[House Prints, 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





                         Rules of the Committee

                             on Agriculture

                      U.S. House of Representatives

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]



                        ADOPTED JANUARY 22, 2015

                        REVISED FEBRUARY 12, 2015

                             114th CONGRESS














                         Rules of the Committee

                             on Agriculture

                      U.S. House of Representatives
                      
                      
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                        ADOPTED JANUARY 22, 2015

                        REVISED FEBRUARY 12, 2015

                             114th CONGRESS
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                        COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

                   K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, Texas, Chairman
RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas,            COLLIN C. PETERSON, Minnesota, 
    Vice Chairman                   Ranking Minority Member
BOB GOODLATTE, Virginia             DAVID SCOTT, Georgia
FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma            JIM COSTA, California
STEVE KING, Iowa                    TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
MIKE ROGERS, Alabama                MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania        JAMES P. McGOVERN, Massachusetts
BOB GIBBS, Ohio                     SUZAN K. DelBENE, Washington
AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia               FILEMON VELA, Texas
ERIC A. ``RICK'' CRAWFORD,          MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, New Mexico
  Arkansas                          ANN M. KUSTER, New Hampshire
SCOTT DesJARLAIS, Tennessee         RICHARD M. NOLAN, Minnesota
CHRISTOPHER P. GIBSON, New York     CHERI BUSTOS, Illinois
VICKY HARTZLER, Missouri            SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York
DAN BENISHEK, Michigan              ANN KIRKPATRICK, Arizona
JEFF DENHAM, California             PETE AGUILAR, California
DOUG LaMALFA, California            STACEY E. PLASKETT, Virgin Islands
RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois              ALMA S. ADAMS, North Carolina
TED S. YOHO, Florida                GWEN GRAHAM, Florida
JACKIE WALORSKI, Indiana            BRAD ASHFORD, Nebraska
RICK W. ALLEN, Georgia
MIKE BOST, Illinois
DAVID ROUZER, North Carolina
RALPH LEE ABRAHAM, Louisiana
TOM EMMER, Minnesota
JOHN R. MOOLENAAR, Michigan
DAN NEWHOUSE, Washington

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     Scott C. Graves, Staff Director
                Robert L. Larew, Minority Staff Director

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS





                                                                    Page
    General Provisions................................1...........    I.
     (a) Applicability of House Rules.................1
     (b) Authority to Conduct Investigations..........1
     (c) Authority to Print...........................1
     (d) Vice Chairman................................2
     (e) Presiding Member.............................2
     (f) Publication of Rules.........................2
     (g) Joint Committee Reports of Investigation or 
       Study..........................................2
    Committee Business Meetings.......................2...........   II.
     (a) Regular Meetings.............................2
     (b) Additional Meetings..........................3
     (c) Special Meetings.............................3
    Open Meetings and Hearings; Broadcasting..........4...........  III.
     (a) Open Meetings and Hearings...................4
     (b) Broadcasting and Photography.................4
     (c) Closed Meetings--Attendees...................4
     (d) Addressing the Committee.....................5
     (e) Meetings to Begin Promptly...................5
     (f) Prohibition on Proxy Voting..................5
     (g) Location of Persons at Meetings..............5
     (h) Consideration of Amendments and Motions......5
     (i) Demanding Record Vote........................5
     (j) Submission of Motions or Amendments In Advance 
       of Business Meeting............................6
     (k) Points of Order..............................6
     (l) Limitation on Committee Sittings.............6
     (m) Prohibition of Wireless Telephones...........6
    Quorums...........................................6...........   IV.
     (a) Working Quorum...............................6
     (b) Majority Quorum..............................6
     (c) Quorum for Taking Testimony..................7
    Records...........................................7...........    V.
     (a) Maintenance of Records.......................7
     (b) Access to and Correction of Records..........8
     (c) Property of the House........................8
     (d) Availability of Archived Records.............8
     (e) Special Rules for Certain Records and 
       Proceedings....................................9
     (f) Electronic Availability of Committee 
       Publications...................................9
    Power to Sit and Act..............................9...........   VI.
    Subpoenas and Oaths...............................9...........  VII.
     (a) Issuance of Subpoenas........................9
     (b) Oaths........................................9
    Hearing Procedures...............................10........... VIII.
     (a) Power to Hear...............................10
     (b) Announcement................................10
     (c) Scheduling of Witnesses.....................10
     (d) Written Statement; Oral Testimony...........11
     (e) Questioning of Witnesses....................12
     (f) Extended Questioning for Designated Members.12
     (g) Witnesses for the Minority..................12
     (h) Summary of Subject Matter...................12
     (i) Open Hearings...............................13
     (j) Hearings and Reports........................13
    The Reporting of Bills and Resolutions...........14...........   IX.
     (a) Filing of Reports...........................14
     (b) Content of Reports..........................15
     (c) Supplemental, Minority, Additional, or 
       Dissenting Views..............................17
     (d) Printing of Reports.........................17
     (e) Immediate Printing; Supplemental Reports....18
     (f) Availability of Printed Hearing Records.....18
     (g) Committee Prints............................18
     (h) Post Adjournment Filing of Committee Reports18
     (i) Conference..................................19
    Other Committee Activities.......................19...........    X.
     (a) Oversight Plan..............................19
     (b) Annual Appropriations.......................20
     (c) Budget Act Compliance: Views and Estimates..20
     (d) Budget Act Compliance: Recommended Changes..21
     (e) Conference Committees.......................21
     (f) Hearing on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse..........22
     (g) Hearing on Agency Financial Statements......22
     (h) Hearing on GAO High-Risk-List...............22
     (i) Activities Report...........................22
    Subcommittees....................................23...........   XI.
     (a) Number and Composition......................23
     (b) Ratios......................................23
     (c) Jurisdiction................................23
     (d) Referral of Legislation.....................24
     (e) Participation and Service of Committee Members 
       on Subcommittees..............................25
     (f) Subcommittee Hearings and Meetings..........26
     (g) Subcommittee Action.........................27
     (h) Subcommittee Investigations.................27
    Committee Budget, Staff, and Travel..............27...........  XII.
     (a) Committee Budget............................27
     (b) Committee Staff.............................27
     (c) Committee Travel............................28
    Amendment of Rules...............................30........... XIII.


                               APPENDIXES

Appendix A--Excerpts of House Rules Pertaining to 
    Committee Functions..............................31
Appendix B--Excerpts of Relevant Provisions of 
    Congressional Budget Act of 1974.................69

 
                  RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

                      U.S. House of Representatives
                              114th Congress

                          I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

    (a) Applicability of House Rules.--(1) The Rules of the House shall 
  govern the procedure of the Committee and its subcommittees, and the 
   Rules of the Committee on Agriculture so far as applicable shall be 
  interpreted in accordance with the Rules of the House, 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 and its 
subcommittees. (See Appendix A for the applicable Rules of the U.S. House 
                           of Representatives.)

   (2) As provided in clause 1(a)(2) of House Rule XI, each subcommittee 
is part of the Committee and is subject to the authority and direction of 
  the Committee and its Rules so far as applicable. (See also Committee 
             Rules III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and XI, infra.)

      (b) Authority to Conduct Investigations.--The Committee and its 
subcommittees, after consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, may 
conduct such investigations and studies as they may consider necessary or 
appropriate in the exercise of their responsibilities under Rule X of the 
 Rules of the House and in accordance with clause 2(m) of House Rule XI.

   (c) Authority to Print.--The Committee is authorized by the Rules of 
the House to have printed and bound testimony and other data presented at 
   hearings held by the Committee and its subcommittees. All costs of 
 stenographic services and transcripts in connection with any meeting or 
    hearing of the Committee and its subcommittees shall be paid from 
  applicable accounts of the House described in clause 1(i)(1) of House 
    Rule X in accordance with clause 1(c) of House Rule XI. (See also 
            paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of Committee Rule IX.)

   (d) Vice Chairman.--The Member of the majority party on the Committee 
or subcommittee designated by the Chairman of the full Committee shall be 
  the vice chairman of the Committee or subcommittee in accordance with 
                      clause 2(d) of House Rule XI.

  (e) Presiding Member.--If the Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee 
 is not present at any Committee or subcommittee meeting or hearing, the 
  vice chairman shall preside. If the Chairman and vice chairman of the 
Committee or subcommittee are not present at a Committee or subcommittee 
   meeting or hearing the ranking Member of the majority party who is 
   present shall preside in accordance with clause 2(d), House Rule XI.

    (f) Publication of Rules.--The Committee's Rules shall be publicly 
 available in electronic form and published in the Congressional Record 
 not later than 30 days after the Chair is elected in each odd-numbered 
            year as provided in clause 2(a) of House Rule XI.

  (g) Joint Committee Reports of Investigation or Study.--A report of an 
 investigation or study conducted jointly by more than one committee may 
     be filed jointly, provided that each of the committees complies 
   independently with all requirements for approval and filing of the 
                                 report.


     II. COMMITTEE BUSINESS MEETINGS--REGULAR, ADDITIONAL AND SPECIAL

  (a) Regular Meetings.--Regular meetings of the Committee, in accordance 
 with clause 2(b) of House Rule XI, shall be held on the first Wednesday 
 of every month to transact its business if notice is given pursuant to 
 clause 2(g)(3) of House Rule XI. The Chairman shall provide each Member 
of the Committee, as far in advance of the day of the regular meeting as 
practicable, a written agenda of such meeting. Items may be placed on the 
agenda by the Chairman or a majority of the Committee. (See paragraph (f) 
      of Committee Rule XI for provisions that apply to meetings of 
                             subcommittees.)

  (b) Additional Meetings.--(1) The Chairman may call and convene, as he 
or she considers necessary, which may not commence earlier than the third 
  day on which Members have notice thereof after consultation with the 
 Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or after concurrence with the 
  Ranking Minority Member, 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 additional meetings pursuant to the notice from the Chairman.

  (2) A hearing or meeting may begin sooner than specified in clause (1) 
  (in which case the chair shall make the announcement specified at the 
 earliest possible time) if the Committee so determines by majority vote 
in the presence of the number of Members required under the Rules of the 
                Committee for the transaction of business.

   (3) At least 24 hours prior to the commencement of a meeting for the 
  markup of a measure or matter the Chair shall cause the text of such 
   measure or matter to be made publicly available in electronic form.

     (c) Special Meetings.--If at least three Members of the Committee 
desire that a special meeting of the Committee be called by the Chairman, 
  those Members may file in the offices of the Committee their written 
  request to the Chairman for such special meeting. Such request shall 
  specify the measure or matters to be considered. Immediately upon the 
filing of the request, the Majority Staff Director (serving as the clerk 
   of the Committee for such purpose) shall notify the Chairman of the 
filing of the request. If, within 3 calendar days after the filing of the 
 request, the Chairman does not call the requested special meeting to be 
 held within 7 calendar days after the filing of the request, a majority 
of the Members of the Committee may file in the offices of the Committee 
  their written notice that a special meeting of the Committee will be 
held, specifying the date and hour thereof, and the measures or matter to 
 be considered at that special meeting in accordance with clause 2(c)(2) 
    of House Rule XI. The Committee shall meet on that date and hour. 
 Immediately upon the filing of the notice, the Majority Staff Director 
 (serving as the clerk) of the Committee shall notify all Members of the 
Committee that such meeting will be held and inform them of its date and 
hour and the measure or matter to be considered, and only the measure or 
    matter specified in that notice may be considered at that special 
                                 meeting.


              III. OPEN MEETINGS AND HEARINGS; BROADCASTING

   (a) Open Meetings and Hearings.--Each meeting for the transaction of 
 business, including the markup of legislation, and each hearing by the 
Committee or a subcommittee shall be open to the public unless closed in 
     accordance with clause 2(g) of House Rule XI. (See Appendix A.)

  (b) Broadcasting and Photography.--Whenever a Committee or subcommittee 
    meeting for the transaction of business, including the markup of 
legislation, or a hearing is open to the public, that meeting or hearing 
                                  shall:

    (1) To the maximum extent practicable the Committee shall provide 
  audio and video coverage of each hearing or meeting for the transaction 
  of business in a manner that allows the public to easily listen to and 
  view the proceedings and shall maintain the recordings of such coverage 
  in a manner that is easily accessible to the public.
    (2) Be open to coverage by television, radio, and still photography 
  in accordance with clause 4 of House Rule XI (See Appendix A). When 
  such radio coverage is conducted in the Committee or subcommittee, 
  written notice to that effect shall be placed on the desk of each 
  Member. The Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee, shall not limit 
  the number of television or still cameras permitted in a hearing or 
  meeting room to fewer than two representatives from each medium (except 
  for legitimate space or safety considerations, in which case pool 
  coverage shall be authorized).

   (c) Closed Meetings--Attendees.--No person other than Members of the 
 Committee or subcommittee and such congressional staff and departmental 
 representatives as the Committee or subcommittee may authorize shall be 
  present at any business or markup session that has been closed to the 
          public as provided in clause 2(g)(1) of House Rule XI.

     (d) Addressing the Committee.--A Committee Member may address the 
 Committee or a subcommittee on any bill, motion, or other matter under 
   consideration (See Committee Rule VIII(e) relating to questioning a 
  witness at a hearing). The time a Member may address the Committee or 
 subcommittee for any such purpose shall be limited to 5 minutes, except 
 that this time limit may be waived by unanimous consent. A Member shall 
    also be limited in his or her remarks to the subject matter under 
consideration, unless the Member receives unanimous consent to extend his 
                   or her remarks beyond such subject.

   (e) Meetings to Begin Promptly.--Subject to the presence of a quorum, 
  each meeting or hearing of the Committee and its subcommittees shall 
 begin promptly at the time so stipulated in the public announcement of 
                         the meeting or hearing.

      (f) Prohibition on Proxy Voting.--No vote by any Member of the 
 Committee or subcommittee with respect to any measure or matter may be 
                              cast by proxy.

      (g) Location of Persons at Meetings.--No person other than the 
Committee or subcommittee Members and Committee or subcommittee staff may 
   be seated in the rostrum area during a meeting of the Committee or 
  subcommittee unless by unanimous consent of Committee or subcommittee.

   (h) Consideration of Amendments and Motions.--A Member, upon request, 
     shall be recognized by the Chairman to address the Committee or 
subcommittee at a meeting for a period limited to 5 minutes on behalf of 
 an amendment or motion offered by the Member or another Member, or upon 
    any other matter under consideration, unless the Member receives 
  unanimous consent to extend the time limit. Every amendment or motion 
 made in Committee or subcommittee shall, upon the demand of any Member 
    present, be reduced to writing, and a copy thereof shall be made 
 available to all Members present. Such amendment or motion shall not be 
   pending before the Committee or subcommittee or voted on until the 
              requirements of this paragraph have been met.

                        (i) Demanding Record Vote.--

    (1) A record vote of the Committee or subcommittee on a question or 
  action shall be ordered on a demand by \1/5\ of the Members present.
    (2) The Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee may postpone 
  further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the question of 
  approving a measure or matter or on adopting an amendment. If the 
  Chairman postpones further proceedings:

      (A) the Chairman may resume such postponed proceedings, after
      giving Members adequate notice, at a time chosen in consultation
      with the Ranking Minority Member; and
      (B) notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous 
    question,
      the underlying proposition on which proceedings were postponed
      shall remain subject to further debate or amendment to the same
      extent as when the question was postponed.

      (j) Submission of Motions or Amendments In Advance of Business 
   Meetings.--The Committee and Subcommittee Chairman may request and 
   Committee and subcommittee Members should, insofar as practicable, 
 cooperate in providing copies of proposed amendments or motions to the 
    Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or the 
    Subcommittee 24 hours before a Committee or subcommittee business 
                                 meeting.

  (k) Points of Order.--No point of order against the hearing or meeting 
 procedures of the Committee or subcommittee shall be entertained unless 
                     it is made in a timely fashion.

   (l) Limitation on Committee Sittings.--The Committee or subcommittees 
 may not sit during a joint session of the House and Senate or during a 
   recess when a joint meeting of the House and Senate is in progress.

  (m) Prohibition of Wireless Telephones.--Use of wireless phones during 
      a Committee or subcommittee hearing or meeting is prohibited.


                               IV. QUORUMS

    (a) Working Quorum.--One-third of the Members of the Committee or a 
subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for taking any action, other than 
                   as noted in paragraphs (b) and (c).

    (b) Majority Quorum.--A majority of the Members of the Committee or 
               subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for:

    (1) the reporting of a bill, resolution or other measure (See clause 
  2(h)(1) of House Rules XI, and Committee Rule IX);
    (2) the closing of a meeting or hearing to the public pursuant to 
  clauses 2(g), 2(k)(5) and 2(k)(7) of the Rule XI of the Rules of the 
  House;
    (3) the authorizing of a subpoena as provided in clause 2(m)(3), of 
  House Rule XI (See also Committee Rule VII.); and
    (4) as where required by a Rule of the House.

     (c) Quorum for Taking Testimony.--Two Members of the Committee or 
    subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of taking 
                    testimony and receiving evidence.


                                V. RECORDS

  (a) Maintenance of Records.--The Committee shall keep a complete record 
      of all Committee and subcommittee action which shall include:

    (1) in the case of any meeting or hearing transcripts, 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, and
    (2) written minutes shall include a record of all Committee and 
  subcommittee action and a record of all votes on any question and a 
  tally on all record votes.

   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 and by telephone request and also made publicly 
  available in electronic form within 48 hours of such record vote. Not 
   later than 24 hours after adoption of an amendment to a measure or 
matter, the chair of the Committee shall cause the text of such amendment 
    adopted thereto to be made publicly available in electronic form. 
     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.

  (b) Access to and Correction of Records.--Any public witness, or person 
    authorized by such witness, during Committee office hours in the 
 Committee offices and within 10 calendar days of the close of hearings, 
may obtain a transcript copy of that public witness's testimony and make 
 such technical, grammatical and typographical corrections as authorized 
by the person making the remarks involved as will not alter the nature of 
 testimony given. There shall be prompt return of such corrected copy of 
the transcript to the Committee. Members of the Committee or subcommittee 
     shall receive copies of transcripts for their prompt review and 
     correction and prompt return to the Committee. The Committee or 
   subcommittee may order the printing of a hearing record without the 
corrections of any Member or witness if it determines that such Member or 
    witness has been afforded a reasonable time in which to make such 
corrections and further delay would seriously impede the consideration of 
 the legislative action that is subject of the hearing. The record of a 
 hearing shall be closed 10 calendar days after the last oral testimony, 
  unless the Committee or subcommittee determines otherwise. Any person 
   requesting to file a statement for the record of a hearing must so 
 request before the hearing concludes and must file the statement before 
  the record is closed unless the Committee or subcommittee determines 
  otherwise. The Committee or subcommittee may reject any statement in 
 light of its length or its tendency to defame, degrade, or incriminate 
                               any person.

    (c) Property of the House.--All Committee and subcommittee records 
 (including hearings data, charts, and files) shall be kept separate and 
distinct from the congressional office records of the Members serving as 
  Chairman and such records shall be the property of the House and all 
   Members of the House shall have access thereto. The Majority Staff 
  Director shall promptly notify the Chairman and the Ranking Minority 
            Member of any request for access to such records.

  (d) 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 House Rule VII. The Chairman shall 
  notify the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee of the need for a 
 Committee order pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of such House 
             Rule, to withhold a record otherwise available.

  (e) Special Rules for Certain Records and Proceedings.--A stenographic 
record of a business meeting of the Committee or subcommittee may be kept 
 and thereafter may be published if the Chairman of the Committee, after 
 consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, determines there is need 
for such a record. The proceedings of the Committee or subcommittee in a 
   closed meeting, evidence or testimony in such meeting, shall not be 
 divulged unless otherwise determined by a majority of the Committee or 
                              subcommittee.

  (f) Electronic Availability of Committee Publications.--To the maximum 
 extent feasible, the Committee shall make its publications available in 
                             electronic form.


                         VI. POWER TO SIT AND ACT

   For the purpose of carrying out any of its function and duties under 
  House Rules X and XI, the Committee and each of its subcommittees is 
  authorized to sit and act at such times and places within the United 
 States whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned 
                        and to hold such hearings.


                         VII. SUBPOENAS AND OATHS

   (a) Issuance of Subpoenas.--In accordance with clause House Rule XI, 
clause 2(m), a subpoena may be authorized and issued by a majority of the 
 Committee or by the Chairman in consultation with the Ranking Minority 
 Member. Such consultation shall occur at least 48 hours in advance of a 
subpoena being issued under such authority. Authorized subpoenas shall be 
 signed by the Chairman of the Committee or by any Member designated by 
                              the Committee.

