[House Prints 113-1]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






113th Congress }
                       HOUSE COMMITTEE PRINT NO. 1
 1st Session   }       
_______________________________________________________________________



                      COMMITTEE RULES OF PROCEDURE

                                FOR THE

                             113TH CONGRESS

                                 OF THE

                            HOUSE COMMITTEE

                                   ON

                           VETERANS' AFFAIRS

                            JANUARY 22, 2013



[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]




 January 22, 2013.--Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' 
                Affairs of the House of Representatives

                                _____

                  U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

79-820                    WASHINGTON : 2013









                     COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

                     JEFF MILLER, Florida, Chairman

DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado               MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine, Ranking
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida            CORRINE BROWN, Florida
DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee              MARK TAKANO, California
BILL FLORES, Texas                   JULIA BROWNLEY, California
JEFF DENHAM, California              DINA TITUS, Nevada
JON RUNYAN, New Jersey               ANN KIRKPATRICK, Arizona
DAN BENISHEK, Michigan               RAUL RUIZ, California
TIM HUELSKAMP, Kansas                GLORIA NEGRETE McLEOD, California
MARK E. AMODEI, Nevada               ANN M. KUSTER, New Hampshire
MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado               BETO O'ROURKE, Texas
BRAD R. WENSTRUP, Ohio               TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
PAUL COOK, California
JACKIE WALORSKI, Indiana

            Helen W. Tolar, Staff Director and Chief Counsel




 
                         RULES OF THE COMMITTEE

                          ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         FOR THE 113TH CONGRESS

                       Rule 1--General Provisions

    (a) Applicability of House Rules.--The Rules of the House 
are the rules of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 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 
Committees and Subcommittees.
    (b) Subcommittees.--Each Subcommittee of the Committee 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) Incorporation of House Rule on Committee Procedure.--
Rule XI of the Rules of the House, which pertains entirely to 
Committee procedure, is incorporated and made part of the rules 
of the Committee to the extent applicable. Pursuant to clause 
2(a)(3) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, the Chairman of 
the full Committee is directed to offer a motion under clause 1 
of Rule XXII of the Rules of the House whenever the Chairman 
considers it appropriate.
    (d) Vice Chairman.--Pursuant to clause 2(d) of Rule XI of 
the Rules of the House, the Chairman of the full Committee 
shall designate the Vice Chairman of the Committee.

                Rule 2--Regular and Additional Meetings

    (a) Regular Meetings.--The regular meeting day for the 
Committee shall be at 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each 
month in such place as the Chairman may designate. However, the 
Chairman may dispense with a regular Wednesday meeting of the 
Committee.
    (b) Additional Meetings.--The Chairman of the Committee may 
call and convene, as he considers necessary, additional 
meetings of the Committee for the consideration of any bill or 
resolution pending before the Committee or for the conduct of 
other Committee business. The Committee shall meet for such 
purpose pursuant to the call of the Chairman.
    (c) Notice.--The Chairman shall notify each member of the 
Committee of the agenda of each regular and additional meeting 
of the Committee at least 24 hours before the time of the 
meeting, except under circumstances the Chairman determines to 
be of an emergency nature. Under such circumstances, the 
Chairman shall make an effort to consult the ranking minority 
member, or in such member's absence, the next ranking minority 
party member of the Committee.

