[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 918 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
House Calendar No. 54
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 918
[Report No. 118-314]
Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations
as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether
sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise
its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the
United States of America, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 7, 2023
Mr. Armstrong submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Rules
December 12, 2023
Reported from the Committee on Rules; referred to the House Calendar
and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations
as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether
sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise
its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the
United States of America, and for other purposes.
Resolved, That the Committees on Oversight and Accountability, Ways
and Means, and the Judiciary are directed to continue their ongoing
investigations as part of the House of Representatives inquiry into
whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to
exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of
the United States of America, including as set forth in the memorandum
issued by the Chairs of the Committees on Oversight and Accountability,
Ways and Means, and Judiciary of the House of Representatives, entitled
``Impeachment Inquiry'', dated September 27, 2023.
SEC. 2. INVESTIGATIVE PROCEEDINGS BY THE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
For the purpose of continuing the investigation described in the
first section of this resolution, the Committee on Oversight and
Accountability is authorized to conduct proceedings pursuant to this
resolution as follows:
(1) The chair of the Committee on Oversight and
Accountability may designate an open hearing or hearings
pursuant to this section.
(2) Notwithstanding clause 2(j)(2) of rule XI of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, upon recognition by the chair
for such purpose under this paragraph during any hearing
designated pursuant to paragraph (1), the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Oversight and
Accountability shall be permitted to question witnesses for
equal specified periods of longer than five minutes, as
determined by the chair. The time available for each period of
questioning under this paragraph shall be equal for the chair
and the ranking minority member. The chair may confer
recognition for multiple periods of such questioning, but each
period of questioning shall not exceed 90 minutes in the
aggregate. Only the chair and ranking minority member, or an
employee of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability if
yielded to by the chair or ranking minority member, may
question witnesses during such periods of questioning. At the
conclusion of questioning pursuant to this paragraph, the
committee shall proceed with questioning under the five-minute
rule pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(A) of rule XI.
(3) To allow for full evaluation of minority witness
requests, the ranking minority member may submit to the chair,
in writing, any requests for witness testimony relevant to the
investigation described in the first section of this resolution
within 72 hours after notice is given for the first hearing
designated pursuant to paragraph (1). Any such request shall be
accompanied by a detailed written justification of the
relevance of the testimony of each requested witness to the
investigation described in the first section of this
resolution.
(4)(A) The ranking minority member of the Committee on
Oversight and Accountability is authorized, with the
concurrence of the chair of the Committee on Oversight and
Accountability, to require, as deemed necessary to the
investigation--
(i) by subpoena or otherwise--
(I) the attendance and testimony of any
person (including at a taking of a deposition);
and
(II) the production of books, records,
correspondence, memoranda, papers, and
documents; and
(ii) by interrogatory, the furnishing of
information.
(B) In the case that the chair declines to concur in a
proposed action of the ranking minority member pursuant to
subparagraph (A), the ranking minority member shall have the
right to refer to the committee for decision the question
whether such authority shall be so exercised and the chair
shall convene the committee promptly to render that decision,
subject to the notice procedures for a committee meeting under
clause 2(g)(3)(A) and (B) of rule XI.
(C) Subpoenas and interrogatories so authorized may be
signed by the ranking minority member, and may be served by any
person designated by the ranking minority member.
(5) The chair is authorized to make publicly available in
electronic form the transcripts of depositions conducted by the
Committee on Oversight and Accountability in furtherance of the
investigation described in the first section of this
resolution, with appropriate redactions for classified and
other sensitive information.
(6) The Committee on Oversight and Accountability may issue
a report setting forth its findings and any recommendations and
appending any information and materials the Committee on
Oversight and Accountability may deem appropriate with respect
to the investigation described in the first section of this
resolution. The chair may transmit such report and appendices,
along with any supplemental, minority, additional, or
dissenting views filed pursuant to clause 2(l) of rule XI, to
the Committee on the Judiciary and make such report publicly
available in electronic form, with appropriate redactions to
protect classified and other sensitive information. Any report
prepared under this paragraph may be prepared in consultation
with the chairs of the Committees on Ways and Means and on the
Judiciary.