      (b) Oaths.--The Chairman of the Committee, or any member of the 
    Committee designated by the Chairman, may administer oaths to any 
                                witnesses.

                        VIII. HEARING PROCEDURES.

      (a) Power to Hear.--For the purpose of carrying out any of its 
  functions and duties under House Rule X and XI, the Committee and its 
  subcommittees are authorized to sit and hold hearings at any time or 
   place within the United States whether the House is in session, has 
 recessed, or has adjourned. (See Committee Rule VI and paragraph (f) of 
 Committee Rule XI for provisions relating to subcommittee hearings and 
                                meetings.)

       (b) Announcement.--The Chairman of the Committee shall after 
 consultation with the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee, make a 
    public announcement of the date, place and subject matter of any 
Committee hearing at least 1 week before the commencement of the hearing. 
   The Chairman of a Subcommittee shall schedule a hearing only after 
 consultation with the Chairman of the Committee and after consultation 
with the Ranking Minority Member of the Subcommittee, and the Chairmen of 
   the other Subcommittees after such consultation with the Committee 
Chairman, and shall request the Majority Staff Director to make a public 
 announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of such hearing at 
least 1 week before the hearing. If the Chairman of the Committee or the 
  Subcommittee, with concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member of the 
 Committee or Subcommittee, determines there is good cause to begin the 
  hearing sooner, or if the Committee or subcommittee so determines by 
 majority vote, a quorum being present for the transaction of business, 
  the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee, as appropriate, shall 
 request the Majority Staff Director to make such public announcement at 
  the earliest possible date. The clerk of the Committee shall promptly 
  notify the Daily Digest Clerk of the Congressional Record, and shall 
promptly enter the appropriate information into the Committee scheduling 
 service of the House Information Systems as soon as possible after such 
                       public announcement is made.

    (c) Scheduling of Witnesses.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
 rule, the scheduling of witnesses and determination of the time allowed 
for the presentation of testimony at hearings shall be at the discretion 
 of the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee, unless a majority of 
           the Committee or subcommittee determines otherwise.

    (d) Written Statement; Oral Testimony.--(1) Each witness who is to 
     appear before the Committee or a subcommittee, shall insofar as 
 practicable file with the Majority Staff Director of the Committee, at 
 least 2 working days before the day of his or her appearance, a written 
   statement of proposed testimony. Witnesses shall provide sufficient 
 copies of their statement for distribution to Committee or subcommittee 
Members, staff, and the news media. Insofar as practicable, the Committee 
  or subcommittee staff shall distribute such written statements to all 
Members of the Committee or subcommittee as soon as they are received as 
   well as any official reports from departments and agencies on such 
subject matter. All witnesses may be limited in their oral presentations 
to brief summaries of their statements within the time allotted to them, 
 at the discretion of the Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee, in 
  light of the nature of the testimony and the length of time available.

   (2) As noted in paragraph (b) of Committee Rule VII, the Chairman of 
the Committee or any Member designated by the Chairman, may administer an 
                           oath to any witness.

    (3) To the greatest extent practicable, each witness appearing in a 
  non-governmental capacity shall include with the written statement of 
                           proposed testimony:

    (i) a curriculum vitae;
    (ii) 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 calendar year or either of the 2 
  preceding calendar years by the witness or by an entity represented by 
  the witness; and
    (iii) disclosure of the amount and country of origin of any payment 
  or contract related to the subject matter of the hearing originating 
  with a foreign government received during the current calendar year or 
  either of the 2 preceding calendar years by the witness or by an entity 
  represented by the witness.

 Such statements, with appropriate redactions to protect the privacy of 
witnesses, shall be made publicly available in electronic form not later 
                  than 1 day after the witness appears.

   (e) Questioning of Witnesses.--Committee or subcommittee Members may 
question witnesses only when they have been recognized by the Chairman of 
the Committee or subcommittee for that purpose. Each Member so recognized 
 shall be limited to questioning a witness for 5 minutes until such time 
as each Member of the Committee or subcommittee who so desires has had an 
  opportunity to question the witness for 5 minutes; and thereafter the 
Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee may limit the time of a further 
round of questioning after giving due consideration to the importance of 
the subject matter and the length of time available. All questions put to 
witnesses shall be germane to the measure or matter under consideration. 
Unless a majority of the Committee or subcommittee determines otherwise, 
     no Committee or subcommittee staff shall interrogate witnesses.

     (f) Extended Questioning for Designated Members.--Notwithstanding 
paragraph (e), the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member may designate an 
   equal number of Members from each party to question a witness for a 
                    period not longer than 60 minutes.

   (g) Witnesses for the Minority.--When any hearing is conducted by the 
 Committee or any subcommittee upon any measure or matter, the minority 
 party Members on the Committee or subcommittee shall be entitled, upon 
 request to the Chairman by a majority of those minority Members before 
    the completion of such hearing, to call witnesses selected by the 
  minority to testify with respect to that measure or matter during at 
  least 1 day of hearing thereon as provided in clause 2(j)(1) of House 
                                 Rule XI.

  (h) Summary of Subject Matter.--Upon announcement of a hearing, to the 
extent practicable, the Committee shall make available immediately to all 
    Members of the Committee a concise summary of the subject matter 
 (including legislative reports and other material) under consideration. 
In addition, upon announcement of a hearing and subsequently as they are 
  received, the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee shall, to the 
 extent practicable, make available to the Members of the Committee any 
   official reports from departments and agencies on such matter. (See 
                          Committee Rule XI(f).)

      (i) Open Hearings.--Each hearing conducted by the Committee or 
subcommittee shall be open to the public, including radio, television and 
still photography coverage, except as provided in clause 4 of House Rule 
  XI (see also Committee Rule III(b).). In any event, no Member of the 
  House may be excluded from nonparticipatory attendance at any hearing 
   unless the House by majority vote shall authorize the Committee or 
   subcommittee, for purposes of a particular series of hearings on a 
       particular bill or resolution or on a particular subject of 
  investigation, to close its hearings to Members by means of the above 
                                procedure.

    (j) Hearings and Reports.--(1)(i) The Chairman of the Committee or 
  Subcommittee at a hearing shall announce in an opening statement the 
  subject of the investigation. A copy of the Committee Rules (and the 
  applicable provisions of clause 2 of House Rule XI, regarding hearing 
 procedures, an excerpt of which appears in Appendix A thereto) shall be 
made available to each witness upon request. Witnesses at hearings may be 
    accompanied by their own counsel for the purpose of advising them 
concerning their constitutional rights. The Chairman of the Committee or 
      Subcommittee may punish breaches of order and decorum, and of 
professional ethics on the part of counsel, by censure and exclusion from 
 the hearings; but only the full Committee may cite the offender to the 
                           House for contempt.

    (ii) Whenever it is asserted by a Member of the Committee that the 
   evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or 
incriminate any person, or it is asserted by a witness that the evidence 
or testimony that the witness would give at a hearing may tend to defame, 
degrade, or incriminate the witness, such testimony or evidence shall be 
    presented in executive session, notwithstanding the provisions of 
  paragraph (i) of this rule, if by a majority of those present, there 
being in attendance the requisite number required under the Rules of the 
    Committee to be present for the purpose of taking testimony, the 
Committee or subcommittee determines that such evidence or testimony may 
  tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person. The Committee or 
 subcommittee shall afford a person an opportunity voluntarily to appear 
 as a witness; and the Committee or subcommittee shall receive and shall 
  dispose of requests from such person to subpoena additional witnesses.

     (iii) No evidence or testimony taken in executive session may be 
released or used in public sessions without the consent of the Committee 
  or subcommittee. In the discretion of the Committee or subcommittee, 
   witnesses may submit brief and pertinent statements in writing for 
inclusion in the record. The Committee or subcommittee is the sole judge 
 of the pertinency of testimony and evidence adduced at its hearings. A 
 witness may obtain a transcript copy of his or her testimony given at a 
 public session or, if given at an executive session, when authorized by 
 the Committee or subcommittee. (See paragraph (c) of Committee Rule V.)

  (2) 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) in advance of their 
                              consideration.


                IX. THE REPORTING OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

     (a) Filing of Reports.--The Chairman shall report or cause to be 
  reported promptly to the House any bill, resolution, or other measure 
    approved by the Committee and shall take or cause to be taken all 
  necessary steps to bring such bill, resolution, or other measure to a 
    vote. No bill, resolution, or measure shall be reported from the 
Committee unless a majority of Committee is actually present. A Committee 
    report on any bill, resolution, or other measure approved by the 
  Committee shall be filed within 7 calendar days (not counting days on 
which the House is not in session) after the day on which there has been 
    filed with the Majority Staff Director of the Committee a written 
request, signed by a majority of the Committee, for the reporting of that 
 bill or resolution. The Majority Staff Director of the Committee shall 
      notify the Chairman immediately when such a request is filed.

       (b) Content of Reports.--Each Committee report on any bill or 
    resolution approved by the Committee shall include as separately 
                           identified sections:

    (1) a statement of the intent or purpose of the bill or resolution;
    (2) a statement describing the need for such bill or resolution;
    (3) a statement of Committee and subcommittee consideration of the 
  measure including a summary of amendments and motions offered and the 
  actions taken thereon;
    (4) the results of the each record vote on any amendment in the 
  Committee and subcommittee and on the motion to report the measure or 
  matter, including the names of those Members and the total voting for 
  and the names of those Members and the total voting against such 
  amendment or motion (See clause 3(b) of House Rule XIII);
    (5) the oversight findings and recommendations of the Committee with 
  respect to the subject matter of the bill or resolution as required 
  pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of House Rule XIII and clause 2(b)(1) of 
  House Rule X;
    (6) the detailed statement described in House Rule XIII clause 
  3(c)(2) and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if 
  the bill or resolution provides new budget authority (other than 
  continuing appropriations), new spending authority described in section 
  401(c)(2) of such Act, new credit authority, or an increase or decrease 
  in revenues or tax expenditures, except that the estimates with respect 
  to new budget authority shall include, when practicable, a comparison 
  of the total estimated funding level for the relevant program (or 
  programs) to the appropriate levels under current law;
    (7) the estimate of costs and comparison of such estimates, if any, 
  prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office in 
  connection with such bill or resolution pursuant to section 402 of the 
  Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if submitted in timely fashion to the 
  Committee;
    (8) a statement of general performance goals and objectives, 
  including outcome-related goals and objectives, for which the measure 
  authorizes funding;
     (9) an estimate by the Committee of the costs that would be incurred 
  in carrying out such bill or joint resolution in the fiscal year in 
  which it is reported and for its authorized duration or for each of the 
  5 fiscal years following the fiscal year of reporting, whichever period 
  is less (see House Rule XIII, clause 3(d)(2), (3) and (h)(2), (3)), 
  together with--(i) a comparison of these estimates with those made and 
  submitted to the Committee by any Government agency when practicable, 
  and (ii) a comparison of the total estimated funding level for the 
  relevant program (or programs) with appropriate levels under current 
  law (The provisions of this clause do not apply if a cost estimate and 
  comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
  under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been 
  timely submitted prior to the filing of the report and included in the 
  report);
    (10) a list of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, and 
  limited tariff benefits in the bill or in the report (and the name of 
  any Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who submitted a request 
  to the Committee for each respective item included in such list) or a 
  statement that the proposition contains no congressional earmarks, 
  limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits;
    (11) the changes in existing law (if any) shown in accordance with 
  clause 3 of House Rule XIII;
    (12) the determination required pursuant to section 5(b) of Public 
  Law 92-463, if the legislation reported establishes or authorizes the 
  establishment of an advisory committee;
    (13) the information on Federal and intergovernmental mandates 
  required by section 423(c) and (d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 
  1974, as added by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-
  4);
    (14) a statement regarding the applicability of section 102(b)(3) of 
  the Congressional Accountability Act, Public Law 104-1;
    (15) a statement indicating whether any provision of the measure 
  establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal Government known 
  to be duplicative of another Federal program. The Statement shall at a 
  minimum explain whether--

      (A) any such program was included in any report from the Government 
    Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public 
    Law 111-139; or
      (B) the most recent catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, 
    published pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act (Public Law 
    95-220, as amended by Public Law 98-169), identified other programs 
    related to the program established or reauthorized by the measure; 
    and

    (16) a statement estimating the number of directed rule makings 
  required by the measure.

   (c) Supplemental, Minority, Additional, or Dissenting Views.--If, at 
   the time of approval of any measure or matter by the Committee, any 
 Member of the Committee gives notice of intention to file supplemental, 
minority, additional, or dissenting views, all Members shall be entitled 
    to not less than 2 subsequent calendar days (excluding Saturdays, 
 Sundays, and legal holidays except when the House is in session on such 
 date) in which to file such writing and signed views, with the Majority 
 Staff Director of the Committee. When time guaranteed by this paragraph 
 has expired (or if sooner, when all separate views have been received), 
the Committee may arrange to file its report with the Clerk of the House 
 not later than 1 hour after the expiration of such time. All such views 
   (in accordance with House Rule XI, clause 2(l) and House Rule XIII, 
clause 3(a)(1)), as filed by one or more Members of the Committee, shall 
 be included within and made a part of the report filed by the Committee 
                 with respect to that bill or resolution.

  (d) Printing of Reports.--The report of the Committee on the measure or 
matter noted in paragraph (a) above shall be printed in a single volume, 
                               which shall:

    (1) include all supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting 
  views that have been submitted by the time of the filing of the report; 
  and
    (2) bear on its cover a recital that any such supplemental, minority, 
  additional, or dissenting views (and any material submitted under House 
  Rule XII, clause 3(a)(1)) are included as part of the report.

    (e) Immediate Printing; Supplemental Reports.--Nothing in this rule 
                             shall preclude--

    (1) the immediate filing or printing of a Committee report unless 
  timely request for the opportunity to file supplemental, minority, 
  additional, or dissenting views has been made as provided by paragraph 
  (c); or
    (2) the filing by the Committee of any supplemental report on any 
  bill or resolution that may be required for the correction of any 
  technical error in a previous report made by the Committee on that bill 
  or resolution.

    (f) Availability of Printed Hearing Records.--If hearings have been 
 held on any reported bill or resolution, the Committee shall make every 
    reasonable effort to have the record of such hearings printed and 
   available for distribution to the Members of the House prior to the 
   consideration of such bill or resolution by the House. Each printed 
  hearing of the Committee or any of its subcommittees shall include a 
                 record of the attendance of the Members.

   (g) Committee Prints.--All Committee or subcommittee prints or other 
  Committee or subcommittee documents, other than reports or prints of 
bills, that are prepared for public distribution shall be approved by the 
 Chairman of the Committee or the Committee prior to public distribution.

      (h) Post Adjournment Filing of Committee Reports.--(1) After an 
   adjournment of the last regular session of a Congress sine die, an 
investigative or oversight report approved by the Committee may be filed 
with the Clerk at any time, provided that if a Member gives notice at the 
time of approval of intention to file supplemental, minority, additional, 
  or dissenting views, that Member shall be entitled to not less than 7 
   calendar days in which to submit such views for inclusion with the 
                                 report.

  (2) After an adjournment of the last regular session of a Congress sine 
 die, the Chairman of the Committee may file at any time with the Clerk 
  the Committee's activity report for that Congress pursuant to clause 
1(d)(1) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House without the approval of the 
Committee, provided that a copy of the report has been available to each 
   Member of the Committee for at least 7 calendar days and the report 
  includes any supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
                 submitted by a Member of the Committee.

     (i) Conference.--The Chairman is directed to offer a motion under 
  clause 1 of Rule XXII of the Rules of the House whenever the Chairman 
                        considers it appropriate.


                      X. OTHER COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

  (a) Oversight Plan.--Not later than February 15 of the first session of 
a Congress, the Chairman shall convene the Committee in a meeting that is 
open to the public and with a quorum present to adopt its oversight plans 
 for that Congress. Such plans shall be submitted simultaneously to the 
  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and to the Committee on 
 House Administration. In developing such plans the Committee shall, to 
                      the maximum extent feasible--

    (1) consult with other committees of the House that have jurisdiction 
  over the same or related laws, programs, or agencies within its 
  jurisdiction, with the objective of ensuring that such laws, programs, 
  or agencies are reviewed in the same Congress and that there is a 
  maximum of coordination between such committees in the conduct of such 
  reviews; and such plans shall include an explanation of what steps have 
  been and will be taken to ensure such coordination and cooperation;
    (2) review specific problems with Federal rules, regulations, 
  statutes, and court decisions that are ambiguous, arbitrary, or 
  nonsensical, or that impose severe financial burdens on individuals;
    (3) give priority consideration to including in its plans the review 
  of those laws, programs, or agencies operating under permanent budget 
  authority or permanent statutory authority;
    (4) have a view toward ensuring that all significant laws, programs, 
  or agencies within its jurisdiction are subject to review at least once 
  every 10 years; and
    (5) include proposals to cut or eliminate programs, including 
  mandatory spending programs, that are inefficient, duplicative, 
  outdated, or more appropriately administered by State or local 
  governments.

 The Committee and its appropriate subcommittees shall review and study, 
  on a continuing basis, the impact or probable impact of tax policies 
affecting subjects within its jurisdiction as provided in clause 2(d) of 
House Rule X. The Committee shall include in the report filed pursuant to 
 clause 1(d) of House Rule XI a summary of the oversight plans submitted 
by the Committee under clause 2(d) of House Rule X, a summary of actions 
  taken and recommendations made with respect to each such plan, and a 
    summary of any additional oversight activities undertaken by the 
     Committee and any recommendations made or actions taken thereon.

   (b) Annual Appropriations.--The Committee shall, in its consideration 
   of all bills and joint resolutions of a public character within its 
  jurisdiction, ensure that appropriations for continuing programs and 
    activities of the Federal government and the District of Columbia 
   government will be made annually to the maximum extent feasible and 
consistent with the nature, requirements, and objectives of the programs 
 and activities involved. The Committee shall review, from time to time, 
each continuing program within its jurisdiction for which appropriations 
are not made annually in order to ascertain whether such program could be 
     modified so that appropriations therefor would be made annually.

   (c) Budget Act Compliance: Views and Estimates (See Appendix B).--Not 
 later than 6 weeks after the President submits his budget under section 
1105(a) of title 31, United State Code, or at such time as the Committee 
 on the Budget may request, the Committee shall, submit to the Committee 
on the Budget (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 (under section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974--
see Appendix B) 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.

  (d) Budget Act Compliance: Recommended Changes.--Whenever the Committee 
  is directed in a concurrent resolution on the budget to determine and 
recommend changes in laws, bills, or resolutions under the reconciliation 
 process, it shall promptly make such determination and recommendations, 
and report a reconciliation bill or resolution (or both) to the House or 
submit such recommendations to the Committee on the Budget, in accordance 
       with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (See Appendix B).

    (e) Conference Committees.--Whenever in the legislative process it 
    becomes necessary to appoint conferees, the Chairman shall, after 
 consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, determine the number of 
  conferees the Chairman deems most suitable and then recommend to the 
 Speaker as conferees, in keeping with the number to be appointed by the 
   Speaker as provided in House Rule I, clause 11, the names of those 
   Members of the Committee of not less than a majority who generally 
 supported the House position and who were primarily responsible for the 
legislation. The Chairman shall, to the fullest extent feasible, include 
 those Members of the Committee who were the principal proponents of the 
   major provisions of the bill as it passed the House and such other 
Committee Members of the majority party as the Chairman may designate in 
consultation with the Members of the majority party. Such recommendations 
shall provide a ratio of majority party Members to minority party Members 
no less favorable to the majority party than the ratio of majority party 
      Members to minority party Members on the Committee. In making 
  recommendations of Minority Party Members as conferees, the Chairman 
     shall consult with the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee.

     (f) Hearing on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse.--(1) The Committee, or a 
subcommittee, shall hold at least one hearing during each 120-day period 
   following the establishment of the Committee on the topic of waste, 
fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in Government programs which the Committee 
                              may authorize.

   (2) A hearing described in subparagraph (1) shall include a focus on 
the most egregious instances of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement as 
documented by any report the Committee has received from a Federal Office 
of the Inspector General or the Comptroller General of the United States.

      (g) Hearing on Agency Financial Statements.--The Committee or a 
subcommittee, shall hold at least one hearing in any session in which the 
 Committee has received disclaimers of agency financial statements from 
 auditors of any Federal agency that the Committee may authorize to hear 
  testimony on such disclaimers from representatives of any such agency.

   (h) Hearing on GAO High-Risk-List.--The Committee or a subcommittee, 
shall hold at least one hearing on issues raised by reports issued by the 
Comptroller General of the United States indicating that Federal programs 
   or operations that the Committee may authorize are at high risk for 
  waste, fraud, and mismanagement, known as the `high-risk-list' or the 
                           `high-risk series'.