                Rule 3--Meetings and Hearings Generally

    (a) Open Meetings and Hearings.--Meetings and hearings of 
the Committee and each of its Subcommittees shall be open to 
the public unless closed in accordance with clause 2(g) of Rule 
XI of the Rules of the House.
    (b) Announcement of Hearing.--The Chairman, in the case of 
a hearing to be conducted by the Committee, and the 
Subcommittee Chairman, in the case of a hearing to be conducted 
by a Subcommittee, shall make public announcement of the date, 
place, and subject matter of any hearing to be conducted on any 
measure or matter at least one week before the commencement of 
that hearing unless the Committee or the Subcommittee 
determines that there is good cause to begin the hearing at an 
earlier date. In the latter event, the Chairman or the 
Subcommittee Chairman, as the case may be, shall consult with 
the ranking minority member and make such public announcement 
at the earliest possible date. The clerk of the Committee shall 
promptly notify the Daily Clerk of the Congressional Record and 
the Committee scheduling service of the House Information 
Resources as soon as possible after such public announcement is 
made.
    (c) Wireless Telephone Use Prohibited.--No person may use a 
wireless telephone during a Committee or Subcommittee meeting 
or hearing.
    (d) Media Coverage.--Any meeting of the Committee or its 
Subcommittees that is open to the public shall be open to 
coverage by radio, television, and still photography in 
accordance with the provisions of clause 4 of House Rule XI.
    (e) Requirements For Testimony.--
         (1) Each witness who is to appear before the Committee 
or a Subcommittee shall file with the clerk of the Committee, 
at least 48 hours in advance of his or her appearance, a 
written statement of his or her proposed testimony. Each 
witness shall, to the greatest extent practicable, also provide 
a copy of such written testimony in an electronic format 
prescribed by the Chairman. Each witness shall limit any oral 
presentation to a summary of the written statement.
         (2) Pursuant to clause 4 of Rule XI of the Rules of 
the House, in the case of a witness appearing in a non-
governmental capacity a written statement of proposed testimony 
shall include 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 by the witness or by an entity represented by the 
witness.
    (f) Calling and Questioning Witnesses.--
         (1) Committee and Subcommittee members may question 
witnesses only when they have been recognized by the Chairman 
of the Committee or Subcommittee for that purpose, and only for 
a 5-minute period until all members present have had an 
opportunity to question a witness. The 5-minute period for 
questioning a witness by any one member may be extended only 
with the unanimous consent of all members present. The 
questioning of witnesses in both Committee and Subcommittee 
hearings shall be initiated by the Chairman, followed by the 
ranking minority party member and all other members alternating 
between the majority and minority. Except as otherwise 
announced by the Chairman at the beginning of a hearing, 
members who are present at the start of the hearing will be 
recognized before other members who arrive after the hearing 
has begun. In recognizing members to question witnesses in this 
fashion, the Chairman shall take into consideration the ratio 
of the majority to minority members present and shall establish 
the order of recognition for questioning in such a manner as 
not to disadvantage the members of the majority.
         (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) 
regarding the 5-minute rule, the Chairman after consultation 
with the ranking minority member may designate an equal number 
of members of the Committee or Subcommittee majority and 
minority party to question a witness for a period not longer 
than 30 minutes. In no event shall the Chairman allow a member 
to question a witness for an extended period under this rule 
until all members present have had the opportunity to ask 
questions under the 5-minute rule. The Chairman after 
consultation with the ranking minority member may permit 
Committee staff for its majority and minority party members to 
question a witness for equal specified periods of time.
         (3) When a hearing is conducted by the Committee or a 
Subcommittee on any measure or matter, the minority party 
members on the Committee shall be entitled, upon request to the 
Chairman of a majority of those minority members 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 the hearing thereon.
    (g) Subpoenas--Pursuant to clause 2(m) of Rule XI of the 
Rules of the House, 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.
    (h) Notice Requirements.--
         (1) The text of all bills or resolutions for markup, 
and any amendments in the nature of a substitute to such bills 
or resolution to be first recognized by the Chairman, shall be 
made available, via written or electronic notice, to Committee 
members at least 48 hours prior to a scheduled markup, except 
as agreed to by unanimous consent.
         (2) Subject to the second sentence of this paragraph, 
it shall not be in order for the Committee to consider any 
amendment proposed to a bill or resolution under consideration 
by the Committee, or proposed to an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute noticed under paragraph (1), unless a written or 
electronic copy of such amendment has been delivered to each 
Member of the Committee (or Subcommittee for purposes of 
Subcommittee markups) at least 24 hours before the meeting at 
which the amendment is to be proposed. This paragraph may be 
waived by unanimous consent and shall apply only when the 48-
hour written notice has been provided in accordance with 
paragraph (1).
    (i) Congressional Budget Office Scoring.--The Committee 
shall not include any bill or resolution for consideration 
during a Committee markup which is not accompanied by an 
accounting from the Congressional Budget Office of the 
mandatory and discretionary costs or savings associated with 
such bill or resolution.
    The accounting from the Congressional Budget Office need 
not be official, but is expected to provide Committee members 
with an approximation of the budgetary impact a bill or 
resolution may have prior to any vote to favorably forward or 
report such bill or resolution. The requirements of this 
paragraph may be waived by a majority of Committee members, a 
quorum being present.

