-third of the Members of 
        the Select Committee shall constitute a quorum for taking any 
        action other than one for which the presence of a majority of 
        the Select Committee is required.
            ``(D) The chair of the Select Committee may authorize and 
        issue subpoenas pursuant to clause 2(m) of rule XI in the 
        investigation and study conducted pursuant to section 3 of this 
        resolution, including for the purpose of taking depositions, as 
        is deemed necessary in the pursuit of truth and justice for the 
        American people.
            ``(E)(i) The chair of the Select Committee, upon 
        consultation with the ranking minority member, may order the 
        taking of depositions, under oath and pursuant to notice or 
        subpoena, by a Member of the Select Committee or a counsel of 
        the Select Committee.
            ``(ii) Depositions taken under the authority prescribed in 
        this subdivision shall be governed by the procedures submitted 
        by the chair of the Committee on Rules for printing in the 
        Congressional Record.
            ``(F) The chair of the Select Committee may, after 
        consultation with the ranking minority member, recognize--
                    ``(i) Members of the Select Committee to question a 
                witness for periods longer than five minutes as though 
                pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(B) of rule XI; and
                    ``(ii) staff of the Select Committee to question a 
                witness as though pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(C) of rule 
                XI.''.
    (b) Funding for One Hundred Fourteenth Congress.--
            (1) Payment of expenses.--There shall be paid out of the 
        applicable accounts of the House of Representatives such sums 
        as may be necessary for the expenses of the Permanent Select 
        Committee on Oversight of the Executive Branch established 
        under clause 12 of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
        Representatives (as added by subsection (a)) during the One 
        Hundred Fourteenth Congress.
            (2) Vouchers.--Payments under this subsection shall be made 
        on vouchers signed by the chair of the Select Committee and 
        approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House 
        Administration.
            (3) Regulations.--Amounts made available under this 
        subsection shall be expended in accordance with regulations 
        prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.
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