     (i) Activities Report.--(1) Not later than January 2 of each odd-
 numbered year, the Committee shall submit to the House a report on the 
   activities of the Committee. After adjournment sine die of the last 
 regular session of a Congress, or after December 15 of an even-numbered 
 year, whichever occurs first, the Chair may file the report, a copy of 
  which shall be made available to each Member of the Committee for at 
     least 7 calendar days, with the Clerk of the House at any time.

      (2) Such report shall include separate sections summarizing the 
    legislative and oversight activities of the Committee during that 
                                Congress.

  (3) The oversight section of such report shall include a summary of the 
  oversight plans submitted by the Committee pursuant to clause 2(d) of 
  House Rule X, a summary of the actions taken and recommendations made 
with respect to each such plan, and a summary of any additional oversight 
 activities undertaken by the Committee, and any recommendations made or 
                   actions taken with respect thereto.


                            XI. SUBCOMMITTEES

     (a) Number and Composition.--There shall be such subcommittees as 
specified in paragraph (c) of this rule. Each of such subcommittees shall 
 be composed of the number of Members set forth in paragraph (c) of this 
rule, including ex officio Members.\1\ The Chairman may create additional 
   subcommittees of an ad hoc nature as the Chairman determines to be 
 appropriate subject to any limitations provided for in the House Rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  \1\ The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee serve as 
ex officio Members of the subcommittees. (See paragraph (e) of this 
rule).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

   (b) 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. In calculating the ratio of majority 
 party Members to minority party Members, there shall be included the ex 
 officio Members of the subcommittees and ratios below reflect that fact.

   (c) Jurisdiction.--Each subcommittee shall have the following general 
                   jurisdiction and number of Members:

General Farm Commodities and Risk Management (22 members, 13 majority and 
    9 minority).--Policies, statutes, and markets relating to commodities 
      including barley, cotton, cottonseed, corn, grain sorghum, honey, 
     mohair, oats, other oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, rice, soybeans, 
       sugar, wheat, and wool; the Commodity Credit Corporation; risk 
     management policies and statutes, including Federal Crop Insurance; 
                      producer data and privacy issues.
  Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit (15 members, 9 majority and 6 
      minority).--Policies, statutes, and markets relating to commodity 
      exchanges; agricultural credit; rural development; energy; rural 
                               electrification.
   Conservation and Forestry (15 members, 9 majority and 6 minority).--
     Policies and statutes relating to resource conservation, forestry, 
         and all forests under the jurisdiction of the Committee on 
                                 Agriculture.
   Nutrition  (22 members, 13 majority and 9 minority).--Policies and 
    statutes relating to nutrition, including the Supplemental Nutrition 
     Assistance Program and domestic commodity distribution and consumer 
                                 initiatives.
 Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research (15 members, 9 majority and 6 
    minority).--Policies, statutes, and markets relating to horticulture, 
       including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and ornamentals; bees; and 
    organic agriculture; policies and statutes relating to marketing and 
        promotion orders; pest and disease management; bioterrorism; 
        adulteration and quarantine matters; research, education, and 
                        extension; and biotechnology.
     Livestock and Foreign Agriculture (15 members, 9 majority and 6 
         minority).--Policies, statutes, and markets relating to all 
       livestock, poultry, dairy, and seafood, including all products 
    thereof; the inspection, marketing, and promotion of such commodities 
         and products; aquaculture; animal welfare; grazing; foreign 
                 agricultural assistance and trade promotion.

                       (d) Referral of Legislation.--

    (1)(a) In general.--All bills, resolutions, and other matters 
  referred to the Committee shall be referred to all subcommittees of 
  appropriate jurisdiction within 2 weeks after being referred to the 
  Committee. After consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, the 
  Chairman may determine that the Committee will consider certain bills, 
  resolutions, or other matters.
    (b) Trade Matters.--Unless action is otherwise taken under 
  subparagraph (3), bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to the 
  Committee relating to foreign agriculture, foreign food or commodity 
  assistance, and foreign trade and marketing issues will be considered 
  by the Committee.
    (2) The Chairman, by a majority vote of the Committee, may discharge 
  a subcommittee from further consideration of any bill, resolution, or 
  other matter referred to the subcommittee and have such bill, 
  resolution or other matter considered by the Committee. The Committee 
  having referred a bill, resolution, or other matter to a subcommittee 
  in accordance with this rule may discharge such subcommittee from 
  further consideration thereof at any time by a vote of the majority 
  Members of the Committee for the Committee's direct consideration or 
  for reference to another subcommittee.
    (3) Unless the Committee, a quorum being present, decides otherwise 
  by a majority vote, the Chairman may refer bills, resolutions, 
  legislation or other matters not specifically within the jurisdiction 
  of a subcommittee, or that is within the jurisdiction of more than one 
  subcommittee, jointly or exclusively as the Chairman deems appropriate, 
  including concurrently to the subcommittees with jurisdiction, 
  sequentially to the subcommittees with jurisdiction (subject to any 
  time limits deemed appropriate), divided by subject matter among the 
  subcommittees with jurisdiction, or to an ad hoc subcommittee appointed 
  by the Chairman for the purpose of considering the matter and reporting 
  to the Committee thereon, or make such other provisions deemed 
  appropriate.

   (e) Participation and Service of Committee Members on Subcommittees.--
   (1) The Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member shall serve as ex 
officio Members of all subcommittees and shall have the right to vote on 
   all matters before the subcommittees. The Chairman and the Ranking 
  Minority Member may not be counted for the purpose of establishing a 
                                 quorum.

  (2) Any Member of the Committee who is not a Member of the subcommittee 
  may have the privilege of sitting and nonparticipatory attendance at 
 subcommittee hearings or meetings in accordance with clause 2(g)(2) of 
                   House Rule XI. Such Member may not:

    (i) vote on any matter;
    (ii) be counted for the purpose of a establishing a quorum;
    (iii) participate in questioning a witness under the 5-Minute Rule, 
  unless permitted to do so by the Subcommittee Chairman in consultation 
  with the Ranking Minority Member or a majority of the Subcommittee, a 
  quorum being present;
    (iv) raise points of order; or
    (v) offer amendments or motions.

     (f) Subcommittee Hearings and Meetings.--(1) Each subcommittee is 
      authorized to meet, hold hearings, receive evidence, and make 
 recommendations to the Committee on all matters referred to it or under 
its jurisdiction after consultation by the Subcommittee Chairmen with the 
              Committee Chairman. (See Committee Rule VIII.)

     (2) After consultation with the Committee Chairman, Subcommittee 
Chairmen shall set dates for hearings and meetings of their subcommittees 
 and shall request the Majority Staff Director to make any announcement 
relating thereto. (See Committee Rule VIII(b).) In setting the dates, the 
  Committee Chairman and Subcommittee Chairman shall consult with other 
  Subcommittee Chairmen and relevant Committee and Subcommittee Ranking 
    Minority Members in an effort to avoid simultaneously scheduling 
      Committee and subcommittee meetings or hearings to the extent 
                               practicable.

     (3) Notice of all subcommittee meetings shall be provided to the 
Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee by the Majority 
                             Staff Director.

  (4) Subcommittees may hold meetings or hearings outside of the House if 
  the Chairman of the Committee and other Subcommittee Chairmen and the 
 Ranking Minority Member of the Subcommittee is consulted in advance to 
ensure that there is no scheduling problem. However, the majority of the 
             Committee may authorize such meeting or hearing.

      (5) The provisions regarding notice and the agenda of Committee 
 meetings under Committee Rule II(a) and special or additional meetings 
     under Committee Rule II(b) shall apply to subcommittee meetings.

   (6) If a vacancy occurs in a subcommittee chairmanship, the Chairman 
 may set the dates for hearings and meetings of the subcommittee during 
     the period of vacancy. The Chairman may also appoint an acting 
            Subcommittee Chairman until the vacancy is filled.

  (g) Subcommittee Action.--(1) Any bill, resolution, recommendation, or 
   other matter forwarded to the Committee by a subcommittee shall be 
   promptly forwarded by the Subcommittee Chairman or any subcommittee 
             Member authorized to do so by the subcommittee.

  (2) Upon receipt of such recommendation, the Majority Staff Director of 
 the Committee shall promptly advise all Members of the Committee of the 
                           subcommittee action.

      (3) The Committee shall not consider any matters recommended by 
subcommittees until 2 calendar days have elapsed from the date of action, 
 unless the Chairman or a majority of the Committee determines otherwise.

   (h) Subcommittee Investigations.--No investigation shall be initiated 
by a subcommittee without the prior consultation with the Chairman of the 
                Committee or a majority of the Committee.


                 XII. COMMITTEE BUDGET, STAFF, AND TRAVEL

  (a) Committee Budget.--The Chairman, in consultation with the majority 
  Members of the Committee, and the minority Members of the Committee, 
shall prepare a preliminary budget for each session of the Congress. Such 
   budget shall include necessary amounts for staff personnel, travel, 
  investigation, and other expenses of the Committee and subcommittees. 
 After consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, the Chairman shall 
  include an amount budgeted to minority Members for staff under their 
 direction and supervision. Thereafter, the Chairman shall combine such 
 proposals into a consolidated Committee budget, and shall take whatever 
  action is necessary to have such budget duly authorized by the House.

  (b) Committee Staff.--(1) The Chairman shall appoint and determine the 
remuneration of, and may remove, the professional and clerical employees 
   of the Committee not assigned to the minority. The professional and 
  clerical staff of the Committee not assigned to the minority shall be 
 under the general supervision and direction of the Chairman, who shall 
   establish and assign the duties and responsibilities of such staff 
members and delegate such authority as he or she determines appropriate. 
                      (See House Rule X, clause 9).

    (2) The Ranking Minority Member of the Committee shall appoint and 
   determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the professional and 
 clerical staff assigned to the minority within the budget approved for 
   such purposes. The professional and clerical staff assigned to the 
  minority shall be under the general supervision and direction of the 
Ranking Minority Member of the Committee who may delegate such authority 
                   as he or she determines appropriate.

    (3) From the funds made available for the appointment of Committee 
   staff pursuant to any primary or additional expense resolution, the 
  Chairman shall ensure that each subcommittee is adequately funded and 
staffed to discharge its responsibilities and that the minority party is 
fairly treated in the appointment of such staff (See House Rule X, clause 
                                  6(d)).

      (c) Committee Travel.--(1) Consistent with the primary expense 
   resolution and such additional expense resolution as may have been 
  approved, the provisions of this rule shall govern official travel of 
  Committee Members and Committee staff regarding domestic and foreign 
    travel (See House Rule XI, clause 2(n) and House Rule X, clause 8 
    (reprinted in Appendix A)). Official travel for any Member or any 
Committee staff member shall be paid only upon the prior authorization of 
 the Chairman. Official travel may be authorized by the Chairman for any 
 Committee Member and any Committee staff member in connection with the 
 attendance of hearings conducted by the Committee and its subcommittees 
and meetings, conferences, facility inspections, and investigations which 
involve activities or subject matter relevant to the general jurisdiction 
   of the Committee. Before such authorization is given there shall be 
           submitted to the Chairman in writing the following:

    (i) The purpose of the official travel;
    (ii) The dates during which the official travel is to be made and the 
  date or dates of the event for which the official travel is being made;
    (iii) The location of the event for which the official travel is to 
  be made; and
    (iv) The names of Members and Committee staff seeking authorization.

       (2) In the case of official travel of Members and staff of a 
subcommittee to hearings, meetings, conferences, facility inspections and 
     investigations involving activities or subject matter under the 
 jurisdiction of such subcommittee to be paid for out of funds allocated 
     to the Committee, prior authorization must be obtained from the 
    Subcommittee Chairman and the full Committee Chairman. Such prior 
authorization shall be given by the Chairman only upon the representation 
 by the applicable Subcommittee Chairman in writing setting forth those 
                     items enumerated in clause (1).

  (3) Within 60 days of the conclusion of any official travel authorized 
  under this rule, there shall be submitted to the Committee Chairman a 
    written report covering the information gained as a result of the 
   hearing, meeting, conference, facility inspection or investigation 
                attended pursuant to such official travel.

  (4) Local currencies owned by the United States shall be made available 
to the Committee and its employees engaged in carrying out their official 
  duties outside the United States, its territories or possessions. No 
    appropriated funds shall be expended for the purpose of defraying 
expenses of Members of the Committee or is employees in any country where 
   local currencies are available for this purpose; and the following 
   conditions shall apply with respect to their use of such currencies;

    (i) No Member or employee of the Committee shall receive or expend 
  local currencies for subsistence in any country at a rate in excess of 
  the maximum per diem rate set forth in applicable Federal law; and
    (ii) Each Member or employee of the Committee shall make an itemized 
  report to the Chairman within 60 days following the completion of 
  travel showing the dates each country was visited, the amount of per 
  diem furnished, the cost of transportation furnished, and any funds 
  expended for any other official purpose, and shall summarize in these 
  categories the total foreign currencies and appropriated funds 
  expended. All such individual reports shall be filed by the Chairman 
  with the Committee on House Administration and shall be open to public 
  inspection.


                         XIII. AMENDMENT OF RULES

     These Rules may be amended by a majority vote of the Committee. A 
 proposed change in these Rules shall not be considered by the Committee 
 as provided in clause 2 of House Rule XI, unless written notice of the 
proposed change has been provided to each Committee Member 2 legislative 
days in advance of the date on which the matter is to be considered. Any 
   such change in the Rules of the Committee shall be published in the 
     Congressional Record within 30 calendar days after its approval.
                                Appendix A
                  EXCERPTS OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF
                  REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE 114TH CONGRESS
                    PERTAINING TO COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
                                 Rule VII
                           Records of the House
                                Archiving

   1. (a) At the end of each Congress, the chair of each committee shall 
transfer to the Clerk any noncurrent records of such committee, including 
                        the subcommittees thereof.

    (b) At the end of each Congress, each officer of the House elected 
under rule II shall transfer to the Clerk any noncurrent records made or 
          acquired in the course of the duties of such officer.

    2. The Clerk shall deliver the records transferred under clause 1, 
together with any other noncurrent records of the House, to the Archivist 
   of the United States for preservation at the National Archives and 
 Records Administration. Records so delivered are the permanent property 
 of the House and remain subject to this rule and any order of the House.


                           Public availability

      3. (a) The Clerk shall authorize the Archivist to make records 
  delivered under clause 2 available for public use, subject to clause 
                    4(b), and any order of the House.

       (b)(1) A record shall immediately be made available if it was 
previously made available for public use by the House or a committee or a 
                              subcommittee.

   (2) An investigative record that contains personal data relating to a 
 specific living person (the disclosure of which would be an unwarranted 
   invasion of personal privacy), an administrative record relating to 
personnel, or a record relating to a hearing that was closed under clause 
 2(g)(2) of rule XI shall be made available if it has been in existence 
                              for 50 years.

  (3) A record for which a time, schedule, or condition for availability 
is specified by order of the House shall be made available in accordance 
 with that order. Except as otherwise provided by order of the House, a 
   record of a committee for which a time, schedule, or condition for 
 availability is specified by order of the committee (entered during the 
Congress in which the record is made or acquired by the committee) shall 
     be made available in accordance with the order of the committee.

  (4) A record (other than a record referred to in subparagraph (1), (2), 
or (3)) shall be made available if it has been in existence for 30 years.

  4. (a) A record may not be made available for public use under clause 3 
 if the Clerk determines that such availability would be detrimental to 
the public interest or inconsistent with the rights and privileges of the 
 House. The Clerk shall notify in writing the chair and ranking minority 
       member of the Committee on House Administration of any such 
                              determination.

    (b) A determination of the Clerk under paragraph (a) is subject to 
 later orders of the House and, in the case of a record of a committee, 
                      later orders of the committee.

   5. (a) This rule does not supersede rule VIII or clause 11 of rule X 
   and does not authorize the public disclosure of any record if such 
   disclosure is prohibited by law or executive order of the President

         * * * * *

    (c) A committee may withdraw from the National Archives and Records 
  Administration any record of the committee delivered to the Archivist 
under this rule. Such a withdrawal shall be on a temporary basis and for 
                      official use of the committee.

         * * * * *
                                  Rule X
                        Organization of Committees
              Committees and their legislative jurisdictions

  1. There shall be in the House the following standing committees, each 
 of which shall have the jurisdiction and related functions assigned by 
 this clause and clauses 2, 3, and 4. All bills, resolutions, and other 
  matters relating to subjects within the jurisdiction of the standing 
 committees listed in this clause shall be referred to those committees, 
           in accordance with clause 2 of rule XII, as follows:

    (a) Committee on Agriculture.

      (1) Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds
        and animals in forest reserves.
      (2) Agriculture generally.
      (3) Agricultural and industrial chemistry.
      (4) Agricultural colleges and experiment stations.
      (5) Agricultural economics and research.
      (6) Agricultural education extension services.
      (7) Agricultural production and marketing and stabilization of
        prices of agricultural products, and commodities (not including
        distribution outside of the United States).
      (8) Animal industry and diseases of animals.
      (9) Commodity exchanges.
      (10) Crop insurance and soil conservation.
      (11) Dairy industry.
      (12) Entomology and plant quarantine.
      (13) Extension of farm credit and farm security.
      (14) Inspection of livestock, poultry, meat products, and seafood
        and seafood products.
      (15) Forestry in general and forest reserves other than those
        created from the public domain.
      (16) Human nutrition and home economics.
      (17) Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering.
      (18) Rural electrification.
      (19) Rural development.
      (20) Water conservation related to activities of the Department
        of Agriculture.

         * * * * *
                    General oversight responsibilities

    2. (a) The various standing committees shall have general oversight 
  responsibilities as provided in paragraph (b) in order to assist the 
                                House in--

    (1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of--

      (A) the application, administration, execution, and effectiveness 
    of Federal laws; and
      (B) conditions and circumstances that may indicate the necessity or 
    desirability of enacting new or additional legislation; and

    (2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of changes in 
  Federal laws, and of such additional legislation as may be necessary or 
  appropriate.

     (b)(1) In order to determine whether laws and programs addressing 
subjects within the jurisdiction of a committee are being implemented and 
 carried out in accordance with the intent of Congress and whether they 
 should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated, each standing committee 
(other than the Committee on Appropriations) shall review and study on a 
                            continuing basis--

    (A) the application, administration, execution, and effectiveness of 
  laws and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction;
    (B) the organization and operation of Federal agencies and entities 
  having responsibilities for the administration and execution of laws 
  and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction;
    (C) any conditions or circumstances that may indicate the necessity 
  or desirability of enacting new or additional legislation addressing 
  subjects within its jurisdiction (whether or not a bill or resolution 
  has been introduced with respect thereto); and
    (D) future research and forecasting on subjects within its 
  jurisdiction.

   (2) Each committee to which subparagraph (1) applies having more than 
  20 members shall establish an oversight subcommittee, or require its 
subcommittees to conduct oversight in their respective jurisdictions, to 
   assist in carrying out its responsibilities under this clause. The 
      establishment of an oversight subcommittee does not limit the 
    responsibility of a subcommittee with legislative jurisdiction in 
               carrying out its oversight responsibilities.

    (c) Each standing committee shall review and study on a continuing 
 basis the impact or probable impact of tax policies affecting subjects 
         within its jurisdiction as described in clauses 1 and 3.

   (d)(1) Not later than February 15 of the first session of a Congress, 
 each standing committee shall, in a meeting that is open to the public 
 and with a quorum present, adopt its oversight plan for that Congress. 
Such plan shall be submitted simultaneously to the Committee on Oversight 
 and Government Reform and to the Committee on House Administration. In 
     developing its plan each committee shall, to the maximum extent 
                                feasible--

    (A) consult with other committees that have jurisdiction over the 
  same or related laws, programs, or agencies within its jurisdiction 
  with the objective of ensuring maximum coordination and cooperation 
  among committees when conducting reviews of such laws, programs, or 
  agencies and include in its plan an explanation of steps that have been 
  or will be taken to ensure such coordination and cooperation;
    (B) review specific problems with Federal rules, regulations, 
  statutes, and court decisions that are ambiguous, arbitrary, or 
  nonsensical, or that impose sever financial burdens on individuals.
    (C) give priority consideration to including in its plan the review 
  of those laws, programs, or agencies operating under permanent budget 
  authority or permanent statutory authority;
    (D) have a view toward ensuring that all significant laws, programs, 
  or agencies within its jurisdiction are subject to review every 10 
  years;
    (E) have a view toward insuring against duplication of Federal 
  programs; and
    (F) include proposals to cut or eliminate programs, including 
  mandatory spending programs, that are inefficient, duplicative, 
  outdated, or more appropriately administered by State or local 
  governments.

   (2) Not later than March 31 in the first session of a Congress, after 
  consultation with the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the Minority 
Leader, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform shall report to 
 the House the oversight plans submitted by committees together with any 
 recommendations that it, or the House leadership group described above, 
may make to ensure the most effective coordination of oversight plans and 
           otherwise to achieve the objectives of this clause.

  (e) The Speaker, with the approval of the House, may appoint special ad 
 hoc oversight committees for the purpose of reviewing specific matters 
       within the jurisdiction of two or more standing committees.

         * * * * *

   (2) Pursuant to section 401(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 
 1974, when a committee reports a bill or joint resolution that provides 
  new entitlement authority as defined in section 3(9) of that Act, and 
  enactment of the bill or joint resolution, as reported, would cause a 
 breach of the committee's pertinent allocation of new budget authority 
  under section 302(a) of that Act, the bill or joint resolution may be 
 referred to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report 
  it with recommendations (which may include an amendment limiting the 
 total amount of new entitlement authority provided in the bill or joint 
resolution). If the Committee on Appropriations fails to report a bill or 
 joint resolution so referred within 15 calendar days (not counting any 
 day on which the House is not in session), the committee automatically 
 shall be discharged from consideration of the bill or joint resolution, 
   and the bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the appropriate 
                                calendar.

     (3) In addition, the Committee on Appropriations shall study on a 
 continuing basis those provisions of law that (on the first day of the 
     first fiscal year for which the congressional budget process is 
 effective) provide spending authority or permanent budget authority and 
   shall report to the House from time to time its recommendations for 
                terminating or modifying such provisions.

   (4) In the manner provided by section 302 of the Congressional Budget 
 Act of 1974, the Committee on Appropriations (after consulting with the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate) shall subdivide any 
 allocations made to it in the joint explanatory statement accompanying 
the conference report on such concurrent resolution, and promptly report 
 the subdivisions to the House as soon as practicable after a concurrent 
         resolution on the budget for a fiscal year is agreed to.

                  (b) the Committee on the Budget shall--

    (1) review on a continuing basis the conduct by the Congressional 
  Budget Office of its functions and duties;
    (2) hold hearings and receive testimony from Members, Senators, 
  Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, and such appropriate 
  representatives of Federal departments and agencies, the general 
  public, and national organizations as it considers desirable in 
  developing concurrent resolutions on the budget for each fiscal year;
    (3) make all reports required of it by the Congressional Budget Act 
  of 1974;
    (4) study on a continuing basis those provisions of law that exempt 
  Federal agencies or any of their activities or outlays from inclusion 
  in the Budget of the United States Government, and report to the House 
  from time to time its recommendations for terminating or modifying such 
  provisions;
    (5) study on a continuing basis proposals designed to improve and 
  facilitate the congressional budget process, and report to the House 
  from time to time the results of such studies, together with its 
  recommendations; and
    (6) request and evaluate continuing studies of tax expenditures, 
  devise methods of coordinating tax expenditures, policies, and programs 
  with direct budget outlays, and report the results of such studies to 
  the House on a recurring basis.

      (c)(1) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform shall--

    (A) receive and examine reports of the Comptroller General of the 
  United States and submit to the House such recommendations as it 
  considers necessary or desirable in connection with the subject matter 
  of the reports;
    (B) evaluate the effects of laws enacted to reorganize the 
  legislative and executive branches of the Government; and
    (C) study intergovernmental relationships between the United States 
  and the States and municipalities and between the United States and 
  international organizations of which the United States is a member.

  (2) In addition to its duties under subparagraph (1), the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform may at any time conduct investigations of 
 any matter without regard to clause 1, 2, 3, or this clause conferring 
jurisdiction over the matter to another standing committee. The findings 
 and recommendations of the committee in such an investigation shall be 
 made available to any other standing committee having jurisdiction over 
                           the matter involved.

         * * * * *

     (e)(1) Each standing committee shall, in its consideration of all 
public bills and public joint resolutions within its jurisdiction, ensure 
that appropriations for continuing programs and activities of the Federal 
 Government and the government of the District of Columbia will be made 
 annually to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with the nature, 
 requirement, and objective of the programs and activities involved. In 
 this subparagraph programs and activities of the Federal Government and 
    the government of the District of Columbia includes programs and 
    activities of any department, agency, establishment, wholly owned 
 Government corporation, or instrumentality of the Federal Government or 
              of the government of the District of Columbia.

      (2) Each standing committee shall review from time to time each 
 continuing program within its jurisdiction for which appropriations are 
not made annually to ascertain whether the program should be modified to 
                    provide for annual appropriations.


                       Budget Act responsibilities

    (f)(1) Each standing committee shall submit to the Committee on the 
 Budget not later than 6 weeks after the submission of the budget by the 
 President, or at such time as the Committee on the Budget may request--

    (A) 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
    (B) 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.

         * * * * *
              Election and membership of standing committees

     5. (a)(1) The standing committees specified in clause 1 shall be 
  elected by the House within 7 calendar days after the commencement of 
each Congress, from nominations submitted by the respective party caucus 
  or conference. A resolution proposing to change the composition of a 
  standing committee shall be privileged if offered by direction of the 
                  party caucus or conference concerned.

         * * * * *

     (b)(1) Membership on a standing committee during the course of a 
Congress shall be contingent on continuing membership in the party caucus 
     or conference that nominated the Member, Delegate, or Resident 
 Commissioner concerned for election to such committee. Should a Member, 
 Delegate, or Resident Commissioner cease to be a member of a particular 
     party caucus or conference, that Member, Delegate, or Resident 
 Commissioner shall automatically cease to be a member of each standing 
 committee to which elected on the basis of nomination by that caucus or 
 conference. The chair of the relevant party caucus or conference shall 
notify the Speaker whenever a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner 
  ceases to be a member of that caucus or conference. The Speaker shall 
  notify the chair of each affected committee that the election of such 
     Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner to the committee is 
              automatically vacated under this subparagraph.

   (2)(A) Except as specified in subdivision (B), a Member, Delegate, or 
 Resident Commissioner may not serve simultaneously as a member of more 
   than two standing committees or more than four subcommittees of the 
                           standing committees.

   (B)(i) Ex officio service by a chair or ranking minority member of a 
 committee on each of its subcommittees under a committee rule does not 
          count against the limitation on subcommittee service.

     (ii) Service on an investigative subcommittee of the Committee on 
 Ethics under paragraph (a)(4) does not count against the limitation on 
                          subcommittee service.

  (iii) Any other exception to the limitations in subdivision (A) may be 
approved by the House on the recommendation of the relevant party caucus 
                              or conference.

    (C) In this subparagraph the term ``subcommittee'' includes a panel 
     (other than a special oversight panel of the Committee on Armed 
   Services), task force, special subcommittee, or other subunit of a 
  standing committee that is established for a cumulative period longer 
                       than 6 months in a Congress.

   (c)(1) One of the members of each standing committee shall be elected 
     by the House, on the nomination of the majority party caucus or 
  conference, as chair thereof. In the absence of the member serving as 
  chair, the member next in rank (and so on, as often as the case shall 
happen) shall act as chair. Rank shall be determined by the order members 
are named in resolutions electing them to the committee. In the case of a 
   vacancy in the elected chair of a committee, the House shall elect 
                              another chair.

      (2) Except in the case of the Committee on Rules, a member of a 
standing committee may not serve as chair of the same standing committee, 
  or of the same subcommittee of a standing committee, during more than 
 three consecutive Congresses (disregarding for this purpose any service 
               for less than a full session in a Congress).

   (d)(1) Except as permitted by subparagraph (2), a committee may have 
                    not more than five subcommittees.

  (2) A committee that maintains a subcommittee on oversight may have not 
more than six subcommittees. The Committee on Appropriations may have not 
  more than 13 subcommittees. The Committee on Oversight and Government 
            Reform may have not more than seven subcommittees.

  (e) The House shall fill a vacancy on a standing committee by election 
     on the nomination of the respective party caucus or conference.


                           Expense resolutions

   6. (a) Whenever a committee, commission, or other entity (other than 
the Committee on Appropriations) is granted authorization for the payment 
     of its expenses (including staff salaries) for a Congress, such 
    authorization initially shall be procured by one primary expense 
 resolution reported by the Committee on House Administration. A primary 
expense resolution may include a reserve fund for unanticipated expenses 
 of committees. An amount from such a reserve fund may be allocated to a 
committee only by the approval of the Committee on House Administration. 
A primary expense resolution reported to the House may not be considered 
    in the House unless a printed report thereon was available on the 
  previous calendar day. For the information of the House, such report 
                                 shall--

    (1) state the total amount of the funds to be provided to the 
  committee, commission, or other entity under the primary expense 
  resolution for all anticipated activities and programs of the 
  committee, commission, or other entity; and
    (2) to the extent practicable, contain such general statements 
  regarding the estimated foreseeable expenditures for the respective 
  anticipated activities and programs of the committee, commission, or 
  other entity as may be appropriate to provide the House with basic 
  estimates of the expenditures contemplated by the primary expense 
  resolution.

     (b) After the date of adoption by the House of a primary expense 
 resolution for a committee, commission, or other entity for a Congress, 
  authorization for the payment of additional expenses (including staff 
 salaries) in that Congress may be procured by one or more supplemental 
expense resolutions reported by the Committee on House Administration, as 
 necessary. A supplemental expense resolution reported to the House may 
   not be considered in the House unless a printed report thereon was 
available on the previous calendar day. For the information of the House, 
                           such report shall--

    (1) state the total amount of additional funds to be provided to the 
  committee, commission, or other entity under the supplemental expense 
  resolution and the purposes for which those additional funds are 
  available; and
    (2) state the reasons for the failure to procure the additional funds 
  for the committee, commission, or other entity by means of the primary 
  expense resolution.

       (c) The preceding provisions of this clause do not apply to--

    (1) a resolution providing for the payment from committee salary and 
  expense accounts of the House of sums necessary to pay compensation for 
  staff services performed for, or to pay other expenses of, a committee, 
  commission, or other entity at any time after the beginning of an odd-
  numbered year and before the date of adoption by the House of the 
  primary expense resolution described in paragraph (a) for that year; or
    (2) a resolution providing each of the standing committees in a 
  Congress additional office equipment, airmail and special-delivery 
  postage stamps, supplies, staff personnel, or any other specific item 
  for the operation of the standing committees, and containing an 
  authorization for the payment from committee salary and expense 
  accounts of the House of the expenses of any of the foregoing items 
  provided by that resolution, subject to and until enactment of the 
  provisions of the resolution as permanent law.

    (d) From the funds made available for the appointment of committee 
 staff by a primary or additional expense resolution, the chair of each 
 committee shall ensure that sufficient staff is made available to each 
  subcommittee to carry out its responsibilities under the rules of the 
     committee and that the minority party is treated fairly in the 
                        appointment of such staff.

   (e) Funds authorized for a committee under this clause and clauses 7 
   and 8 are for expenses incurred in the activities of the committee.


                             Interim funding

    7. (a) For the period beginning at noon on January 3 and ending at 
   midnight on March 31 in each odd-numbered year, such sums as may be 
necessary shall be paid out of the committee salary and expense accounts 
of the House for continuance of necessary investigations and studies by--

    (1) each standing and select committee established by these rules; 
  and
    (2) except as specified in paragraph (b), each select committee 
  established by resolution.

   (b) In the case of the first session of a Congress, amounts shall be 
made available under this paragraph for a select committee established by 
              resolution in the preceding Congress only if--

    (1) a resolution proposing to reestablish such select committee is 
  introduced in the present Congress; and
    (2) the House has not adopted a resolution of the preceding Congress 
  providing for termination of funding for investigations and studies by 
  such select committee.

    (c) Each committee described in paragraph (a) shall be entitled for 
each month during the period specified in paragraph (a) to 9 percent (or 
  such lesser percentage as may be determined by the committee on House 
   Administration) of the total annualized amount made available under 
   expense resolutions for such committee in the preceding session of 
                                Congress.

  (d) Payments under this clause shall be made on vouchers authorized by 
 the committee involved, signed by the chair of the committee, except as 
    provided in paragraph (e), and approved by the Committee on House 
                             Administration.

   (e) Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule of the House, or other 
  authority, from noon on January 3 of the first session of a Congress 
   until the election by the House of the committee concerned in that 
Congress, payments under this clause shall be made on vouchers signed by 
    the ranking member of the committee as it was constituted at the 
  expiration of the preceding Congress who is a member of the majority 
                      party in the present Congress.

  (f)(1) The authority of a committee to incur expenses under this clause 
 shall expire upon adoption by the House of a primary expense resolution 
                            for the committee.

     (2) Amounts made available under this clause shall be expended in 
    accordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House 
                             Administration.

       (3) This clause shall be effective only insofar as it is not 
    inconsistent with a resolution reported by the Committee on House 
   Administration and adopted by the House after the adoption of these 
                                  rules.


                                  Travel

     8. (a) Local currencies owned by the United States shall be made 
  available to the committee and its employees engaged in carrying out 
  their official duties outside the United States or its territories or 
 possessions. Appropriated funds, including those authorized under this 
  clause and clause 6, may not be expended for the purpose of defraying 
 expenses of members of a committee or its employees in a country where 
             local currencies are available for this purpose.

  (b) The following conditions shall apply with respect to travel outside 
           the United States or its territories or possessions:

    (1) A member or employee of a committee may not receive or expend 
  local currencies for subsistence in a country for a day at a rate in 
  excess of the maximum per diem set forth in applicable Federal law.
    (2) A member or employee shall be reimbursed for the expenses of such 
  individual for a day at the lesser of--

      (A) the per diem set forth in applicable Federal law; or
      (B) the actual, unreimbursed expenses (other than for 
    transportation) incurred during that day.

    (3) Each member or employee of a committee shall make to the chair of 
  the committee an itemized report showing the dates each country was 
  visited, the amount of per diem furnished, the cost of transportation 
  furnished, and funds expended for any other official purpose and shall 
  summarize in these categories the total foreign currencies or 
  appropriated funds expended. Each report shall be filed with the chair 
  of the committee not later than 60 days following the completion of 
  travel for use in complying with reporting requirements in applicable 
  Federal law and shall be open for public inspection.

  (c)(1) In carrying out the activities of a committee outside the United 
 States in a country where local currencies are unavailable, a member or 
employee of a committee may not receive reimbursement for expenses (other 
 than for transportation) in excess of the maximum per diem set forth in 
                         applicable Federal law.

   (2) A member or employee shall be reimbursed for the expenses of such 
                 individual for a day at the lesser of--

    (A) the per diem set forth in applicable Federal law; or
    (B) the actual unreimbursed expenses (other than for transportation) 
  incurred during that day.

   (3) A member or employee of a committee may not receive reimbursement 
for the cost of any transportation in connection with travel outside the 
    United States unless the member or employee actually paid for the 
                             transportation.

   (d) The restrictions respecting travel outside the United States set 
  forth in paragraph (c) also shall apply to travel outside the United 
States by a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee 
             of the House authorized under any standing rule.


                             Committee staffs

  9. (a)(1) Subject to subparagraph (2) and paragraph (f), each standing 
 committee may appoint, by majority vote, not more than 30 professional 
     staff members to be compensated from the funds provided for the 
    appointment of committee staff by primary and additional expense 
    resolutions. Each professional staff member appointed under this 
  subparagraph shall be assigned to the chair and the ranking minority 
      member of the committee, as the committee considers advisable.

  (2) Subject to paragraph (f) whenever a majority of the minority party 
 members of a standing committee (other than the Committee on Ethics or 
the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) so request, not more than 
   10 persons (or one-third of the total professional committee staff 
  appointed under this clause, whichever is fewer) may be selected, by 
   majority vote of the minority party members, for appointment by the 
   committee as professional staff members under subparagraph (1). The 
     committee shall appoint persons so selected whose character and 
  qualifications are acceptable to a majority of the committee. If the 
committee determines that the character and qualifications of a person so 
 selected are unacceptable, a majority of the minority party members may 
      select another person for appointment by the committee to the 
  professional staff until such appointment is made. Each professional 
staff member appointed under this subparagraph shall be assigned to such 
    committee business as the minority party members of the committee 
                           consider advisable.

     (b)(1) The professional staff members of each standing committee--

    (A) may not engage in any work other than committee business during 
  congressional working hours; and
    (B) may not be assigned a duty other than one pertaining to committee 
  business.

      (2)(A) Subparagraph (1) does not apply to staff designated by a 
     committee as ``associate'' or ``shared'' staff who are not paid 
exclusively by the committee, provided that the chair certifies that the 
  compensation paid by the committee for any such staff is commensurate 
with the work performed for the committee in accordance with clause 8 of 
                               rule XXIII.

    (B) The use of any ``associate'' or ``shared'' staff by a committee 
other than the Committee on Appropriations shall be subject to the review 
  of, and to any terms, conditions, or limitations established by, the 
Committee on House Administration in connection with the reporting of any 
                primary or additional expense resolution.

     (c) Each employee on the professional or investigative staff of a 
 standing committee shall be entitled to pay at a single gross per annum 
rate, to be fixed by the chair and that does not exceed the maximum rate 
of pay as in effect from time to time under applicable provisions of law.

     (d) Subject to appropriations hereby authorized, the Committee on 
 Appropriations may appoint by majority vote such staff as it determines 
to be necessary (in addition to the clerk of the committee and assistants 
 for the minority). The staff appointed under this paragraph, other than 
 minority assistants, shall possess such qualifications as the committee 
                              may prescribe.

      (e) A committee may not appoint to its staff an expert or other 
    personnel detailed or assigned from a department or agency of the 
 Government except with the written permission of the Committee on House 
                             Administration.

   (f) If a request for the appointment of a minority professional staff 
  member under paragraph (a) is made when no vacancy exists for such an 
appointment, the committee nevertheless may appoint under paragraph (a) a 
person selected by the minority and acceptable to the committee. A person 
  so appointed shall serve as an additional member of the professional 
staff of the committee until such a vacancy occurs (other than a vacancy 
  in the position of head of the professional staff, by whatever title 
designated), at which time that person is considered as appointed to that 
vacancy. Such a person shall be paid from the applicable accounts of the 
House described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X. If such a vacancy occurs on 
the professional staff when seven or more persons have been so appointed 
 who are eligible to fill that vacancy, a majority of the minority party 
  members shall designate which of those persons shall fill the vacancy.

  (g) Each staff member appointed pursuant to a request by minority party 
 members under paragraph (a), and each staff member appointed to assist 
    minority members of a committee pursuant to an expense resolution 
  described in clause 6(a), shall be accorded equitable treatment with 
    respect to the fixing of the rate of pay, the assignment of work 
         facilities, and the accessibility of committee records.

  (h) Paragraph (a) may not be construed to authorize the appointment of 
   additional professional staff members of a committee pursuant to a 
    request under paragraph (a) by the minority party members of that 
   committee if 10 or more professional staff members provided for in 
paragraph (a)(1) who are satisfactory to a majority of the minority party 
   members are otherwise assigned to assist the minority party members.

       (i) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(2), a committee may employ 
     nonpartisan staff, in lieu of or in addition to committee staff 
    designated exclusively for the majority or minority party, by an 
 affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the majority party and 
           of a majority of the members of the minority party.


                       Select and joint committees

    10. (a) Membership on a select or joint committee appointed by the 
 Speaker under clause 11 of rule I during the course of a Congress shall 
be contingent on continuing membership in the party caucus or conference 
 of which the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner concerned was a 
member at the time of appointment. Should a Member, Delegate, or Resident 
  Commissioner cease to be a member of that caucus or conference, that 
 Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner shall automatically cease to 
be a member of any select or joint committee to which assigned. The chair 
   of the relevant party caucus or conference shall notify the Speaker 
  whenever a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner ceases to be a 
  member of a party caucus or conference. The Speaker shall notify the 
chair of each affected select or joint committee that the appointment of 
 such Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner to the select or joint 
         committee is automatically vacated under this paragraph.

  (b) Each select or joint committee, other than a conference committee, 
shall comply with clause 2(a) of rule XI unless specifically exempted by 
                                   law.

         * * * * *
                                 Rule XI
             Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business
                                In general

  1. (a)(1)(A) The Rules of the House are the rules of its committees and 
                   subcommittees so far as applicable.

  (B) Each subcommittee is a part of its committee and is subject to the 
  authority and direction of that committee and to its rules, so far as 
                               applicable.

                 (2)(A) In a committee or a subcommittee--

    (i) a motion to recess from day to day, or to recess subject to the 
  call of the Chair (within 24 hours), shall be privileged; and
    (ii) a motion to dispense with the first reading (in full) of a bill 
  or resolution shall be privileged if printed copies are available

     (B) A motion accorded privilege under this subparagraph shall be 
                         decided without debate.

   (b)(1) Each committee may conduct at any time such investigations and 
 studies as it considers necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its 
    responsibilities under rule X. Subject to the adoption of expense 
 resolutions as required by clause 6 of rule X, each committee may incur 
      expenses, including travel expenses, in connection with such 
                       investigations and studies.

  (2) A proposed investigative or oversight report shall be considered as 
read in committee if it has been available to the members for at least 24 
 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the 
                   House is in session on such a day).

    (3) A report of an investigation or study conducted jointly by more 
   than one committee may be filed jointly, provided that each of the 
committees complies independently with all requirements for approval and 
                          filing of the report.

    (4) After an adjournment sine die of the last regular session of a 
  Congress, an investigative or oversight report may be filed with the 
  Clerk at any time, provided that a member who gives timely notice of 
intention to file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
  shall be entitled to not less than 7 calendar days in which to submit 
                 such views for inclusion in the report.

  (c) Each committee may have printed and bound such testimony and other 
    data as may be presented at hearings held by the committee or its 
  subcommittees. All costs of stenographic services and transcripts in 
 connection with a meeting or hearing of a committee shall be paid from 
the applicable accounts of the House described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule 
                                    X.

  (d)(1) Not later than January 2 of each odd-numbered year, a committee 
 shall submit to the House a report on the activities of that committee.

                      (2) Such report shall include--

    (A) separate sections summarizing the legislative and oversight 
  activities of that committee under this rule and rule X during the 
  Congress;
    (B) a summary of the oversight plans submitted by the committee under 
  clause 2(d) of rule X;
    (C) a summary of the actions taken and recommendations made with 
  respect to the oversight plans specified in subdivision (B);
    (D) a summary of any additional oversight activities undertaken by 
  that committee and any recommendations made or actions taken thereon; 
  and
    (E) a delineation of any hearings held pursuant to clauses 2(n), (o), 
  or (p) of this rule.

    (3) After an adjournment sine die of the last regular session of a 
Congress, or after December 15 of an even-numbered year, whichever occurs 
    first, the chair of a committee may file the report described in 
 subparagraph (1) with the Clerk at any time and without approval of the 
                        committee, provided that--

    (A) a copy of the report has been available to each member of the 
  committee for at least 7 calendar days; and
    (B) the report includes any supplemental, minority, additional, or 
  dissenting views submitted by a member of the committee.


                        Adoption of written rules

   2. (a)(1) Each standing committee shall adopt written rules governing 
                       its procedure. Such rules--

    (A) shall be adopted in a meeting that is open to the public unless 
  the committee, in open session and with a quorum present, determines by 
  record vote that all or part of the meeting on that day shall be closed 
  to the public;
    (B) may not be inconsistent with the Rules of the House or with those 
  provisions of law having the force and effect of Rules of the House;
    (C) shall in any event incorporate all of the succeeding provisions 
  of this clause to the extent applicable; and
    (D) shall include provisions to govern the implementation of clause 4 
  as provided in paragraph (f) of such clause.

       (2) Each committee shall make its rules publicly available in 
      electronic form and submit such rules for publication in the 
   Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the chair of the 
             committee is elected in each odd-numbered year.

   (3) A committee may adopt a rule providing that the chair be directed 
    to offer a motion under clause 1 of rule XXII whenever the chair 
                        considers it appropriate.


                           Regular meeting days

   (b) Each standing committee shall establish regular meeting days for 
   the conduct of its business, which shall be not less frequent than 
 monthly. Each such committee shall meet for the consideration of a bill 
 or resolution pending before the committee or the transaction of other 
committee business on all regular meeting days fixed by the committee if 
              notice is given pursuant to paragraph (g)(3).


                     Additional and special meetings

   (c)(1) The chair of each standing committee may call and convene, as 
  the chair considers necessary, additional and special meetings of the 
 committee for the consideration of a bill or resolution pending before 
the committee or for the conduct of other committee business, subject to 
such rules as the committee may adopt. The committee shall meet for such 
                  purpose under that call of the chair.

     (2) Three or more members of a standing committee may file in the 
offices of the committee a written request that the chair call a special 
   meeting of the committee. Such request shall specify the measure or 
matter to be considered. Immediately upon the filing of the request, the 
   clerk of the committee shall notify the chair of the filing of the 
request. If the chair does not call the requested special meeting within 
  3 calendar days after the filing of the request (to be held within 7 
calendar days after the filing of the request) a majority of the members 
 of the committee may file in the offices of the committee their written 
notice that a special meeting of the committee will be held. The written 
  notice shall specify the date and hour of the special meeting and the 
measure or matter to be considered. The committee shall meet on that date 
  and hour. Immediately upon the filing of the notice, the clerk of the 
  committee shall notify all members of the committee that such special 
meeting will be held and inform them of its date and hour and the measure 
   or matter to be considered. Such notice shall also be made publicly 
  available in electronic form and shall be deemed to satisfy paragraph 
(g)(3)(A)(ii). Only the measure or matter specified in that notice may be 
                   considered at that special meeting.


                        Temporary absence of chair

     (d) A member of the majority party on each standing committee or 
    subcommittee thereof shall be designated by the chair of the full 
committee as the vice chair of the committee or subcommittee, as the case 
   may be, and shall preside during the absence of the chair from any 
 meeting. If the chair and vice chair of a committee or subcommittee are 
not present at any meeting of the committee or subcommittee, the ranking 
      majority member who is present shall preside at that meeting.


                            Committee records

  (e)(1)(A) Each committee shall keep a complete record of all committee 
                       action which shall include--

    (i) in the case of a meeting or hearing transcript, 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; and
    (ii) a record of the votes on any question on which a record vote is 
  demanded.

      (B)(i) Except as provided in subdivision (B)(ii) and subject to 
   paragraph (k)(7), the result of each such record vote shall be made 
  available by the committee for inspection by the public at reasonable 
times in its offices and also made publicly available in electronic form 
   within 48 hours of such record vote. Information so available shall 
     include a description of the amendment, motion, order, or other 
 proposition, the name of each member voting for and each member voting 
 against such amendment, motion, order, or proposition, and the names of 
          those members of the committee present but not voting.

         * * * * *

   (2)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B), all committee hearings, 
records, data, charts, and files shall be kept separate and distinct from 
the congressional office records of the member serving as its chair. Such 
 records shall be the property of the House, and each Member, Delegate, 
         and the Resident Commissioner shall have access thereto.

  (B) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner, other than members of 
   the Committee on Ethics, may not have access to the records of that 
    committee respecting the conduct of a Member, Delegate, Resident 
  Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House without the specific 
                   prior permission of that committee.

        (3) Each committee shall include in its rules standards for 
 availability of records of the committee delivered to the Archivist of 
the United States under rule VII. Such standards shall specify procedures 
for orders of the committee under clause 3(b)(3) and clause 4(b) of rule 
   VII, including a requirement that nonavailability of a record for a 
period longer than the period otherwise applicable under that rule shall 
                  be approved by vote of the committee.

  (4) Each committee shall make its publications available in electronic 
                   form to the maximum extent feasible.

       (5) To the maximum extent practicable, each committee shall--

    (A) provide audio and video coverage of each hearing or meeting for 
  the transaction of business in a manner that allows the public to 
  easily listen to and view the proceedings; and
    (B) maintain the recordings of such coverage in a manner that is 
  easily accessible to the public.

   (6) Not later than 24 hours after the adoption of any amendment to a 
measure or matter considered by a committee, the chair of such committee 
shall cause the text of each such amendment to be made publicly available 
                           in electronic form.


                     Prohibition against proxy voting

   (f) A vote by a member of a committee or subcommittee with respect to 
             any measure or matter may not be cast by proxy.


                        Open meetings and hearings

    (g)(1) Each meeting for the transaction of business, including the 
 markup of legislation, by a standing committee or subcommittee thereof 
(other than the Committee on Ethics or its subcommittee) shall be open to 
    the public, including to radio, television, and still photography 
coverage, except when the committee or subcommittee, in open session and 
 with a majority present, determines by record vote that all or part of 
 the remainder of the meeting on that day shall be in executive session 
 because disclosure of matters to be considered would endanger national 
 security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, would 
 tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or otherwise would 
 violate a law or rule of the House. Persons, other than members of the 
      committee and such noncommittee Members, Delegates, Resident 
Commissioner, congressional staff, or departmental representatives as the 
   committee may authorize, may not be present at a business or markup 
  session that is held in executive session. This subparagraph does not 
apply to open committee hearings, which are governed by clause 4(a)(1) of 
                      rule X or by subparagraph (2).

    (2)(A) Each hearing conducted by a committee or subcommittee (other 
 than the Committee on Ethics or its subcommittees) shall be open to the 
 public, including to radio, television, and still photography coverage, 
  except when the committee or subcommittee, in open session and with a 
   majority present, determines by record vote that all or part of the 
   remainder of that hearing on that day shall be closed to the public 
    because disclosure of testimony, evidence, or other matters to be 
 considered would endanger national security, would compromise sensitive 
law enforcement information, or would violate a law or rule of the House.

      (B) Notwithstanding the requirements of subdivision (A), in the 
    presence of the number of members required under the rules of the 
   committee for the purpose of taking testimony, a majority of those 
                              present may--

    (i) agree to close the hearing for the sole purpose of discussing 
  whether testimony or evidence to be received would endanger national 
  security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or 
  would violate clause 2(k)(5); or
    (ii) agree to close the hearing as provided in clause 2(k)(5).

   (C) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner may not be excluded 
     from nonparticipatory attendance at a hearing of a committee or 
 subcommittee (other than the Committee on Ethics or its subcommittees) 
 unless the House by majority vote authorizes a particular committee or 
   subcommittee, for purposes of a particular series of hearings on a 
     particular article of legislation or on a particular subject of 
   investigation, to close its hearings to Members, Delegates, and the 
     Resident Commissioner by the same procedures specified in this 
             subparagraph for closing hearings to the public.

     (D) the committee or subcommittee may vote by the same procedure 
 described in this subparagraph to close one subsequent day of hearing, 
   except that the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed 
  Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the 
 subcommittees thereof, may vote by the same procedure to close up to 5 
                additional, consecutive days of hearings.

    (3)(A) The chair of a committee shall announce the date, place, and 
                           subject matter of--

    (i) a committee hearing, which may not commence earlier than one week 
  after such notice; or
    (ii) a committee meeting, which may not commence earlier than the 
  third day on which members have notice thereof.

  (B) A hearing or meeting may begin sooner than specified in subdivision 
  (A) in either of the following circumstances (in which case the chair 
shall make the announcement specified in subdivision (A) at the earliest 
                             possible time):

    (i) the chair of the committee, with the concurrence of the ranking 
  minority member, determines that there is good cause; or
    (ii) the committee so determines by majority vote in the presence of 
  the number of members required under the rules of the committee for the 
  transaction of business.

    (C) An announcement made under this subparagraph shall be published 
 promptly in the Daily Digest and made publicly available in electronic 
                                  form.

     (D) This subparagraph and subparagraph (4) shall not apply to the 
                           Committee on Rules.

   (4) At least 24 hours prior to the commencement of a meeting for the 
     markup of legislation, or at the time of an announcement under 
 subparagraph (3)(B) made within 24 hours before such meeting, the chair 
  of the committee shall cause the text of such legislation to be made 
                  publicly available in electronic form.

     (5)(A) Each committee shall, to the greatest extent practicable, 
   require witnesses who appear before it to submit in advance written 
statements of proposed testimony and to limit their initial presentations 
               to the committee to brief summaries thereof.

  (B) In the case of a witness appearing in a nongovernmental capacity, a 
written statement of proposed testimony shall include a curriculum vitae 
  and a disclosure of any Federal grants or contracts, or contracts or 
   payments originating with a foreign government, received during the 
 current calendar year or either of the 2 previous calendar years by the 
  witness or by an entity represented by the witness and related to the 
                      subject matter of the hearing.

     (C) The disclosure referred to in subdivision (B) shall include--

    (i) the amount and source of each Federal grant (or subgrant thereof) 
  or contract (or subcontract thereof) related to the subject matter of 
  the hearing; and
    (ii) the amount and country of origin of any payment or contract 
  related to the subject matter of the hearing originating with a foreign 
  government.

  (D) Such statements, with appropriate redactions to protect the privacy 
     or security of the witness, shall be made publicly available in 
    electronic form not later than one day after the witness appears.

  (6)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B), a point of order does not 
lie with respect to a measure reported by a committee on the ground that 
   hearings on such measure were not conducted in accordance with this 
                                 clause.

  (B) A point of order on the ground described in subdivision (A) may be 
made by a member of the committee that reported the measure if such point 
  of order was timely made and improperly disposed of in the committee.

         * * * * *
                           Quorum requirements

   (h)(1) A measure or recommendation may not be reported by a committee 
         unless a majority of the committee is actually present.

   (2) Each committee may fix the number of its members to constitute a 
quorum for taking testimony and receiving evidence, which may not be less 
                                than two.

    (3) Each committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations, the 
Committee on the Budget, and the Committee on Ways and Means) may fix the 
number of its members to constitute a quorum for taking any action other 
    than one for which the presence of a majority of the committee is 
 otherwise required, which may not be less than one-third of the members.

     (4)(A) Each committee may adopt a rule authorizing the chair of a 
                       committee or subcommittee--

    (i) to postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on 
  the question of approving a measure or matter or on adopting an 
  amendment; and
    (ii) to resume proceedings on a postponed question at any time after 
  reasonable notice.

    (B) A rule adopted pursuant to this subparagraph shall provide that 
  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.


                     Limitation on committee sittings

    (i) A committee may not sit during a joint session of the House and 
Senate or during a recess when a joint meeting of the House and Senate is 
                               in progress.


                   Calling and questioning of witnesses

   (j)(1) Whenever a hearing is conducted by a committee on a measure or 
  matter, the minority members of the committee shall be entitled, upon 
 request to the chair by a majority of them 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 hearing 
                                 thereon.

  (2)(A) Subject to subdivisions (B) and (C), each committee shall apply 
the 5-minute rule during the questioning of witnesses in a hearing until 
   such time as each member of the committee who so desires has had an 
                  opportunity to question each witness.

     (B) A committee may adopt a rule or motion permitting a specified 
 number of its members to question a witness for longer than 5 minutes. 
  The time for extended questioning of a witness under this subdivision 
shall be equal for the majority party and the minority party and may not 
                    exceed one hour in the aggregate.

   (C) A committee may adopt a rule or motion permitting committee staff 
  for its majority and minority party members to question a witness for 
 equal specified periods. The time for extended questioning of a witness 
  under this subdivision shall be equal for the majority party and the 
       minority party and may not exceed one hour in the aggregate.


                            Hearing procedures

   (k)(1) The chair at a hearing shall announce in an opening statement 
                       the subject of the hearing.

    (2) A copy of the committee rules and of this clause shall be made 
                  available to each witness on request.

   (3) Witnesses at hearings may be accompanied by their own counsel for 
   the purpose of advising them concerning their constitutional rights.

      (4) The chair may punish breaches of order and decorum, and of 
professional ethics on the part of counsel, by censure and exclusion from 
 the hearings; and the committee may cite the offender to the House for 
                                contempt.

     (5) Whenever it is asserted by a member of the committee that the 
   evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or 
incriminate any person, or it is asserted by a witness that the evidence 
or testimony that the witness would give at a hearing may tend to defame, 
                  degrade, or incriminate the witness--

    (A) notwithstanding paragraph (g)(2), such testimony or evidence 
  shall be presented in executive session if, in the presence of the 
  number of members required under the rules of the committee for the 
  purpose of taking testimony, the committee determines by vote of a 
  majority of those present that such evidence or testimony may tend to 
  defame, degrade, or incriminate any person; and
    (B) the committee shall proceed to receive such testimony in open 
  session only if the committee, a majority being present, determines 
  that such evidence or testimony will not tend to defame, degrade, or 
  incriminate any person.

  In either case the committee shall afford such person an opportunity 
 voluntarily to appear as a witness, and receive and dispose of requests 
            from such person to subpoena additional witnesses.

  (6) Except as provided in subparagraph (5), the chair shall receive and 
the committee shall dispose of requests to subpoena additional witnesses.

   (7) Evidence or testimony taken in executive session, and proceedings 
    conducted in executive session, may be released or used in public 
sessions only when authorized by the committee, a majority being present.

  (8) In the discretion of the committee, witnesses may submit brief and 
 pertinent sworn statements in writing for inclusion in the record. The 
 committee is the sole judge of the pertinence of testimony and evidence 
                         adduced at its hearing.

  (9) A witness may obtain a transcript copy of the testimony given at a 
 public session or, if given at an executive session, when authorized by 
                              the committee.


         Supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views

   (l) If at the time of approval of a measure or matter by a committee 
   (other than the Committee on Rules) a member of the committee gives 
   notice of intention to file supplemental, minority, additional, or 
 dissenting views for inclusion in the report to the House thereon, all 
  members shall be entitled to not less than 2 additional calendar days 
  after the day of such notice (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal 
   holidays except when the House is in session on such a day) to file 
        written and signed views with the clerk of the committee.


                   Power to sit and act; subpoena power

  (m)(1) For the purpose of carrying out any of its functions and duties 
 under this rule and rule X (including any matters referred to it under 
clause 2 of rule XII), a committee or subcommittee is authorized (subject 
                        to subparagraph (3)(A))--

    (A) to sit and act at such times and places within the United States, 
  whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned, and to 
  hold such hearings as it considers necessary; and
    (B) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and 
  testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, 
  correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents as it considers 
  necessary.

   (2) The chair of the committee, or a member designated by the chair, 
                    may administer oaths to witnesses.

  (3)(A)(i) Except as provided in subdivision (A)(ii), a subpoena may be 
 authorized and issued by a committee or subcommittee under subparagraph 
(1)(B) in the conduct of an investigation or series of investigations or 
   activities only when authorized by the committee or subcommittee, a 
majority being present. The power to authorize and issue subpoenas under 
subparagraph (1)(B) may be delegated to the chair of the committee under 
  such rules and under such limitations as the committee may prescribe. 
Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the chair of the committee or by 
                  a member designated by the committee.

     (ii) In the case of a subcommittee of the Committee on Ethics, a 
 subpoena may be authorized and issued only by an affirmative vote of a 
                         majority of its members.

  (B) A subpoena duces tecum may specify terms of return other than at a 
   meeting or hearing of the committee or subcommittee authorizing the 
                                subpoena.

   (C) Compliance with a subpoena issued by a committee or subcommittee 
under subparagraph (1)(B) may be enforced only as authorized or directed 
                              by the House.

   (n)(1) Each standing committee, or a subcommittee thereof, shall hold 
      at least one hearing during each 120-day period following the 
 establishment of the committee on the topic of waste, fraud, abuse, or 
 mismanagement in Government programs which that committee may authorize.

   (2) A hearing described in subparagraph (1) shall include a focus on 
the most egregious instances of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement as 
documented by any report the committee has received from a Federal Office 
of the Inspector General or the Comptroller General of the United States.

  (o) Each committee, or a subcommittee thereof, shall hold at least one 
hearing in any session in which the committee has received disclaimers of 
agency financial statements from auditors of any Federal agency that the 
   committee may authorize to hear testimony on such disclaimers from 
                   representatives of any such agency.

   (p) Each standing committee, or a subcommittee thereof, shall hold at 
 least one hearing on issues raised by reports issued by the Comptroller 
    General of the United States indicating that Federal programs or 
 operations that the committee may authorize are at high risk for waste, 
 fraud, and mismanagement, known as the ``high-risk list'' or the ``high-
                              risk series''.

         * * * * *
            Audio and visual coverage of committee proceedings

  4. (a) The purpose of this clause is to provide a means, in conformity 
 with acceptable standards of dignity, propriety, and decorum, by which 
committee hearings or committee meetings that are open to the public may 
                  be covered by audio and visual means--

    (1) for the education, enlightenment, and information of the general 
  public, on the basis of accurate and impartial news coverage, regarding 
  the operations, procedures, and practices of the House as a legislative 
  and representative body, and regarding the measures, public issues, and 
  other matters before the House and its committees, the consideration 
  thereof, and the action taken thereon; and
    (2) for the development of the perspective and understanding of the 
  general public with respect to the role and function of the House under 
  the Constitution as an institution of the Federal Government.

      (b) In addition, it is the intent of this clause that radio and 
 television tapes and television film of any coverage under this clause 
 may not be used for any partisan political campaign purpose or be made 
                         available for such use.

  (c) It is, further, the intent of this clause that the general conduct 
    of each meeting (whether of a hearing or otherwise) covered under 
   authority of this clause by audio or visual means, and the personal 
 behavior of the committee members and staff, other Government officials 
 and personnel, witnesses, television, radio, and press media personnel, 
   and the general public at the hearing or other meeting, shall be in 
  strict conformity with and observance of the acceptable standards of 
 dignity, propriety, courtesy, and decorum traditionally observed by the 
           House in its operations, and may not be such as to--

    (1) distort the objects and purposes of the hearing or other meeting 
  or the activities of committee members in connection with that hearing 
  or meeting or in connection with the general work of the committee or 
  of the House; or
    (2) cast discredit or dishonor on the House, the committee, or a 
  Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner or bring the House, the 
  committee, or a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner into 
  disrepute.

  (d) The coverage of committee hearings and meetings by audio and visual 
means shall be permitted and conducted only in strict conformity with the 
          purposes, provisions, and requirements of this clause.

       (e) Whenever a hearing or meeting conducted by a committee or 
 subcommittee is open to the public, those proceedings shall be open to 
coverage by audio and visual means. A committee or subcommittee chair may 
  not limit the number of television or still cameras to fewer than two 
 representatives from each medium (except for legitimate space or safety 
    considerations, in which case pool coverage shall be authorized).

      (f) Written rules adopted by each committee pursuant to clause 
       2(a)(1)(D) shall contain provisions to the following effect:

    (1) If audio or visual coverage of the hearing or meeting is to be 
  presented to the public as live coverage, that coverage shall be 
  conducted and presented without commercial sponsorship.
    (2) The allocation among the television media of the positions or the 
  number of television cameras permitted by a committee or subcommittee 
  chair in a hearing or meeting room shall be in accordance with fair and 
  equitable procedures devised by the Executive Committee of the Radio 
  and Television Correspondents' Galleries.
    (3) Television cameras shall be placed so as not to obstruct in any 
  way the space between a witness giving evidence or testimony and any 
  member of the committee or the visibility of that witness and that 
  member to each other.
    (4) Television cameras shall operate from fixed positions but may not 
  be placed in positions that obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the 
  hearing or meeting by the other media.
    (5) Equipment necessary for coverage by the television and radio 
  media may not be installed in, or removed from, the hearing or meeting 
  room while the committee is in session.
    (6)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B), floodlights, 
  spotlights, strobelights, and flashguns may not be used in providing 
  any method of coverage of the hearing or meeting.
    (B) The television media may install additional lighting in a hearing 
  or meeting room, without cost to the Government, in order to raise the 
  ambient lighting level in a hearing or meeting room to the lowest level 
  necessary to provide adequate television coverage of a hearing or 
  meeting at the current state of the art of television coverage.
    (7) If requests are made by more of the media than will be permitted 
  by a committee or subcommittee chair for coverage of a hearing or 
  meeting by still photography, that coverage shall be permitted on the 
  basis of a fair and equitable pool arrangement devised by the Standing 
  Committee of Press Photographers.
    (8) Photographers may not position themselves between the witness 
  table and the members of the committee at any time during the course of 
  a hearing or meeting.
    (9) Photographers may not place themselves in positions that obstruct 
  unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing by the other media.
    (10) Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media 
  shall be currently accredited to the Radio and Television 
  Correspondents' Galleries.
    (11) Personnel providing coverage by still photography shall be 
  currently accredited to the Press Photographers' Gallery.
    (12) Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media 
  and by still photography shall conduct themselves and their coverage 
  activities in an orderly and unobtrusive manner.


                             Pay of witnesses

  5. Witnesses appearing before the House or any of its committees shall 
be paid the same per diem rate as established, authorized, and regulated 
  by the Committee on House Administration for Members, Delegates, the 
 Resident Commissioner, and employees of the House, plus actual expenses 
 of travel to or from the place of examination. Such per diem may not be 
    paid when a witness has been summoned at the place of examination.


                    Unfinished business of the session

  6. All business of the House at the end of one session shall be resumed 
at the commencement of the next session of the same Congress in the same 
               manner as if no adjournment had taken place.

         * * * * *
                                Rule XIII
         * * * * *
                      Estimates of major legislation

   8. (a) An estimate provided by the Congressional Budget Office under 
    section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for any major 
 legislation shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate the budgetary 
  effects of changes in economic output, employment, capital stock, and 
      other macroeconomic variables resulting from such legislation.

    (b) An estimate provided by the Joint Committee on Taxation to the 
 Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 201(f) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for any major legislation shall, to the 
   extent practicable, incorporate the budgetary effects of changes in 
   economic output, employment, capital stock, and other macroeconomic 
                variables resulting from such legislation.

      (c) An estimate referred to in this clause shall, to the extent 
                          practicable, include--

    (1) a qualitative assessment of the budgetary effects (including 
  macroeconomic variables described in paragraphs (a) and (b)) of such 
  legislation in the 20-fiscal year period beginning after the last 
  fiscal year of the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the 
  budget that set forth appropriate levels required by section 301 of the 
  Congressional Budget Act of 1974; and
    (2) an identification of the critical assumptions and the source of 
  data underlying that estimate.

                        (d) As used in this clause--

    (1) the term ``major legislation'' means any bill or joint 
  resolution--

      (A) for which an estimate is required to be prepared pursuant to 
    section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and that causes a 
    gross budgetary effect (before incorporating macroeconomic effects) 
    in any fiscal year over the years of the most recently agreed to 
    concurrent resolution on the budget equal to or greater than 0.25 
    percent of the current projected gross domestic product of the United 
    States for that fiscal year; or
      (B) designated as such by the chair of the Committee on the Budget 
    for all direct spending legislation other than revenue legislation or 
    the Member who is chair or vice chair, as applicable, of the Joint 
    Committee on Taxation for revenue legislation; and

    (2) the term ``budgetary effects'' means changes in revenues, 
  outlays, and deficits.

         * * * * *
                                Rule XXII
                        House and Senate Relations
                            Senate amendments

  1. A motion to disagree to Senate amendments to a House proposition and 
   to request or agree to a conference with the Senate, or a motion to 
  insist on House amendments to a Senate proposition and to request or 
    agree to a conference with the Senate, shall be privileged in the 
    discretion of the Speaker if offered by direction of the primary 
 committee and of all reporting committees that had initial referral of 
                             the proposition.

         * * * * *
                                Appendix B
EXCERPTS RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET 
                    ACT OF 1974 (2 U.S.C. 621 ET SEQ.)
                 declaration of purposes [2 U.S.C.  621]

            Sec. 2. The Congress declares that it is essential--

    (1) to assure effective congressional control over the budgetary 
  process;
    (2) to provide for the congressional determination each year of the 
  appropriate level of Federal revenues and expenditures;
    (3) to provide a system of impoundment control;
    (4) to establish national budget priorities; and
    (5) to provide for the furnishing of information by the executive 
  branch in a manner that will assist the Congress in discharging its 
  duties.


                       definitions [2 U.S.C.  622]

              Sec. 3. In General.--For purposes of this Act--

    (1) The terms ``budget outlays'' and ``outlays'' mean, with respect 
  to any fiscal year, expenditures and net lending of funds under budget 
  authority during such year.
    (2) Budget authority and new budget authority.--

      (A) In general.--The term ``budget authority'' means the authority 
    provided by Federal law to incur financial obligations, as follows:

        (i) provisions of law that make funds available for obligation
      and expenditure (other than borrowing authority), including the
      authority to obligate and expend the proceeds of offsetting 
    receipts
      and collections;
        (ii) borrowing authority, which means authority granted to a
      Federal entity to borrow and obligate and expend the borrowed
      funds, including through the issuance of promissory notes or other
      monetary credits;
        (iii) contract authority, which means the making of funds avail-
      able for obligation but not for expenditure; and
        (iv) offsetting receipts and collections as negative budget
      authority, and the reduction thereof as positive budget authority.

      (B) Limitations on budget authority.--With respect to the Federal 
    Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, the Supplementary Medical Insurance 
    Trust Fund, the Unemployment Trust Fund, and the railroad retirement 
    account, any amount that is precluded from obligation in a fiscal 
    year by a provision of law (such as a limitation or a benefit 
    formula) shall not be budget authority in that year.
      (C) New budget authority.--The term ``new budget authority'' means, 
    with respect to a fiscal year--

        (i) budget authority that first becomes available for obligation
      in that year, including budget authority that becomes available
      in that year as a result of a reappropriation; or
        (ii) a change in any account in the availability of unobligated
      balances of budget authority carried over from a prior year,
      resulting from a provision of law first effective in that year;

    and includes a change in the estimated level of new budget authority
    provided in indefinite amounts by existing law.

        * * * * *

    (4) The term ``concurrent resolution on the budget'' means--

      (A) a concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget 
    for the United States Government for a fiscal year as provided in 
    section 301; and
      (B) any other concurrent resolution revising the congressional 
    budget for the United States Government for a fiscal year as 
    described in section 304.

    (5) The term ``appropriation Act'' means an Act referred to in 
  section 105 of title 1, United States Code.
    (6) The term ``deficit'' means, with respect to a fiscal year, the 
  amount by which outlays exceed receipts during that year.
    (7) The term ``surplus'' means, with respect to a fiscal year, the 
  amount by which receipts exceed outlays during that year.
    (8) The term ``government-sponsored enterprise'' means a corporate 
  entity created by a law of the United States that--

      (A)(i) has a Federal charter authorized by law;
      (ii) is privately owned, as evidenced by capital stock owned by 
    private entities or individuals;
      (iii) is under the direction of a board of directors, a majority of 
    which is elected by private owners;
      (iv) is a financial institution with power to--

        (I) make loans or loan guarantees for limited purposes such
      as to provide credit for specific borrowers or one sector; and
        (II) raise funds by borrowing (which does not carry the full
      faith and credit of the Federal Government) or to guarantee the
      debt of others in unlimited amounts; and

      (B)(i) does not exercise powers that are reserved to the Government 
    as sovereign (such as the power to tax or to regulate interstate 
    commerce);
      (ii) does not have the power to commit the Government financially 
    (but it may be a recipient of a loan guarantee commitment made by the 
    Government); and
      (iii) has employees whose salaries and expenses are paid by the 
    enterprise and are not Federal employees subject to title 5.

    (9) The term ``entitlement authority'' means--

      (A) the authority to make payments (including loans and grants), 
    the budget authority for which is not provided for in advance by 
    appropriation Acts, to any person or government if, under the 
    provisions of the law containing that authority, the United States is 
    obligated to make such payments to persons or governments who meet 
    the requirements established by that law; and
      (B) the food stamp program.

    (10) The term ``credit authority'' means authority to incur direct 
  loan obligations or to incur primary loan guarantee commitments.

        * * * * *
TITLE III--CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET PROCESS [2 U.S.C. Chapter 17A, Subchapter 
                                    1]
                        timetable [2 U.S.C.  631]

     Sec. 300. The timetable with respect to the congressional budget 
                process for any fiscal year is as follows:

 
 
             On or before:                   Action to be completed:
 
First Monday in February...............  President submits his budget.
February 15............................  Congressional Budget Office
                                          submits report to Budget
                                          Committees.
Not later than 6 weeks after President   Committees submit views and
 submits budget.\1\                       estimates to Budget
                                          Committees.
\1\ The date for committees'
 submissions of views and estimates was
 amended by the Budget Enforcement Act
 of 1997 (sec. 10104(a), P.L. 105-33).
April 1................................  Senate Budget Committee reports
                                          concurrent resolution on the
                                          budget.
April 15...............................  Congress completes action on
                                          concurrent resolution on the
                                          budget.
May 15.................................  Annual appropriation bills may
                                          be considered in the House.
June 10................................  House Appropriations Committee
                                          reports last annual
                                          appropriation bill.
June 15................................  Congress completes action on
                                          reconciliation legislation.
June 30................................  House completes action on
                                          annual appropriation bills.
October 1..............................  Fiscal year begins.
 


 annual adoption of concurrent resolution on the budget [2 U.S.C.  632]

   Sec. 301. (a) Content of Concurrent Resolution on the Budget.--On or 
  before April 15 of each year, the Congress shall complete action on a 
  concurrent resolution on the budget for the fiscal year beginning on 
    October 1 of such year. The concurrent resolution shall set forth 
  appropriate levels for the fiscal year beginning on October 1 of such 
    year and for at least each of the 4 ensuing fiscal years for the 
                               following--

    (1) totals of new budget authority and outlays;
    (2) total Federal revenues and the amount, if any, by which the 
  aggregate level of Federal revenues should be increased or decreased by 
  bills and resolutions to be reported by the appropriate committees;
    (3) the surplus or deficit in the budget;
    (4) new budget authority and outlays for each major functional 
  category, based on allocations of the total levels set forth pursuant 
  to paragraph (1);
    (5) the public debt;
    (6) for purposes of Senate enforcement under this title, outlays of 
  the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established 
  under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] for 
  the fiscal year of the resolution and for each of the 4 succeeding 
  fiscal years; and
    (7) for purposes of Senate enforcement under this title, revenues of 
  the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established 
  under title II of the Social Security Act (and the related provisions 
  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.]) for the 
  fiscal year of the resolution and for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
  years.

   The concurrent resolution shall not include the outlays and revenue 
   totals of the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program 
  established under title II of the Social Security Act or the related 
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in the surplus or deficit 
  totals required by this subsection or in any other surplus or deficit 
                      totals required by this title.

        * * * * *

  (d) Views and Estimates of Other Committees.--Within 6 weeks after the 
President submits a budget under section 1105(a) of title 31, or at such 
 time as may be requested by the Committee on the Budget, each Committee 
  of the House of Representatives having legislative jurisdiction shall 
submit to the Committee on the Budget of the House and each Committee of 
the Senate having legislative jurisdiction shall submit to the Committee 
on the Budget of the Senate its views and estimates (as determined by the 
 Committee making such submission) with respect to all matters set forth 
in subsections (a) and (b) of this section which relate to matters within 
   the jurisdiction or functions of such Committee. The Joint Economic 
Committee shall submit to the Committees on the Budget of both Houses its 
 recommendations as to the fiscal policy appropriate to the goals of the 
 Employment Act of 1946 [15 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.]. Any other Committee of 
the House of Representatives or the Senate may submit to the Committee on 
  the Budget of its House, and any joint Committee of the Congress may 
  submit to the Committees on the Budget of both Houses, its views and 
 estimates with respect to all matters set forth in subsections (a) and 
 (b) of this section which relate to matters within its jurisdiction or 
 functions. Any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate 
     that anticipates that the Committee will consider any proposed 
legislation establishing, amending, or reauthorizing any Federal program 
  likely to have a significant budgetary impact on any State, local, or 
 tribal government, or likely to have a significant financial impact on 
 the private sector, including any legislative proposal submitted by the 
  executive branch likely to have such a budgetary or financial impact, 
 shall include its views and estimates on that proposal to the Committee 
                  on the Budget of the applicable House.

        * * * * *
                  committee allocations [2 U.S.C.  633]

              Sec. 302. (a) Committee Spending Allocations.--

    (1) Allocation among committees.--The joint explanatory statement 
  accompanying a conference report on a concurrent resolution on the 
  budget shall include an allocation, consistent with the resolution 
  recommended in the conference report, of the levels for the first 
  fiscal year of the resolution, for at least each of the ensuing 4 
  fiscal years, and a total for that period of fiscal years (except in 
  the case of the Committee on Appropriations only for the fiscal year of 
  that resolution) of--

      (A) total new budget authority; and
      (B) total outlays;

     among each Committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate
     that has jurisdiction over legislation providing or creating such 
                                 amounts.

    (2) No double counting.--In the House of Representatives, any item 
  allocated to one Committee may not be allocated to another Committee.

    (3) Further division of amounts.--

      (A) In the senate.--In the Senate, the amount allocated to the 
    Committee on Appropriations shall be further divided among the 
    categories specified in section 250(c)(4) of the Balanced Budget and 
    Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and shall not exceed the limits 
    for each category set forth in section 251(c) of that Act.
      (B) In the house.--In the House of Representatives, the amounts 
    allocated to each Committee for each fiscal year, other than the 
    Committee on Appropriations, shall be further divided between amounts 
    provided or required by law on the date of filing of that conference 
    report and amounts not so provided or required. The amounts allocated 
    to the Committee on Appropriations shall be further divided--

        (i) between discretionary and mandatory amounts or programs,
      as appropriate; and
        (ii) consistent with the categories specified in section 
    250(c)(4)
      of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
      1985.

    (4) Amounts not allocated.--In the House of Representatives or the 
  Senate, if a Committee receives no allocation of new budget authority 
  or outlays, that Committee shall be deemed to have received an 
  allocation equal to zero for new budget authority or outlays.
    (5) Adjusting allocation of discretionary spending in the house of 
  representatives.--(A) If a concurrent resolution on the budget is not 
  adopted by April 15, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the 
  House of Representatives shall submit to the House, as soon as 
  practicable, an allocation under paragraph (1) to the Committee on 
  Appropriations consistent with the discretionary spending levels in the 
  most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget for the 
  appropriate fiscal year covered by that resolution.
    (B) As soon as practicable after an allocation under paragraph (1) is 
  submitted under this section, the Committee on Appropriations shall 
  make suballocations and report those suballocations to the House of 
  Representatives.

       (b) Suballocations by Appropriations Committees.--As soon as 
practicable after a concurrent resolution on the budget is agreed to, the 
  Committee on Appropriations of each House (after consulting with the 
 Committee on Appropriations of the other House) shall suballocate each 
 amount allocated to it for the budget year under subsection (a) of this 
 section among its subcommittees. Each Committee on Appropriations shall 
 promptly report to its House suballocations made or revised under this 
       subsection. The Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
    Representatives shall further divide among its subcommittees the 
 divisions made under subsection (a)(3)(B) of this section and promptly 
                   report those divisions to the House.

  (c) Point of Order.--After the Committee on Appropriations has received 
  an allocation pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for a fiscal 
  year, it shall not be in order in the House of Representatives or the 
  Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or 
conference report within the jurisdiction of that Committee providing new 
  budget authority for that fiscal year, until that Committee makes the 
        suballocations required by subsection (b) of this section.

    (d) Subsequent Concurrent Resolutions.--In the case of a concurrent 
  resolution on the budget referred to in section 304, the allocations 
     under subsection (a) of this section and the subdivisions under 
   subsection (b) of this section shall be required only to the extent 
necessary to take into account revisions made in the most recently agreed 
                 to concurrent resolution on the budget.

        * * * * *

                (f) Legislation Subject to Point of Order.--

    (1) In the house of representatives.--After the Congress has 
  completed action on a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal 
  year, it shall not be in order in the House of Representatives to 
  consider any bill, joint resolution, or amendment providing new budget 
  authority for any fiscal year, or any conference report on any such 
  bill or joint resolution, if--

      (A) the enactment of such bill or resolution as reported;
      (B) the adoption and enactment of such amendment; or
      (C) the enactment of such bill or resolution in the form 
    recommended in such conference report,

     would cause the applicable allocation of new budget authority made
   under subsection (a) or (b) of this section for the first fiscal year
                or the total of fiscal years to be exceeded.

        * * * * *
concurrent resolution on the budget must be adopted before budget-related 
                legislation is considered [2 U.S.C.  634]

     Sec. 303. (a) In General.--Until the concurrent resolution on the 
budget for a fiscal year has been agreed to, it shall not be in order in 
   the House of Representatives, with respect to the first fiscal year 
  covered by that resolution, or the Senate, with respect to any fiscal 
     year covered by that resolution, to consider any bill or joint 
  resolution, amendment or motion thereto, or conference report thereon 
                                  that--

    (1) first provides new budget authority for that fiscal year;
    (2) first provides an increase or decrease in revenues during that 
  fiscal year;
    (3) provides an increase or decrease in the public debt limit to 
  become effective during that fiscal year;
    (4) in the Senate only, first provides new entitlement authority for 
  that fiscal year; or
    (5) in the Senate only, first provides for an increase or decrease in 
  outlays for that fiscal year.

      (b) Exceptions in the House.--In the House of Representatives, 
             subsection (a) of this section does not apply--

    (1)(A) to any bill or joint resolution, as reported, providing 
  advance discretionary new budget authority that first becomes available 
  for the first or second fiscal year after the budget year; or
    (B) to any bill or joint resolution, as reported, first increasing or 
  decreasing revenues in a fiscal year following the fiscal year to which 
  the concurrent resolution applies;
    (2) after May 15, to any general appropriation bill or amendment 
  thereto; or
    (3) to any bill or joint resolution unless it is reported by a 
  Committee.

        * * * * *
permissible revisions of concurrent resolutions on the budget [2 U.S.C.  
                                   635]

  Sec. 304. At any time after the concurrent resolution on the budget for 
a fiscal year has been agreed to pursuant to section 301, and before the 
end of such fiscal year, the two Houses may adopt a concurrent resolution 
on the budget which revises or reaffirms the concurrent resolution on the 
           budget for such fiscal year most recently agreed to.

    [The Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (tit. XIII, P.L. 101-508) deleted 
  subsection (b), relating to maximum deficit amount requirements for 
  revised budget resolutions, that had been added by the Balanced Budget 
  and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (tit. II, P.L. 99-177), and 
  redesignated the subsection on economic assumptions, originally added 
  by Public Law 100-119, as (b). The latter subsection (b) was deleted by 
  the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (sec. 10108, P.L. 105-33).]


provisions relating to the consideration of concurrent resolutions on the 
                         budget [2 U.S.C.  636]

   Sec. 305. (a) Procedure in House After Report of Committee; Debate.--

    (1) When a concurrent resolution on the budget has been reported by 
  the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives and has 
  been referred to the appropriate calendar of the House, it shall be in 
  order on any day thereafter, subject to clause 4 of rule XIII of the 
  Rules of the House of Representatives, to move to proceed to the 
  consideration of the concurrent resolution. The motion is highly 
  privileged and is not debatable. An amendment to the motion is not in 
  order and it is not in order to move to reconsider the vote by which 
  the motion is agreed to or disagreed to.

        * * * * *
house committee action on all appropriation bills to be completed by June 
                           10 [2 U.S.C.  638]

       Sec. 307. On or before June 10 of each year, the Committee on 
   Appropriations of the House of Representatives shall report annual 
appropriation bills providing new budget authority under the jurisdiction 
of all of its subcommittees for the fiscal year which begins on October 1 
                              of that year.

    [This section was rewritten by the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
  Deficit Control Act of 1985 (tit. II, P.L. 99-177) to establish June 10 
  as the annual target date for completion of House Committee action on 
  all regular appropriation bills.]


 reports, summaries, and projections of congressional budget actions [2 
                              U.S.C.  639]

   Sec. 308. (a) Legislation Providing New Budget Authority or Providing 
         Increase or Decrease in Revenues or Tax Expenditures.--

    (1) Whenever a Committee of either House reports to its House a bill 
  or joint resolution, or Committee amendment thereto, providing new 
  budget authority (other than continuing appropriations) or providing an 
  increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures for a fiscal year 
  (or fiscal years), the report accompanying that bill or joint 
  resolution shall contain a statement, or the Committee shall make 
  available such a statement in the case of an approved Committee 
  amendment which is not reported to its House, prepared after 
  consultation with the Director of the Congressional Budget Office--

      (A) comparing the levels in such measure to the appropriate 
    allocations in the reports submitted under section 302(b) for the 
    most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget for such 
    fiscal year (or fiscal years);
      (B) containing a projection by the Congressional Budget Office of 
    how such measure will affect the levels of such budget authority, 
    budget outlays, revenues, or tax expenditures under existing law for 
    such fiscal year (or fiscal years) and each of the 4 ensuing fiscal 
    years, if timely submitted before such report is filed; and
      (C) containing an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office of 
    the level of new budget authority for assistance to State and local 
    governments provided by such measure, if timely submitted before such 
    report is filed.

    (2) Whenever a conference report is filed in either House and such 
  conference report or any amendment reported in disagreement or any 
  amendment contained in the joint statement of managers to be proposed 
  by the conferees in the case of technical disagreement on such bill or 
  joint resolution provides new budget authority (other than continuing 
  appropriations) or provides an increase or decrease in revenues for a 
  fiscal year (or fiscal years), the statement of managers accompanying 
  such conference report shall contain the information described in 
  paragraph (1), if available on a timely basis. If such information is 
  not available when the conference report is filed, the Committee shall 
  make such information available to Members as soon as practicable prior 
  to the consideration of such conference report.

        * * * * *
                     reconciliation [2 U.S.C.  641]

    Sec. 310. (a) Inclusion of Reconciliation Directives in Concurrent 
Resolutions on the Budget.--A concurrent resolution on the budget for any 
  fiscal year, to the extent necessary to effectuate the provisions and 
                 requirements of such resolution, shall--

    (1) specify the total amount by which--

      (A) new budget authority for such fiscal year;
      (B) budget authority initially provided for prior fiscal years;
      (C) new entitlement authority which is to become effective during 
    such fiscal year; and
      (D) credit authority for such fiscal year,

   contained in laws, bills, and resolutions within the jurisdiction of a
     Committee, is to be changed and direct that Committee to determine
     and recommend changes to accomplish a change of such total amount;

    (2) specify the total amount by which revenues are to be changed and 
  direct that the committees having jurisdiction to determine and 
  recommend changes in the revenue laws, bills, and resolutions to 
  accomplish a change of such total amount;
    (3) specify the amounts by which the statutory limit on the public 
  debt is to be changed and direct the Committee having jurisdiction to 
  recommend such change; or
    (4) specify and direct any combination of the matters described in 
  paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) (including a direction to achieve deficit 
  reduction).

     (b) Legislative Procedure.--If a concurrent resolution containing 
 directives to one or more committees to determine and recommend changes 
in laws, bills, or resolutions is agreed to in accordance with subsection 
                        (a) of this section, and--

    (1) only one Committee of the House or the Senate is directed to 
  determine and recommend changes, that Committee shall promptly make 
  such determination and recommendations and report to its House 
  reconciliation legislation containing such recommendations; or
    (2) more than one Committee of the House or the Senate is directed to 
  determine and recommend changes, each such Committee so directed shall 
  promptly make such determination and recommendations and submit such 
  recommendations to the Committee on the Budget of its House, which, 
  upon receiving all such recommendations, shall report to its House 
  reconciliation legislation carrying out all such recommendations 
  without any substantive revision.

    For purposes of this subsection, a reconciliation resolution is a 
concurrent resolution directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
  or the Secretary of the Senate, as the case may be, to make specified 
      changes in bills and resolutions which have not been enrolled.

   (c) Compliance With Reconciliation Directions.--(1) Any Committee of 
the House of Representatives or the Senate that is directed, pursuant to 
a concurrent resolution on the budget, to determine and recommend changes 
of the type described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this 
section with respect to laws within its jurisdiction, shall be deemed to 
                   have complied with such directions--

    (A) if--

      (i) the amount of the changes of the type described in paragraph 
    (1) of such subsection recommended by such Committee do not exceed or 
    fall below the amount of the changes such Committee was directed by 
    such concurrent resolution to recommend under that paragraph by more 
    than--

        (I) in the Senate, 20 percent of the total of the amounts of
      the changes such Committee was directed to make under paragraphs
      (1) and (2) of such subsection; or
        (II) in the House of Representatives, 20 percent of the sum
      of the absolute value of the changes the Committee was directed
      to make under paragraph (1) and the absolute value of the changes
      the Committee was directed to make under paragraph (2); and

      (ii) the amount of the changes of the type described in paragraph 
    (2) of such subsection recommended by such Committee do not exceed or 
    fall below the amount of the changes such Committee was directed by 
    such concurrent resolution to recommend under that paragraph by more 
    than--

        (I) in the Senate, 20 percent of the total of the amounts of
      the changes such Committee was directed to make under paragraphs
      (1) and (2) of such subsection; or
        (II) in the House of Representatives, 20 percent of the sum
      of the absolute value of the changes the Committee was directed
      to make under paragraph (1) and the absolute value of the changes
      the Committee was directed to make under paragraph (2); and

    (B) if the total amount of the changes recommended by such Committee 
  is not less than the total of the amounts of the changes such Committee 
  was directed to make under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection.

  (2)(A) Upon the reporting to the Committee on the Budget of the Senate 
   of a recommendation that shall be deemed to have complied with such 
  directions solely by virtue of this subsection, the chairman of that 
  Committee may file with the Senate appropriately revised allocations 
  under section 302(a) and revised functional levels and aggregates to 
                        carry out this subsection.

       (B) Upon the submission to the Senate of a conference report 
  recommending a reconciliation bill or resolution in which a Committee 
shall be deemed to have complied with such directions solely by virtue of 
   this subsection, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the 
 Senate may file with the Senate appropriately revised allocations under 
section 302(a) and revised functional levels and aggregates to carry out 
                             this subsection.

        * * * * *
budget-related legislation must be within appropriate levels [2 U.S.C.  
                                   642]

             Sec. 311. (a) Enforcement of Budget Aggregates.--

    (1) In house of representatives.--Except as provided by subsection 
  (c) of this section, after the Congress has completed action on a 
  concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year, it shall not be 
  in order in the House of Representatives to consider any bill, joint 
  resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report providing new 
  budget authority or reducing revenues, if--

      (A) the enactment of that bill or resolution as reported;
      (B) the adoption and enactment of that amendment; or
      (C) the enactment of that bill or resolution in the form 
    recommended in that conference report;

    would cause the level of total new budget authority or total outlays
    set forth in the applicable concurrent resolution on the budget for
    the first fiscal year to be exceeded, or would cause revenues to be
    less than the level of total revenues set forth in that concurrent 
                                resolution
    for the first fiscal year or for the total of that first fiscal year
   and the ensuing fiscal years for which allocations are provided under
      section 302(a), except when a declaration of war by the Congress
                               is in effect.

    (2) In senate.--After a concurrent resolution on the budget is agreed 
  to, it shall not be in order in the Senate to consider any bill, joint 
  resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report that--

      (A) would cause the level of total new budget authority or total 
    outlays set forth for the first fiscal year in the applicable 
    resolution to be exceeded; or
      (B) would cause revenues to be less than the level of total 
    revenues set forth for that first fiscal year or for the total of 
    that first fiscal year and the ensuing fiscal years in the applicable 
    resolution for which allocations are provided under section 302(a).

        * * * * *

  (c) Exception in House of Representatives.--Subsection (a)(1) shall not 
 apply in the House of Representatives to any bill, joint resolution, or 
amendment that provides new budget authority for a fiscal year or to any 
          conference report on any such bill or resolution, if--

    (1) the enactment of that bill or resolution as reported;
    (2) the adoption and enactment of that amendment; or
    (3) the enactment of that bill or resolution in the form recommended 
  in that conference report;

 would not cause the appropriate allocation of new budget authority made 
     pursuant to section 302(a) for that fiscal year to be exceeded.

        * * * * *
           determinations and points of order [2 U.S.C.  643]

   Sec. 312. (a) Budget Committee Determinations.--For purposes of this 
 title and title IV, the levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct 
spending, new entitlement authority, and revenues for a fiscal year shall 
  be determined on the basis of estimates made by the Committee on the 
   Budget of the House of Representatives or the Senate, as applicable.

        * * * * *
    TITLE IV--FISCAL PROCEDURES [2 U.S.C. Chapter 17A, Subchapter II]
                        Part A--General Provisions
budget-related legislation not subject to appropriations [2 U.S.C.  651]

     Sec. 401. (a) Controls on Certain Budget-related Legislation Not 
Subject to Appropriations.--It shall not be in order in either the House 
of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill or joint resolution 
 (in the House of Representatives only, as reported), amendment, motion, 
                   or conference report that provides--

    (1) new authority to enter into contracts under which the United 
  States is obligated to make outlays;
    (2) new authority to incur indebtedness (other than indebtedness 
  incurred under chapter 31 of title 31) for the repayment of which the 
  United States is liable; or
    (3) new credit authority;

  unless that bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference 
 report also provides that the new authority is to be effective for any 
 fiscal year only to the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in 
                           appropriation Acts.

           (b) Legislation Providing New Entitlement Authority.--

    (1) Point of order.--It shall not be in order in either the House of 
  Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill or joint resolution 
  (in the House of Representatives only, as reported), amendment, motion, 
  or conference report that provides new entitlement authority that is to 
  become effective during the current fiscal year.
    (2) If any Committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate 
  reports any bill or resolution which provides new entitlement authority 
  which is to become effective during a fiscal year and the amount of new 
  budget authority which will be required for such fiscal year if such 
  bill or resolution is enacted as so reported exceeds the appropriate 
  allocation of new budget authority reported under section 302(a) in 
  connection with the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on 
  the budget for such fiscal year, such bill or resolution shall then be 
  referred to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate or may then 
  be referred to the Committee on Appropriations of the House, as the 
  case may be, with instructions to report it, with the Committee's 
  recommendations, within 15 calendar days (not counting any day on which 
  that House is not in session) beginning with the day following the day 
  on which it is so referred. If the Committee on Appropriations of 
  either House fails to report a bill or resolution referred to it under 
  this paragraph within such 15-day period, the Committee shall 
  automatically be discharged from further consideration of such bill or 
  resolution and such bill or resolution shall be placed on the 
  appropriate calendar.
    (3) The Committee on Appropriations of each House shall have 
  jurisdiction to report any bill or resolution referred to it under 
  paragraph (2) with an amendment which limits the total amount of new 
  spending authority provided in such bill or resolution.

                             (c) Exceptions.--

    (1) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to new 
  authority described in those subsections if outlays from that new 
  authority [will] \2\ flow--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Paragraph (4)(A) of section 10116(a) of Public Law 105-33 amended 
this provision as shown above. However, the word ``will'' probably should 
have appeared in the matter proposed to be stricken by that public law.

      (A) from a trust fund established by the Social Security Act (as in 
    effect on July 12, 1974 [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.]); or
      (B) from any other trust fund, 90 percent or more of the receipts 
    of which consist or will consist of amounts (transferred from the 
    general fund of the Treasury) equivalent to amounts of taxes (related 
    to the purposes for which such outlays are or will be made) received 
    in the Treasury under specified provisions of the Internal Revenue 
    Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.].

    (2) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to new 
  authority described in those subsections to the extent that--

      (A) the outlays resulting therefrom are made by an organization 
    which is (i) a mixed-ownership Government corporation (as defined in 
    section 201 of the Government Corporation Control Act), or (ii) a 
    wholly owned Government corporation (as defined in section 101 of 
    such Act) which is specifically exempted by law from compliance with 
    any or all of the provisions of that Act, as of December 12, 1985 
    [the date of enactment of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
    Control Act of 1985]; or
      (B) the outlays resulting therefrom consist exclusively of the 
    proceeds of gifts or bequests made to the United States for a 
    specific purpose.
      (3) In the House of Representatives, subsections (a) and (b) shall 
    not apply to new authority described in those subsections to the 
    extent that a provision in a bill or joint resolution, or an 
    amendment thereto or a conference report thereon, establishes 
    prospectively for a Federal office or position a specified or minimum 
    level of compensation to be funded by annual discretionary 
    appropriations.

        * * * * *
         analysis by congressional budget office [2 U.S.C.  653]

  Sec. 402. The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall, to the 
   extent practicable, prepare for each bill or resolution of a public 
 character reported by any Committee of the House of Representatives or 
 the Senate (except the Committee on Appropriations of each House), and 
                        submit to such committee--

    (1) an estimate of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out 
  such bill or resolution in the fiscal year in which it is to become 
  effective and in each of the 4 fiscal years following such fiscal year, 
  together with the basis for each such estimate;
    (2) a comparison of the estimates of costs described in paragraph (1) 
  with any available estimates of costs made by such Committee or by any 
  Federal agency; and
    (3) a description of each method for establishing a Federal financial 
  commitment contained in such bill or resolution.

The estimates, comparison, and description so submitted shall be included 
in the report accompanying such bill or resolution if timely submitted to 
               such Committee before such report is filed.

    [The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (tit. 
  II, P.L. 99-177) amended this section by adding paragraph (4) to 
  subsection (a), along with a conforming change to the second sentence 
  of that subsection. Public Law 97-108 previously amended section 403 by 
  adding subsections (a)(2), (b), and (c). The Unfunded Mandates Reform 
  Act of 1995 deleted from this section a requirement that the Director 
  estimate costs incurred by State and local governments, in favor of a 
  more particularized requirement in section 424, infra (sec. 104, P.L. 
  104-4; 109 Stat. 62). The Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (sec. 10116, 
  P.L. 105-33) redesignated this section, formerly section 403, as 
  section 402. A Committee cost estimate identifying certain spending 
  authority as recurring annually and indefinitely was held necessarily 
  to address the 5 year period required by section 308 (Nov. 20, 1993, p. 
  31354).]

        * * * * *
    study by the government accountability office of forms of federal 
              financial commitment not reviewed annually by
                        congress [2 U.S.C.  654]

     Sec. 404. The Government Accountability Office shall study those 
  provisions of law which provide mandatory spending and report to the 
 Congress its recommendations for the appropriate form of financing for 
    activities or programs financed by such provisions not later than 
  eighteen months after December 12, 1985. Such report shall be revised 
                            from time to time.

    [This section, formerly section 405, was redesignated by the Budget 
  Enforcement Act of 1997 (sec. 10116(c)(1), P.L. 105-33).]


      off-budget agencies, programs, and activities [2 U.S.C.  655]

     Sec. 405. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, budget 
 authority, credit authority, and estimates of outlays and receipts for 
 activities of the Federal budget which are off-budget immediately prior 
to December 12, 1985, not including activities of the Federal Old-Age and 
 Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds, shall 
 be included in a budget submitted pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
and in a concurrent resolution on the budget reported pursuant to section 
 301 or section 304 of this Act and shall be considered, for purposes of 
this Act, budget authority, outlays, and spending authority in accordance 
                 with definitions set forth in this Act.

   (b) All receipts and disbursements of the Federal Financing Bank with 
  respect to any obligations which are issued, sold, or guaranteed by a 
 Federal agency shall be treated as a means of financing such agency for 
   purposes of section 1105 of title 31, and for purposes of this Act.

    [This section, formerly section 406, was redesignated by the Budget 
  Enforcement Act of 1997 (sec. 10116(c)(1), P.L. 105-33).]


                    member user group [2 U.S.C.  656]

  Sec. 406. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, after consulting 
 with the Minority Leader of the House, may appoint a Member User Group 
 for the purpose of reviewing budgetary scorekeeping rules and practices 
of the House and advising the Speaker from time to time on the effect and 
                   impact of such rules and practices.

    [The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (tit. 
  II, sec. 214, P.L. 99-177) added sections 405, 406, and 407 as new 
  sections at the end of title IV. This section, formerly section 407, 
  was redesignated by the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (tit. X, sec. 
  10116(c)(1), P.L. 105-33).]

        * * * * *
                         Part B--Federal Mandates
                       definitions [2 U.S.C.  658]

             Sec. 421. Definitions.--For purposes of this part:

    (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the same meaning as defined in 
  section 551(1) of title 5, but does not include independent regulatory 
  agencies.
    (2) Amount.--The term ``amount'', with respect to an authorization of 
  appropriations for Federal financial assistance, means the amount of 
  budget authority for any Federal grant assistance program or any 
  Federal program providing loan guarantees or direct loans.
    (3) Direct costs.--The term ``direct costs''--

      (A)(i) in the case of a Federal intergovernmental mandate, means 
    the aggregate estimated amounts that all State, local, and tribal 
    governments would be required to spend or would be prohibited from 
    raising in revenues in order to comply with the Federal 
    intergovernmental mandate; or
      (ii) in the case of a provision referred to in paragraph 
    (5)(A)(ii), means the amount of Federal financial assistance 
    eliminated or reduced;
      (B) in the case of a Federal private sector mandate, means the 
    aggregate estimated amounts that the private sector will be required 
    to spend in order to comply with the Federal private sector mandate;
      (C) shall be determined on the assumption that--
        (i) State, local, and tribal governments, and the private sector
      will take all reasonable steps necessary to mitigate the costs
      resulting from the Federal mandate, and will comply with
      applicable standards of practice and conduct established by recog-
      nized professional or trade associations; and
        (ii) reasonable steps to mitigate the costs shall not include
      increases in State, local, or tribal taxes or fees; and

      (D) shall not include--
        (i) estimated amounts that the State, local, and tribal govern-
      ments (in the case of a Federal intergovernmental mandate) or
      the private sector (in the case of a Federal private sector 
    mandate)
      would spend--

          (I) to comply with or carry out all applicable Federal, State,
        local, and tribal laws and regulations in effect at the time
        of the adoption of the Federal mandate for the same activity
        as is affected by that Federal mandate; or
          (II) to comply with or carry out State, local, and tribal 
    govern-
        mental programs, or private-sector business or other activities
        in effect at the time of the adoption of the Federal mandate
        for the same activity as is affected by that mandate; or

        (ii) expenditures to the extent that such expenditures will be
      offset by any direct savings to the State, local, and tribal 
    govern-
      ments, or by the private sector, as a result of--

          (I) compliance with the Federal mandate; or
          (II) other changes in Federal law or regulation that are 
    enacted
        or adopted in the same bill or joint resolution or
        proposed or final Federal regulation and that govern the same
        activity as is affected by the Federal mandate.