      RULE 4--Quorum and Record Votes; Postponement of Proceedings

    (a) Working Quorum.--A majority of the members of the 
Committee shall constitute a quorum for business and a majority 
of the members of any Subcommittee shall constitute a quorum 
thereof for business, except that two members shall constitute 
a quorum for the purpose of taking testimony and receiving 
evidence.
    (b) Quorum for Reporting.--No measure or recommendation 
shall be reported to the House of Representatives unless a 
majority of the Committee was actually present.
    (c) Record Votes.--A record vote may be demanded by one-
fifth of the members present or, in the apparent absence of a 
quorum, by any one member. With respect to any record vote on 
any motion to amend or report, the total number of votes cast 
for and against, and the names of those members voting for and 
against, shall be included in the report of the Committee on 
the bill or resolution.
    (d) Prohibition Against Proxy Voting.--No vote by any 
member of the Committee or a Subcommittee with respect to any 
measure or matter may be cast by proxy.
    (e) Postponing Proceedings.--Committee and Subcommittee 
chairmen may postpone further proceedings when a record vote is 
ordered on the question of approving a measure or matter or on 
adopting an amendment, and may resume proceedings within two 
legislative days on a postponed question after reasonable 
notice. When proceedings resume on a postponed question, 
notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous 
question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to 
further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the 
question was postponed.

                         RULE 5--Subcommittees

    (a) Establishment and Jurisdiction.--
         (1) There shall be four Subcommittees of the Committee 
as follows:
           (A) Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and 
Memorial Affairs, which shall have legislative, oversight and 
investigative jurisdiction over compensation; general and 
special pensions of all the wars of the United States; life 
insurance issued by the Government on account of service in the 
Armed Forces; cemeteries of the United States in which veterans 
of any war or conflict are or may be buried, whether in the 
United States or abroad, except cemeteries administered by the 
Secretary of the Interior; burial benefits; the Board of 
Veterans' Appeals; and the United States Court of Appeals for 
Veterans Claims.
           (B) Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, which 
shall have legislative, oversight and investigative 
jurisdiction over education of veterans, employment and 
training of veterans, vocational rehabilitation, veterans' 
housing programs, readjustment of servicemembers to civilian 
life, and servicemembers civil relief.
           (C) Subcommittee on Health, which shall have 
legislative, oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over the 
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) including medical 
services, medical support and compliance, medical facilities, 
medical and prosthetic research, and major and minor 
construction.
           (D) Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, 
which shall have oversight and investigative jurisdiction over 
veterans' matters generally, information technology, 
procurement, and over such matters as may be referred to the 
Subcommittee by the Chairman of the full Committee for its 
oversight or investigation and for its appropriate 
recommendations. The Subcommittee shall have legislative 
jurisdiction over such bills or resolutions as may be referred 
to it by the Chairman of the full Committee. Provided, however, 
that the activities of the Subcommittee shall in no way limit 
the responsibility of the other Subcommittees of the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs for carrying out their oversight duties.
         (2) Each Subcommittee shall have responsibility for 
such other measures or matters as the Chairman refers to it.
    (b) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the membership of a 
Subcommittee shall not affect the power of the remaining 
members to execute the functions of that Subcommittee.
    (c) Ratios.--On each Subcommittee, there shall be a ratio 
of majority party members to minority party members which shall 
be consistent with the ratio on the full Committee.
    (d) Referral to Subcommittees.--The Chairman of the 
Committee may refer a measure or matter, which is within the 
general responsibility of more than one of the Subcommittees of 
the Committee, as the Chairman deems appropriate. In referring 
any measure or matter to a Subcommittee, the Chairman of the 
Committee may specify a date by which the Subcommittee shall 
report thereon to the Committee.
    (e) Powers and Duties.--
         (1) Each Subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold 
hearings, receive evidence, and report to the full Committee on 
all matters referred to it or under its jurisdiction. 
Subcommittee chairmen shall set dates for hearings and meetings 
of their respective Subcommittees after consultation with the 
Chairman of the Committee and other Subcommittee chairmen with 
a view toward avoiding simultaneous scheduling of Committee and 
Subcommittee meetings or hearings whenever possible.
         (2) Whenever a Subcommittee has ordered a bill, 
resolution, or other matter to be reported to the Committee, 
the Chairman of the Subcommittee reporting the bill, 
resolution, or matter to the full Committee, or any member 
authorized by the Subcommittee to do so shall notify the 
Chairman and the ranking minority party member of the Committee 
of the Subcommittee's action.
         (3) A member of the Committee who is not a member of a 
particular Subcommittee may sit with the Subcommittee during 
any of its meetings and hearings, but shall not have authority 
to vote, cannot be counted for a quorum, and cannot raise a 
point of order at the meeting or hearing.
         (4) Each Subcommittee shall provide the Committee with 
copies of such record votes taken in Subcommittee and such 
other records with respect to the Subcommittee as the Chairman 
of the Committee deems necessary for the Committee to comply 
with all rules and regulations of the House.

