[House Prints, 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
RULES
of the
COMMITTEE ON RULES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
of the
UNITED STATES
109TH CONGRESS
2005-2006
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TONGRESS.#13
Printed for the use of the Committee on Rules
RULES
of the
COMMITTEE ON RULES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
of the
UNITED STATES
109TH CONGRESS
2005-2006
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TONGRESS.#13
Printed for the use of the Committee on Rules
COMMITTEE ON RULES
DAVID DREIER, California, Chairman
LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, Florida, Vice LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, New
Chairman York
DOC HASTINGS, Washington JAMES P. McGOVERN, Massachusetts
PETE SESSIONS, Texas ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
ADAM H. PUTNAM, Florida DORIS O. MATSUI, California
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia
TOM COLE, Oklahoma
ROB BISHOP, Utah
PHIL GINGREY, Georgia
Hugh Halpern, Staff Director
John Daniel, Minority Staff Director
Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process
LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, Florida, Chairman
PETE SESSIONS, Texas, ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
Vice Chairman LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, New
ROB BISHOP, Utah York
PHIL GINGREY, Georgia
DAVID DREIER, California
Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House
DOC HASTINGS, Washington, Chairman
ADAM H. PUTNAM, Florida, JAMES McGOVERN, Massachusetts
Vice Chairman DORIS O. MATSUI, California
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia
TOM COLE, Oklahoma
DAVID DREIER, California
RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
109th CONGRESS
Rule 1--General Provisions
(a) The rules of the House are the rules of the Committee
and its subcommittees so far as applicable, except that a
motion to recess from day to day, and a motion to dispense with
the first reading (in full) of a bill or resolution, if printed
copies are available, are non-debatable privileged motions in
the Committee. A proposed investigative or oversight report
shall be considered as read if it has been available to the
members of the Committee for at least 24 hours (excluding
Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is
in session on such day).
(b) Each subcommittee is a part of the Committee, and is
subject to the authority and direction of the Committee and to
its rules so far as applicable.
(c) The provisions of clause 2 of rule XI of the rules of
the House are incorporated by reference as the rules of the
Committee to the extent applicable.
(d) The Committee's rules shall be published in the
Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the Committee
is elected in each odd-numbered year.
Rule 2--Regular, Additional, and Special Meetings
REGULAR MEETINGS
(a)(1) The Committee shall regularly meet at 5 p.m. on
Tuesday of each week when the House is in session.
(2) A regular meeting of the Committee may be dispensed
with if, in the judgment of the Chairman of the Committee
(hereafter in these rules referred to as the ``Chair''), there
is no need for the meeting.
(3) Additional regular meetings and hearings of the
Committee may be called by the Chair.
NOTICE FOR REGULAR MEETINGS
(b) The Chair shall notify each member of the Committee of
the agenda of each regular meeting of the Committee at least 48
hours before the time of the meeting and shall provide to each
member of the Committee, at least 24 hours before the time of
each regular meeting.
(1) for each bill or resolution scheduled on the
agenda for consideration of a rule, a copy of--
(A) the bill or resolution;
(B) any committee reports thereon; and
(C) any letter requesting a rule for the bill
or resolution; and
(2) for each other bill, resolution, report, or other
matter on the agenda a copy of--
(A) the bill, resolution, report, or
materials relating to the other matter in
question; and
(B) any report on the bill, resolution,
report, or any other matter made by any
subcommittee of the Committee.
EMERGENCY MEETINGS
(c)(1) The Chair may call an emergency meeting of the
Committee at any time on any measure or matter which the Chair
determines to be of an emergency nature; provided, however,
that the Chair has made an effort to consult the ranking
minority member, or, in such member's absence, the next ranking
minority party member of the Committee.
(2) As soon as possible after calling an emergency meeting
of the Committee, the Chair shall notify each member of the
Committee of the time and location of the meeting.
(3) To the extent feasible, the notice provided under
paragraph (2) shall include the agenda for the emergency
meeting and copies of available materials which would otherwise
have been provided under subsection (b) if the emergency
meeting was a regular meeting.
SPECIAL MEETINGS
(d) Special meetings shall be called and convened as
provided in clause 2(c)(2) of rule XI of the Rules of the
House.
Rule 3--Meeting and Hearing Procedures
IN GENERAL
(a)(1) Meetings and hearings of the Committee shall be
called to order and presided over by the Chair or, in the
Chair's absence, by the member designated by the Chair as the
Vice Chair of the Committee, or by the ranking majority member
of the Committee present as Acting Chair.