    (4) Direct savings.--The term ``direct savings'', when used with 
  respect to the result of compliance with the Federal mandate--

      (A) in the case of a Federal intergovernmental mandate, means the 
    aggregate estimated reduction in costs to any State, local, or tribal 
    government as a result of compliance with the Federal 
    intergovernmental mandate; and
      (B) in the case of a Federal private sector mandate, means the 
    aggregate estimated reduction in costs to the private sector as a 
    result of compliance with the Federal private sector mandate.

    (5) Federal intergovernmental mandate.--The term ``Federal 
  intergovernmental mandate'' means--

      (A) any provision in legislation, statute, or regulation that--

        (i) would impose an enforceable duty upon State, local, or tribal
      governments, except--

          (I) a condition of Federal assistance; or
          (II) a duty arising from participation in a voluntary Federal
        program, except as provided in subparagraph (B); or

        (ii) would reduce or eliminate the amount of authorization of
      appropriations for--

          (I) Federal financial assistance that would be provided to 
    State,
        local, or tribal governments for the purpose of complying with
        any such previously imposed duty unless such duty is reduced
        or eliminated by a corresponding amount; or
          (II) the control of borders by the Federal Government; or
        reimbursement to State, local, or tribal governments for the
        net cost associated with illegal, deportable, and excludable 
    aliens,
        including court-mandated expenses related to emergency health
        care, education or criminal justice; when such a reduction or
        elimination would result in increased net costs to State, local,
        or tribal governments in providing education or emergency
        health care to, or incarceration of, illegal aliens; except that
        this subclause shall not be in effect with respect to a State,
        local, or tribal government, to the extent that such government
        has not fully cooperated in the efforts of the Federal Government
        to locate, apprehend, and deport illegal aliens;

      (B) any provision in legislation, statute, or regulation that 
    relates to a then-existing Federal program under which $500,000,000 
    or more is provided annually to State, local, and tribal governments 
    under entitlement authority, if the provision--

        (i)(I) would increase the stringency of conditions of assistance
      to State, local, or tribal governments under the program; or
        (II) would place caps upon, or otherwise decrease, the Federal
      Government's responsibility to provide funding to State, local, or
      tribal governments under the program; and
        (ii) the State, local, or tribal governments that participate in
      the Federal program lack authority under that program to amend
      their financial or programmatic responsibilities to continue prov-
      iding required services that are affected by the legislation, 
    statute,
      or regulation.

    (6) Federal mandate.--The term ``Federal mandate'' means a Federal 
  intergovernmental mandate or a Federal private sector mandate, as 
  defined in paragraphs (5) and (7).
    (7) Federal private sector mandate.--The term ``Federal private 
  sector mandate'' means any provision in legislation, statute, or 
  regulation that--

      (A) would impose an enforceable duty upon the private sector 
    except--

        (i) a condition of Federal assistance; or
        (ii) a duty arising from participation in a voluntary Federal
      program; or

      (B) would reduce or eliminate the amount of authorization of 
    appropriations for Federal financial assistance that will be provided 
    to the private sector for the purposes of ensuring compliance with 
    such duty.

    (8) Local government.--The term ``local government'' has the same 
  meaning as defined in section 6501(6) of title 31.
    (9) Private sector.--The term ``private sector'' means all persons or 
  entities in the United States, including individuals, partnerships, 
  associations, corporations, and educational and nonprofit institutions, 
  but shall not include State, local, or tribal governments.
    (10) Regulation; rule.--The term ``regulation'' or ``rule'' (except 
  with respect to a rule of either House of the Congress) has the meaning 
  of ``rule'' as defined in section 601(2) of title 5.
    (11) Small government.--The term ``small government'' means any small 
  governmental jurisdictions defined in section 601(5) of title 5, and 
  any tribal government.
    (12) State.--The term ``State'' has the same meaning as defined in 
  section 6501(9) of title 31.
    (13) Tribal government.--The term ``tribal government'' means any 
  Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, 
  including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation 
  as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims 
  Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688; 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) which is 
  recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided 
  by the United States to Indians because of their special status as 
  Indians.


                       exclusions [2 U.S.C.  658a]

   Sec. 422 Exclusions. This part shall not apply to any provision in a 
 bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report before 
                             Congress that--

    (1) enforces constitutional rights of individuals;
    (2) establishes or enforces any statutory rights that prohibit 
  discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national 
  origin, age, handicap, or disability;
    (3) requires compliance with accounting and auditing procedures with 
  respect to grants or other money or property provided by the Federal 
  Government;
    (4) provides for emergency assistance or relief at the request of any 
  State, local, or tribal government or any official of a State, local, 
  or tribal government;
    (5) is necessary for the national security or the ratification or 
  implementation of international treaty obligations;
    (6) the President designates as emergency legislation and that the 
  Congress so designates in statute; or
    (7) relates to the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance 
  program under title II of the Social Security Act (including taxes 
  imposed by sections 3101(a) and 3111(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
  1986 [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] (relating to old-age, survivors, and 
  disability insurance).


           duties of congressional committees [2 U.S.C.  658b]

  Sec. 423. Duties of Congressional Committees.--(a) In General.--When a 
Committee of authorization of the Senate or the House of Representatives 
reports a bill or joint resolution of public character that includes any 
  Federal mandate, the report of the Committee accompanying the bill or 
 joint resolution shall contain the information required by subsections 
                       (c) and (d) of this section.

  (b) Submission of Bills to Director.--When a Committee of authorization 
 of the Senate or the House of Representatives orders reported a bill or 
  joint resolution of a public character, the Committee shall promptly 
provide the bill or joint resolution to the Director of the Congressional 
  Budget Office and shall identify to the Director any Federal mandates 
                   contained in the bill or resolution.

       (c) Reports on Federal Mandates.--Each report described under 
              subsection (a) of this section shall contain--

    (1) an identification and description of any Federal mandates in the 
  bill or joint resolution, including the direct costs to State, local, 
  and tribal governments, and to the private sector, required to comply 
  with the Federal mandates;
    (2) a qualitative, and if practicable, a quantitative assessment of 
  costs and benefits anticipated from the Federal mandates (including the 
  effects on health and safety and the protection of the natural 
  environment); and
    (3) a statement of the degree to which a Federal mandate affects both 
  the public and private sectors and the extent to which Federal payment 
  of public sector costs or the modification or termination of the 
  Federal mandate as provided under section 425(a)(2) would affect the 
  competitive balance between State, local, or tribal governments and the 
  private sector including a description of the actions, if any, taken by 
  the Committee to avoid any adverse impact on the private sector or the 
  competitive balance between the public sector and the private sector.

  (d) Intergovernmental Mandates.--If any of the Federal mandates in the 
  bill or joint resolution are Federal intergovernmental mandates, the 
report required under subsection (a) of this section shall also contain--

    (1)(A) a statement of the amount, if any, of increase or decrease in 
  authorization of appropriations under existing Federal financial 
  assistance programs, or of authorization of appropriations for new 
  Federal financial assistance, provided by the bill or joint resolution 
  and usable for activities of State, local, or tribal governments 
  subject to the Federal intergovernmental mandates;
    (B) a statement of whether the Committee intends that the Federal 
  intergovernmental mandates be partly or entirely unfunded, and if so, 
  the reasons for that intention; and
    (C) if funded in whole or in part, a statement of whether and how the 
  Committee has created a mechanism to allocate the funding in a manner 
  that is reasonably consistent with the expected direct costs among and 
  between the respective levels of State, local, and tribal government; 
  and
    (2) any existing sources of Federal assistance in addition to those 
  identified in paragraph (1) that may assist State, local, and tribal 
  governments in meeting the direct costs of the Federal 
  intergovernmental mandates; \3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  \3\ Subsection (d)(3) was added by Pub. L. 106-141  2(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) if the bill or joint resolution would make the reduction 
  specified in section 421(5)(B)(i)(II), a statement of how the committee 
  specifically intends the States to implement the reduction and to what 
  extent the legislation provides additional flexibility, if any, to 
  offset the reduction.

    (e) Preemption Clarification and Information.--When a Committee of 
  authorization of the Senate or the House of Representatives reports a 
   bill or joint resolution of public character, the Committee report 
 accompanying the bill or joint resolution shall contain, if relevant to 
  the bill or joint resolution, an explicit statement on the extent to 
  which the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt any State, 
 local, or tribal law, and, if so, an explanation of the effect of such 
                               preemption.

               (f) Publication of Statement From Director.--

    (1) In general.--Upon receiving a statement from the Director under 
  section 424, a Committee of the Senate or the House of Representatives 
  shall publish the statement in the Committee report accompanying the 
  bill or joint resolution to which the statement relates if the 
  statement is available at the time the report is printed.
    (2) Other publication of statement of director.--If the statement is 
  not published in the report, or if the bill or joint resolution to 
  which the statement relates is expected to be considered by the Senate 
  or the House of Representatives before the report is published, the 
  Committee shall cause the statement, or a summary thereof, to be 
  published in the Congressional Record in advance of floor consideration 
  of the bill or joint resolution.


duties of director; statements on bills and joint resolutions other than 
                appropriations bills and joint resolutions
                            [2 U.S.C.  658c]

  Sec. 424. Duties of Director; Statements on Bills and Joint Resolutions 
   Other Than Appropriations Bills and Joint Resolutions.--(a) Federal 
 Intergovernmental Mandates in Reported Bills and Resolutions.--For each 
bill or joint resolution of a public character reported by any Committee 
   of authorization of the Senate or the House of Representatives, the 
 Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall prepare and submit to 
                  the Committee a statement as follows:

    (1) Contents.--If the Director estimates that the direct cost of all 
  Federal intergovernmental mandates in the bill or joint resolution will 
  equal or exceed $50,000,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) in the 
  fiscal year in which any Federal intergovernmental mandate in the bill 
  or joint resolution (or in any necessary implementing regulation) would 
  first be effective or in any of the 4 fiscal years following such 
  fiscal year, the Director shall so state, specify the estimate, and 
  briefly explain the basis of the estimate.
    (2) Estimates.--Estimates required under paragraph (1) shall include 
  estimates (and brief explanations of the basis of the estimates) of--

      (A) the total amount of direct cost of complying with the Federal 
    intergovernmental mandates in the bill or joint resolution;
      (B) if the bill or resolution contains an authorization of 
    appropriations under section 425(a)(2)(B), the amount of new budget 
    authority for each fiscal year for a period not to exceed 10 years 
    beyond the effective date necessary for the direct cost of the 
    intergovernmental mandate; and
      (C) the amount, if any, of increase in authorization of 
    appropriations under existing Federal financial assistance programs, 
    or of authorization of appropriations for new Federal financial 
    assistance, provided by the bill or joint resolution and usable by 
    State, local, or tribal governments for activities subject to the 
    Federal intergovernmental mandates.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  \4\ Subsection (a)(3) was redesignated as (a)(4) and the new (a)(3) was 
added by Pub. L. 106-141,  2(a).

    (3) Additional flexibility information.--The Director shall include 
  in the statement submitted under this subsection, in the case of 
  legislation that makes changes as described in section 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  421(5)(B)(i)(II)--

      (A) if no additional flexibility is provided in the legislation, a 
    description of whether and how the States can offset the reduction 
    under existing law; or
      (B) if additional flexibility is provided in the legislation, 
    whether the resulting savings would offset the reductions in that 
    program assuming the States fully implement that additional 
    flexibility.

    (4) Estimate not feasible.--If the Director determines that it is not 
  feasible to make a reasonable estimate that would be required under 
  paragraphs (1) and (2), the Director shall not make the estimate, but 
  shall report in the statement that the reasonable estimate cannot be 
  made and shall include the reasons for that determination in the 
  statement. If such determination is made by the Director, a point of 
  order under this part shall lie only under section 425(a)(1) and as if 
  the requirement of section 425(a)(1) had not been met.

      (b) Federal Private Sector Mandates in Reported Bills and Joint 
  Resolutions.--For each bill or joint resolution of a public character 
reported by any Committee of authorization of the Senate or the House of 
 Representatives, the Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall 
       prepare and submit to the Committee a statement as follows:

    (1) Contents.--If the Director estimates that the direct cost of all 
  Federal private sector mandates in the bill or joint resolution will 
  equal or exceed $100,000,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) in the 
  fiscal year in which any Federal private sector mandate in the bill or 
  joint resolution (or in any necessary implementing regulation) would 
  first be effective or in any of the 4 fiscal years following such 
  fiscal year, the Director shall so state, specify the estimate, and 
  briefly explain the basis of the estimate.
    (2) Estimates.--Estimates required under paragraph (1) shall include 
  estimates (and a brief explanation of the basis of the estimates) of--

      (A) the total amount of direct costs of complying with the Federal 
    private sector mandates in the bill or joint resolution; and
      (B) the amount, if any, of increase in authorization of 
    appropriations under existing Federal financial assistance programs, 
    or of authorization of appropriations for new Federal financial 
    assistance, provided by the bill or joint resolution usable by the 
    private sector for the activities subject to the Federal private 
    sector mandates.

    (3) Estimate not feasible.--If the Director determines that it is not 
  feasible to make a reasonable estimate that would be required under 
  paragraphs (1) and (2), the Director shall not make the estimate, but 
  shall report in the statement that the reasonable estimate cannot be 
  made and shall include the reasons for that determination in the 
  statement.

  (c) Legislation Falling Below Direct Costs Thresholds.--If the Director 
 estimates that the direct costs of a Federal mandate will not equal or 
   exceed the thresholds specified in subsections (a) and (b) of this 
section, the Director shall so state and shall briefly explain the basis 
                             of the estimate.

  (d) Amended Bills and Joint Resolutions; Conference Reports.--If a bill 
or joint resolution is passed in an amended form (including if passed by 
one House as an amendment in the nature of a substitute for the text of a 
   bill or joint resolution from the other House) or is reported by a 
Committee of conference in amended form, and the amended form contains a 
   Federal mandate not previously considered by either House or which 
   contains an increase in the direct cost of a previously considered 
 Federal mandate, then the Committee of conference shall ensure, to the 
greatest extent practicable, that the Director shall prepare a statement 
 as provided in this subsection or a supplemental statement for the bill 
                or joint resolution in that amended form.


         legislation subject to point of order [2 U.S.C.  658d]

   Sec. 425. Legislation Subject to Point of Order.--(a) In General.--It 
 shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to 
                                consider--

    (1) any bill or joint resolution that is reported by a Committee 
  unless the Committee has published a statement of the Director on the 
  direct costs of Federal mandates in accordance with section 423(f) 
  before such consideration, except this paragraph shall not apply to any 
  supplemental statement prepared by the Director under section 424(d); 
  and
    (2) any bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference 
  report that would increase the direct costs of Federal 
  intergovernmental mandates by an amount that causes the thresholds 
  specified in section 424(a)(1) to be exceeded, unless--

      (A) the bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference 
    report provides new budget authority or new entitlement authority in 
    the House of Representatives or direct spending authority in the 
    Senate for each fiscal year for such mandates included in the bill, 
    joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report in an 
    amount equal to or exceeding the direct costs of such mandate; or
      (B) the bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference 
    report includes an authorization for appropriations in an amount 
    equal to or exceeding the direct costs of such mandate, and--

        (i) identifies a specific dollar amount of the direct costs of
      such mandate for each year up to 10 years during which such
      mandate shall be in effect under the bill, joint resolution, amend-
      ment, motion or conference report, and such estimate is consistent
      with the estimate determined under subsection (e) for each fiscal
      year;
        (ii) identifies any appropriation bill that is expected to 
    provide
      for Federal funding of the direct cost referred to under clause
      (i); and
        (iii)(I) provides that for any fiscal year the responsible 
    Federal
      agency shall determine whether there are insufficient 
    appropriations
      for that fiscal year to provide for the direct costs under clause
      (i) of such mandate, and shall (no later than 30 days after
      the beginning of the fiscal year) notify the appropriate 
    authorizing
      committees of Congress of the determination and submit either--

          (aa) a statement that the agency has determined, based on
        a re-estimate of the direct costs of such mandate, after 
    consulta-
        tion with State, local, and tribal governments, that the amount
        appropriated is sufficient to pay for the direct costs of
        such mandate; or
          (bb) legislative recommendations for either implementing a
        less costly mandate or making such mandate ineffective for the
        fiscal year;

        (II) provides for expedited procedures for the consideration of
      the statement or legislative recommendations referred to in sub-
      clause (I) by Congress no later than 30 days after the statement
      or recommendations are submitted to Congress; and
        (III) provides that such mandate shall--

          (aa) in the case of a statement referred to in subclause 
    (I)(aa),
        cease to be effective 60 days after the statement is submitted
        unless Congress has approved the agency's determination by
        joint resolution during the 60-day period;
          (bb) cease to be effective 60 days after the date the 
    legislative
        recommendations of the responsible Federal agency are submitted
        to Congress under subclause (I)(bb) unless Congress provides
        otherwise by law; or
          (cc) in the case that such mandate that has not yet taken
        effect, continue not to be effective unless Congress provides
        otherwise by law.

  (b) Rule of Construction.--The provisions of subsection (a)(2)(B)(iii) 
of this section shall not be construed to prohibit or otherwise restrict 
a State, local, or tribal government from voluntarily electing to remain 
subject to the original Federal intergovernmental mandate, complying with 
 the programmatic or financial responsibilities of the original Federal 
intergovernmental mandate and providing the funding necessary consistent 
with the costs of Federal agency assistance, monitoring, and enforcement.

        * * * * *
     provisions relating to house of representatives [2 U.S.C.  658e]

      Sec. 426. Provisions Relating to House of Representatives.--(a) 
Enforcement in the House of Representatives.--It shall not be in order in 
the House of Representatives to consider a rule or order that waives the 
                       application of section 425.

                   (b) Disposition of Points of Order.--

    (1) Application to house of representatives.--This subsection shall 
  apply only to the House of Representatives.
    (2) Threshold burden.--In order to be cognizable by the Chair, a 
  point of order under section 425 or subsection (a) of this section must 
  specify the precise language on which it is premised.
    (3) Question of consideration.--As disposition of points of order 
  under section 425 or subsection (a) of this section, the Chair shall 
  put the question of consideration with respect to the proposition that 
  is the subject of the points of order.
    (4) Debate and intervening motions.--A question of consideration 
  under this section shall be debatable for 10 minutes by each Member 
  initiating a point of order and for 10 minutes by an opponent on each 
  point of order, but shall otherwise be decided without intervening 
  motion except one that the House adjourn or that the Committee of the 
  Whole rise, as the case may be.
    (5) Effect on amendment in order as original text.--The disposition 
  of the question of consideration under this subsection with respect to 
  a bill or joint resolution shall be considered also to determine the 
  question of consideration under this subsection with respect to an 
  amendment made in order as original text.

        * * * * *
              clarification of application [2 U.S.C.  658g]

    Sec. 428. Clarification of Application.--(a) In General.--This part 
 applies to any bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference 
    report that reauthorizes appropriations, or that amends existing 
   authorizations of appropriations, to carry out any statute, or that 
   otherwise amends any statute, only if enactment of the bill, joint 
          resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report--

    (1) would result in a net reduction in or elimination of 
  authorization of appropriations for Federal financial assistance that 
  would be provided to State, local, or tribal governments for use for 
  the purpose of complying with any Federal intergovernmental mandate, or 
  to the private sector for use to comply with any Federal private sector 
  mandate, and would not eliminate or reduce duties established by the 
  Federal mandate by a corresponding amount; or
    (2) would result in a net increase in the aggregate amount of direct 
  costs of Federal intergovernmental mandates or Federal private sector 
  mandates other than as described in paragraph (1).

                            (b) Direct Costs.--

    (1) In general.--For purposes of this part, the direct cost of the 
  Federal mandates in a bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or 
  conference report that reauthorizes appropriations, or that amends 
  existing authorizations of appropriations, to carry out a statute, or 
  that otherwise amends any statute, means the net increase, resulting 
  from enactment of the bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or 
  conference report, in the amount described under paragraph (2)(A) over 
  the amount described under paragraph (2)(B).
    (2) Amounts.--The amounts referred to under paragraph (1) are--

      (A) the aggregate amount of direct costs of Federal mandates that 
    would result under the statute if the bill, joint resolution, 
    amendment, motion, or conference report is enacted; and
      (B) the aggregate amount of direct costs of Federal mandates that 
    would result under the statute if the bill, joint resolution, 
    amendment, motion, or conference report were not enacted.

    (3) Extension of authorization of appropriations.--For purposes of 
  this section, in the case of legislation to extend authorization of 
  appropriations, the authorization level that would be provided by the 
  extension shall be compared to the authorization level for the last 
  year in which authorization of appropriations is already provided.

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