                RULE 6--General Oversight Responsibility

    (a) Purpose.--Pursuant to clause 2 of Rule X of the Rules 
of the House, the Committee shall carry out oversight 
responsibilities. In order to assist the House in--
         (1) Its analysis, appraisal, evaluation of--
           (A) The application, administration, execution, and 
effectiveness of the laws enacted by the Congress, or
           (B) Conditions and circumstances, which may indicate 
the necessity or desirability of enacting new or additional 
legislation, and
         (2) Its formulation, consideration and enactment of 
such modifications or changes in those laws, and of such 
additional legislation, as may be necessary or appropriate, the 
Committee and its various Subcommittees, consistent with their 
jurisdiction as set forth in Rule 5, shall have oversight 
responsibilities as provided in subsection (b).
    (b) Review of Laws and Programs.--The Committee and its 
Subcommittees shall review and study, on a continuing basis, 
the applications, administration, execution, and effectiveness 
of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is 
within the jurisdiction of the Committee or Subcommittee, and 
the organization and operation of the Federal agencies and 
entities having responsibilities in or for the administration 
and execution thereof, in order to determine whether such laws 
and the programs thereunder are being implemented and carried 
out in accordance with the intent of the Congress and whether 
such programs should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated. In 
addition, the Committee and its Subcommittees shall review and 
study any conditions or circumstances which may indicate the 
necessity or desirability of enacting new or additional 
legislation within the jurisdiction of the Committee or 
Subcommittee (whether or not any bill or resolution has been 
introduced with respect thereto), and shall on a continuing 
basis undertake future research and forecasting on matters 
within the jurisdiction of the Committee or Subcommittee.
    (c) Oversight Plan.--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 Oversight and Government 
Reform, in accordance with the provisions of clause 2(d) of 
Rule X of the Rules of the House.
    (d) Oversight by Subcommittees.--The existence and 
activities of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
shall in no way limit the responsibility of the other 
Subcommittees of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for 
carrying out oversight duties.

                  RULE 7--Budget Act Responsibilities

    (a) Budget Act Responsibilities.--Pursuant to clause 
4(f)(1) of Rule X of the Rules of the House, the Committee 
shall submit to the Committee on the Budget not later than six 
weeks after the President submits his budget, or at such time 
as the Committee on the Budget may request--
         (1) Its views and estimates with respect to all 
matters to be set forth in the concurrent resolution on the 
budget for the ensuing fiscal year that are within its 
jurisdiction or functions; and
         (2) An estimate of the total amounts of new budget 
authority, and budget outlays resulting therefrom, to be 
provided or authorized in all bills and resolutions within its 
jurisdiction that it intends to be effective during that fiscal 
year.

                   RULE 8--Records and Other Matters

    (a) Transcripts.--There shall be a transcript made of each 
regular and additional meeting and hearing of the Committee and 
its Subcommittees. Any such transcript 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 involved.
    (b) Records.--
         (1) The Committee shall keep a record of all actions 
of the Committee and each of its Subcommittees. The record 
shall contain all information required by clause 2(e)(1) of 
Rule XI of the Rules of the House and shall be available for 
public inspection at reasonable times in the offices of the 
Committee.
         (2) There shall be kept in writing a record of the 
proceedings of the Committee and each of its Subcommittees, 
including a record of the votes on any question on which a 
recorded vote is demanded. The result of each such record vote 
shall be made available by the Committee for inspection by the 
public at reasonable times in the offices of the Committee. 
Information so available for public inspection shall include a 
description of the amendment, motion, order or other 
proposition and the name of each member voting for and each 
member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or 
proposition, and the names of those members present but not 
voting.
    (c) Availability of Archived Records.--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 Chairman shall notify the 
ranking minority member of any decision, pursuant to clause 3 
or clause 4 of Rule VII of the Rules of the House, 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.
    (d) Availability of Publications.--Pursuant to clause 
2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, the Committee 
shall make its publications available in electronic form to the 
maximum extent feasible.

                             RULE 9--Travel

    (a) Requirements for Travel.--All requests for travel, 
funded by the Committee, for Members and staff in connection 
with activities or subject matters under the general 
jurisdiction of the Committee, shall be submitted to the Chair 
for approval or disapproval. All travel requests should be 
submitted to the Chair at least five working days in advance of 
the proposed travel. For all travel funded by any other source, 
notice shall be given to the Chair at least five working days 
in advance of the proposed travel. All travel requests shall be 
submitted to the Chair in writing and include the following:
         (1) The purpose of the travel.
         (2) The dates during which the travel is to occur.
         (3) The names of the locations to be visited and the 
length of time to be spent in each.
         (4) The names of members and staff of the Committee 
for whom the authorization is sought. Travel by the minority 
shall be submitted to the Chair via the Ranking Member.
    (b) Trip Reports.--Members and staff shall make a written 
report to the Chair within 15 working days on all travel 
approved under this subsection. Reports shall include a 
description of their itinerary, expenses, and activities, and 
pertinent information gained as a result of such travel.
    When travel involves majority and minority Members or 
staff, the majority shall submit the report to the Chair on 
behalf of the majority and minority. The minority may append 
additional remarks to the report at their discretion.
    (c) Applicability of House Rules.--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.

                        RULE 10--Facility Naming

    (a) Facility Naming.--No Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) facility or property shall be named after any individual 
by the Committee unless:
         (1) Such individual is deceased and was:
           (A) A veteran who (i) was instrumental in the 
construction or the operation of the facility to be named, or 
(ii) was a recipient of the Medal of Honor or, as determined by 
the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, otherwise performed 
military service of an extraordinarily distinguished character;
           (B) A Member of the United States House of 
Representatives or Senate who had a direct association with 
such facility;
           (C) An Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, a 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a Secretary of Defense or of a 
service branch, or a military or other Federal civilian 
official of comparable or higher rank; or
           (D) An individual who, as determined by the Chairman 
and Ranking Minority Member, performed outstanding service for 
veterans.
         (2) Each Member of the Congressional delegation 
representing the State in which the designated facility is 
located must indicate in writing such Member's support of the 
proposal to name such facility after such individual.
         (3) The pertinent State department or chapter of each 
Congressionally chartered veterans' organization having a 
national membership of at least 500,000 must indicate in 
writing its support of such proposal.
         (4) The above criteria for naming a VA facility may be 
waived by unanimous consent.

                                 
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