(2) Meetings and hearings of the committee shall be open to
the public unless closed in accordance with clause 2(g) of rule
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
(3) Any meeting or hearing of the Committee that is open to
the public shall be open to coverage by television, radio, and
still photography in accordance with the provisions of clause 4
of rule XI of the rules of the House (which are incorporated by
reference as part of these rules).
(4) When a recommendation is made as to the kind of rule
which should be granted for consideration of a bill or
resolution, a copy of the language recommended shall be
furnished to each member of the Committee at the beginning of
the Committee meeting at which the rule is to be considered or
as soon thereafter as the proposed language becomes available.
QUORUM
(b)(1) For the purpose of hearing testimony on requests for
rules, five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
(2) For the purpose of taking testimony and receiving
evidence on measures or matters of original jurisdiction before
the Committee, three members of the Committee shall constitute
a quorum.
(3) A majority of the members of the Committee shall
constitute a quorum for the purposes of reporting any measure
or matter, of authorizing a subpoena, of closing a meeting or
hearing pursuant to clause 2(g) of rule XI of the Rules of the
House (except as provided in clause 2(g)(2)(A) and (B), or of
taking any other action.
VOTING
(c)(1) No vote may be conducted on any measure or motion
pending before the Committee unless a majority of the members
of the Committee is actually present for such purpose.
(2) A record vote of the Committee shall be provided on any
question before the Committee upon the request of any member.
(3) No vote by any member of the Committee on any measure
or matter may be cast by proxy.
(4) A record of the vote of each Member of the Committee on
each record vote on any matter before the Committee shall be
available for public inspection at the offices of the
Committee, and with respect to any record vote on any motion to
amend or report, shall be included in the report of the
Committee showing the total number of votes cast for and
against and the names of those members voting for and against.
HEARING PROCEDURES
(d)(1) With regard to hearings on matters of original
jurisdiction, to the greatest extent practicable:
(A) each witness who is to appear before the
Committee shall file with the committee at least 24
hours in advance of the appearance a statement of
proposed testimony in written and electronic form and
shall limit the oral presentation to the Committee to a
brief summary thereof; and
(B) each witness appearing in a non-governmental
capacity shall include with the statement of proposed
testimony provided in written and electronic form a
curriculum vitae and a disclosure of the amount and
source (by agency and program) of any Federal grant (or
subgrant thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof)
received during the current fiscal year or either of
the two preceding fiscal years.
(2) The five-minute rule shall be observed in the
interrogation of each witness before the Committee until each
member of the Committee has had an opportunity to question the
witness.
(3) The provisions of clause 2(k) of rule XI of the rules
of the House shall apply to any hearing conducted by the
committee.
SUBPOENAS AND OATHS
(e)(1) Pursuant to clause 2(m) of rule XI of the rules of
the House of Representatives, a subpoena may be authorized and
issued by the Committee or a subcommittee in the conduct of any
investigation or series of investigations or activities, only
when authorized by a majority of the members voting, a majority
being present.
(2) The Chair may authorize and issue subpoenas under such
clause during any period in which the House has adjourned for a
period of longer than three days.
(3) Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the Chair or by
any member designated by the Committee, and may be served by
any person designated by the Chair or such member.
(4) The Chair, or any member of the Committee designated by
the Chair, may administer oaths to witnesses before the
Committee.
Rule 4--General Oversight Responsibilities
(a) The Committee shall review and study, on a continuing
basis, the application, administration, execution, and
effectiveness of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject
matter of which is within its jurisdiction.
(b) Not later than February 15 of the first session of a
Congress, the committee shall meet in open session, with a
quorum present, to adopt its oversight plans for that Congress
for submission to the Committee on House Administration and the
Committee on Government Reform, in accordance with the
provisions of clause 2(d) of House rule X.
Rule 5--Subcommittees
ESTABLISHMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUBCOMMITTEES
(a)(1) There shall be two subcommittees of the Committee as
follows:
(A) Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process,
which shall have general responsibility for measures or
matters related to relations between the Congress and
the Executive Branch.
(B) Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the
House, which shall have general responsibility for
measures or matters related to process and procedures
of the House, relations between the two Houses of
Congress, relations between the Congress and the
Judiciary, and internal operations of the House.
(2) In addition, each such subcommittee shall have specific
responsibility for such other measures or matters as the Chair
refers to it.
(3) Each subcommittee of the Committee shall review and
study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration,
execution, and effectiveness of those laws, or parts of laws,
the subject matter of which is within its general
responsibility.
REFERRAL OF MEASURES AND MATTERS TO SUBCOMMITTEES
(b)(1) In view of the unique procedural responsibilities of
the Committee, no special order providing for the consideration
of any bill or resolution shall be referred to a subcommittee
of the Committee.
(2) The Chair shall refer to a subcommittee such measures
or matters of original jurisdiction as the Chair deems
appropriate given its jurisdiction and responsibilities.
(3) All other measures or matters of original jurisdiction
shall be subject to consideration by the full Committee.
(4) In referring any measure or matter of original
jurisdiction to a subcommittee, the Chair may specify a date by
which the subcommittee shall report thereon to the Committee.
(5) The Committee by motion may discharge a subcommittee
from consideration of any measure or matter referred to a
subcommittee of the Committee.
COMPOSITION OF SUBCOMMITTEES
(c) The size and ratio of each subcommittee shall be
determined by the Committee and members shall be elected to
each subcommittee, and to the positions of chairman and ranking
minority member thereof, in accordance with the rules of the
respective party caucuses. The Chair of the full committee
shall designate a member of the majority party on each
subcommittee as its vice chairman.
SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
(d)(1) Each subcommittee of the Committee is authorized to
meet, hold hearings, receive testimony, mark up legislation,
and report to the full Committee on any measure or matter
referred to it.
(2) No subcommittee of the Committee may meet or hold a
hearing at the same time as a meeting or hearing of the full
Committee is being held.
(3) The chairman of each subcommittee shall schedule
meetings and hearings of the subcommittee only after
consultation with the Chair.
QUORUM
(e)(1) For the purpose of taking testimony, two members of
the subcommittee shall constitute a quorum.
(2) For all other purposes, a quorum shall consist of a
majority of the members of a subcommittee.
EFFECT OF A VACANCY
(f) Any vacancy in the membership of a subcommittee shall
not affect the power of the remaining members to execute the
functions of the subcommittee.
RECORDS
(g) Each subcommittee of the Committee shall provide the
full Committee with copies of such records of votes taken in
the subcommittee and such other records with respect to the
subcommittee necessary for the Committee to comply with all
rules and regulations of the House.
Rule 6--Staff
IN GENERAL
(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the
professional and other staff of the Committee shall be
appointed, by the Chair, and shall work under the general
supervision and direction of the Chair.
(2) All professional, and other staff provided to the
minority party members of the Committee shall be appointed, by
the ranking minority member of the Committee, and shall work
under the general supervision and direction of such member.
(3) The appointment of all professional staff shall be
subject to the approval of the Committee as provided by, and
subject to the provisions of, clause 9 of rule X of the Rules
of the House.
ASSOCIATE STAFF
(b) Associate staff for members of the Committee may be
appointed only at the discretion of the Chair (in consultation
with the ranking minority member regarding any minority party
associate staff), after taking into account any staff ceilings
and budgetary constraints in effect at the time, and any terms,
limits, or conditions established by the Committee on House
Administration under clause 9 of rule X of the Rules of the
House.
SUBCOMMITTEE STAFF
(c) From funds made available for the appointment of staff,
the Chair of the Committee shall, pursuant to clause 6(d) of
rule X of the Rules of the House, ensure that sufficient staff
is made available to each subcommittee to carry out its
responsibilities under the Rules of the Committee, and, after
consultation with the ranking minority member of the Committee,
that the minority party of the Committee is treated fairly in
the appointment of such staff.
COMPENSATION OF STAFF
(d) The Chair shall fix the compensation of all
professional and other staff of the Committee, after
consultation with the ranking minority member regarding any
minority party staff.
CERTIFICATION OF STAFF
(e)(1) To the extent any staff member of the Committee or
any of its subcommittees does not work under the direct
supervision and direction of the Chair, the Member of the
Committee who supervises and directs the staff members' work
shall file with the Chief of Staff of the Committee (not later
than the tenth day of each month) a certification regarding the
staff member's work for that member for the preceding calendar
month.
(2) The certification required by paragraph (1) shall be in
such form as the Chair may prescribe, shall identify each staff
member by name, and shall state that the work engaged in by the
staff member and the duties assigned to the staff member for
the member of the Committee with respect to the month in
question met the requirements of clause 9 of rule X of the
rules of the House.
(3) Any certification of staff of the Committee, or any of
its subcommittees, made by the Chair in compliance with any
provision of law or regulation shall be made--
(A) on the basis of the certifications filed under
paragraph (1) to the extent the staff is not under the
Chair's supervision and direction, and;
(B) on his own responsibility to the extent the staff
is under the Chair's direct supervision and direction.
Rule 7--Budget, Travel, Pay of Witnesses
BUDGET
(a) The Chair, in consultation with other members of the
Committee, shall prepare for each Congress a budget providing
amounts for staff, necessary travel, investigation, and other
expenses of the Committee and its subcommittees.
TRAVEL
(b)(1) The Chair may authorize travel for any member and
any staff member of the Committee in connection with activities
or subject matters under the general jurisdiction of the
Committee. Before such authorization is granted, there shall be
submitted to the Chair in writing the following:
(A) The purpose of the travel.
(B) The dates during which the travel is to occur.
(C) The names of the States or countries to be
visited and the length of time to be spent in each.
(D) The names of members and staff of the Committee
for whom the authorization is sought.
(2) Members and staff of the Committee shall make a written
report to the Chair on any travel they have conducted under
this subsection, including a description of their itinerary,
expenses, and activities, and of pertinent information gained
as a result of such travel.
(3) Members and staff of the Committee performing
authorized travel on official business shall be governed by
applicable laws, resolutions, and regulations of the House and
of the Committee on House Administration.
PAY OF WITNESSES
(c) Witnesses may be paid from funds made available to the
Committee in its expense resolution subject to the provisions
of clause 5 of rule XI of the rules of the House.
Rule 8--Committee Administration
REPORTING
(a) Whenever the Committee authorizes the favorable
reporting of a bill or resolution from the Committee--
(1) the Chair or acting Chair shall report it to the
House or designate a member of the Committee to do so,
and;
(2) in the case of a bill or resolution in which the
Committee has original jurisdiction, the Chair shall
allow, to the extent that the anticipated floor
schedule permits, any member of the Committee a
reasonable amount of time to submit views for inclusion
in the Committee report on the bill or resolution.
Any such report shall contain all matters required by the
rules of the House of Representatives (or by any provision of
law enacted as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the
House) and such other information as the Chair deems
appropriate.
RECORDS
(b)(1) There shall be a transcript made of each regular
meeting and hearing of the Committee, and the transcript may be
printed if the Chair decides it is appropriate or if a majority
of the Members of the Committee requests such printing. Any
such transcripts shall be a substantially verbatim account of
remarks actually made during the proceedings, subject only to
technical, grammatical, and typographical corrections
authorized by the person making the remarks. Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to require that all such
transcripts be subject to correction and publication.
(2) The Committee shall keep a record of all actions of the
Committee and of its subcommittees. The record shall contain
all information required by clause 2(e)(1) of rule XI of the
rules of the House of Representatives and shall be available
for public inspection at reasonable times in the offices of the
Committee.
(3) All Committee hearings, records, data, charts, and
files shall be kept separate and distinct from the
congressional office records of the Chair, shall be the
property of the House, and all Members of the House shall have
access thereto as provided in clause 2(e)(2) of rule XI of the
Rules of the House.
(4) The records of the Committee at the National Archives
and Records Administration shall be made available for public
use in accordance with rule VII of the rules of the House. The
Chair shall notify the ranking minority member of any decision,
pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of the rule, to
withhold a record otherwise available, and the matter shall be
presented to the Committee for a determination on written
request of any member of the Committee.
COMMITTEE PUBLICATIONS ON THE INTERNET
(c) To the maximum extent feasible, the Committee shall
make its publications available in electronic form.
CALENDARS
(d)(1) The Committee shall maintain a Committee Calendar,
which shall include all bills, resolutions, and other matters
referred to or reported by the Committee and all bills,
resolutions, and other matters reported by any other committee
on which a rule has been granted or formally requested, and
such other matters as the Chair shall direct. The Calendar
shall be published periodically, but in no case less often than
once in each session of Congress.
(2) The staff of the Committee shall furnish each member of
the Committee with a list of all bills or resolutions (A)
reported from the Committee but not yet considered by the
House, and (B) on which a rule has been formally requested but
not yet granted. The list shall be updated each week when the
House is in session.
(3) For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), a rule is
considered as formally requested when the Chairman of a
committee which has reported a bill or resolution (or a member
of such committee authorized to act on the Chairman's behalf):
(A) has requested, in writing to the Chair, that a
hearing be scheduled on a rule for the consideration of
the bill or resolution, and
(B) has supplied the Committee with an adequate
number of copies of the bill or resolution, as
reported, together with the final printed committee
report thereon.
OTHER PROCEDURES
(e) The Chair may establish such other Committee procedures
and take such actions as may be necessary to carry out these
rules or to facilitate the effective operation of the Committee
and its subcommittees in a manner consistent with these rules.
Rule 9--Amendments to Committee Rules
The rules of the Committee may be modified, amended or
repealed, in the same manner and method as prescribed for the
adoption of committee rules in clause 2 of rule XI of the Rules
of the House, but only if written notice of the proposed change
has been provided to each such Member at least 48 hours before
the time of the meeting at which the vote on the change occurs.
Any such change in the rules of the Committee shall be
published in the Congressional Record within 30 calendar days
after their approval.