SEC. 3. INVESTIGATIVE PROCEEDINGS BY THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.
For the purpose of continuing the investigation described in the
first section of this resolution, the Committee on Ways and Means is
authorized to conduct proceedings pursuant to this resolution as
follows:
(1) The chair of the Committee on Ways and Means may
designate an open hearing or hearings pursuant to this section.
(2) Notwithstanding clause 2(j)(2) of rule XI of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, upon recognition by the chair
for such purpose under this paragraph during any hearing
designated pursuant to paragraph (1), the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means shall be
permitted to question witnesses for equal specified periods of
longer than five minutes, as determined by the chair. The time
available for each period of questioning under this paragraph
shall be equal for the chair and the ranking minority member.
The chair may confer recognition for multiple periods of such
questioning, but each period of questioning shall not exceed 90
minutes in the aggregate. Only the chair and ranking minority
member, or an employee of the Committee on Ways and Means if
yielded to by the chair or ranking minority member, may
question witnesses during such periods of questioning. At the
conclusion of questioning pursuant to this paragraph, the
committee shall proceed with questioning under the five-minute
rule pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(A) of rule XI.
(3) To allow for full evaluation of minority witness
requests, the ranking minority member may submit to the chair,
in writing, any requests for witness testimony relevant to the
investigation described in the first section of this resolution
within 72 hours after notice is given for the first hearing
designated pursuant to paragraph (1). Any such request shall be
accompanied by a detailed written justification of the
relevance of the testimony of each requested witness to the
investigation described in the first section of this
resolution.
(4)(A) The ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways
and Means is authorized, with the concurrence of the chair of
the Committee on Ways and Means, to require, as deemed
necessary to the investigation--
(i) by subpoena or otherwise--
(I) the attendance and testimony of any
person (including at a taking of a deposition);
and
(II) the production of books, records,
correspondence, memoranda, papers, and
documents; and
(ii) by interrogatory, the furnishing of
information.
(B) In the case that the chair declines to concur in a
proposed action of the ranking minority member pursuant to
subparagraph (A), the ranking minority member shall have the
right to refer to the committee for decision the question
whether such authority shall be so exercised and the chair
shall convene the committee promptly to render that decision,
subject to the notice procedures for a committee meeting under
clause 2(g)(3)(A) and (B) of rule XI.
(C) Subpoenas and interrogatories so authorized may be
signed by the ranking minority member, and may be served by any
person designated by the ranking minority member.
(5) The chair is authorized to make publicly available in
electronic form the transcripts of depositions conducted by the
Committee on Ways and Means in furtherance of the investigation
described in the first section of this resolution, with
appropriate redactions for classified and other sensitive
information.
(6) The Committee on Ways and Means may issue a report
setting forth its findings and any recommendations and
appending any information and materials the Committee on Ways
and Means may deem appropriate with respect to the
investigation described in the first section of this
resolution. The chair may transmit such report and appendices,
along with any supplemental, minority, additional, or
dissenting views filed pursuant to clause 2(l) of rule XI, to
the Committee on the Judiciary and make such report publicly
available in electronic form, with appropriate redactions to
protect classified and other sensitive information. Any report
prepared under this paragraph may be prepared in consultation
with the chairs of the Committees on Oversight and
Accountability and on the Judiciary.
SEC. 4. INVESTIGATIVE PROCEEDINGS BY THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY.
For the purpose of continuing the investigation described in the
first section of this resolution, the Committee on the Judiciary is
authorized to conduct proceedings pursuant to this resolution as
follows:
(1) The chair of the Committee on the Judiciary may
designate an open hearing or hearings pursuant to this section.
(2) Notwithstanding clause 2(j)(2) of rule XI of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, upon recognition by the chair
for such purpose under this paragraph during any hearing
designated pursuant to paragraph (1), the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary shall be
permitted to question witnesses for equal specified periods of
longer than five minutes, as determined by the chair. The time
available for each period of questioning under this paragraph
shall be equal for the chair and the ranking minority member.
The chair may confer recognition for multiple periods of such
questioning, but each period of questioning shall not exceed 90
minutes in the aggregate. Only the chair and ranking minority
member, or an employee of the Committee on the Judiciary if
yielded to by the chair or ranking minority member, may
question witnesses during such periods of questioning. At the
conclusion of questioning pursuant to this paragraph, the
committee shall proceed with questioning under the five-minute
rule pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(A) of rule XI.
(3) To allow for full evaluation of minority witness
requests, the ranking minority member may submit to the chair,
in writing, any requests for witness testimony relevant to the
investigation described in the first section of this resolution
within 72 hours after notice is given for the first hearing
designated pursuant to paragraph (1). Any such request shall be
accompanied by a detailed written justification of the
relevance of the testimony of each requested witness to the
investigation described in the first section of this
resolution.
(4)(A) The ranking minority member of the Committee on the
Judiciary is authorized, with the concurrence of the chair of
the Committee on the Judiciary, to require, as deemed necessary
to the investigation--
(i) by subpoena or otherwise--
(I) the attendance and testimony of any
person (including at a taking of a deposition);
and
(II) the production of books, records,
correspondence, memoranda, papers, and
documents; and
(ii) by interrogatory, the furnishing of
information.
(B) In the case that the chair declines to concur in a
proposed action of the ranking minority member pursuant to
subparagraph (A), the ranking minority member shall have the
right to refer to the committee for decision the question
whether such authority shall be so exercised and the chair
shall convene the committee promptly to render that decision,
subject to the notice procedures for a committee meeting under
clause 2(g)(3)(A) and (B) of rule XI.
(C) Subpoenas and interrogatories so authorized may be
signed by the ranking minority member, and may be served by any
person designated by the ranking minority member.
(5) The chair is authorized to make publicly available in
electronic form the transcripts of depositions conducted by the
Committee on the Judiciary in furtherance of the investigation
described in the first section of this resolution, with
appropriate redactions for classified and other sensitive
information.
SEC. 5. IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY PROCEDURES IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE
JUDICIARY.
(a) The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to conduct
proceedings relating to the impeachment inquiry described in the first
section of this resolution pursuant to the procedures submitted for
printing in the Congressional Record by the chair of the Committee on
Rules, including such procedures as to allow for the participation of
the President and his counsel.
(b) The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to promulgate
additional procedures as it deems necessary for the fair and efficient
conduct of committee hearings held pursuant to this resolution,
provided that the additional procedures are not inconsistent with the
procedures referenced in subsection (a), the Rules of the Committee,
and the Rules of the House.
(c)(1) The ranking minority member of the Committee on the
Judiciary is authorized, with the concurrence of the chair of the
Committee on the Judiciary, to require, as deemed necessary to the
investigation--
(A) by subpoena or otherwise--
(i) the attendance and testimony of any person
(including at a taking of a deposition); and
(ii) the production of books, records,
correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents; and
(B) by interrogatory, the furnishing of information.
(2) In the case that the chair declines to concur in a proposed
action of the ranking minority member pursuant to paragraph (1), the
ranking minority member shall have the right to refer to the committee
for decision the question whether such authority shall be so exercised
and the chair shall convene the committee promptly to render that
decision, subject to the notice procedures for a committee meeting
under clause 2(g)(3)(A) and (B) of rule XI.
(3) Subpoenas and interrogatories so authorized may be signed by
the ranking minority member, and may be served by any person designated
by the ranking minority member.
(d) The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to report to the
House of Representatives resolutions, articles of impeachment, or other
recommendations.
SEC. 6. ADOPTION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 917.
House Resolution 917 is hereby adopted.
House Calendar No. 54
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 918
[Report No. 118-314]
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations
as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether
sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise
its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the
United States of America, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 12, 2023
Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed