[House Prints, 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




   [COMMITTEE PRINT]



   115th Congress    }
                           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
   1st Session       }
_______________________________________________________________________






 
                                 RULES

                                 of the

                          COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT 
                          AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
                          
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             together with

                         SELECTED RULES OF THE
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                  and

                     SELECTED STATUTES OF INTEREST






              [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]




                                  2017

         Printed for the use of the Committee on Oversight and 
                           Government Reform






















   115th Congress    }
                           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
   1st Session       }
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                 RULES

                                 of the

                          COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT 
                          AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
                          
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             together with

                         SELECTED RULES OF THE
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                  and

                     SELECTED STATUTES OF INTEREST
 
 
 
           [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

 
 
 
 
 

                                  2017

Printed for the use of the Committee on Oversight and Government 
                                 Reform

                                 ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

27-604 PDF                     WASHINGTON : 2017 
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              COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM

                  TREY GOWDY, South Carolina, Chairman

John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee       Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland, 
Darrell E. Issa, California          Ranking Minority Member
Jim Jordan, Ohio                     Carolyn B. Maloney, New York
Mark Sanford, South Carolina         Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of 
Justin Amash, Michigan               Columbia
Paul A. Gosar, Arizona               Wm. Lacy Clay, Missouri
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee          Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts
Blake Farenthold, Texas              Jim Cooper, Tennessee
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina        Gerald E. Connolly, Virginia
Thomas Massie, Kentucky              Robin L. Kelly, Illinois
Mark Meadows, North Carolina         Brenda L. Lawrence, Michigan
Ron DeSantis, Florida                Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey
Dennis A. Ross, Florida              Stacey E. Plaskett, Virgin Islands
Mark Walker, North Carolina          Val Butler Demings, Florida
Rod Blum, Iowa                       Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois
Jody B. Hice, Georgia                Jamie Raskin, Maryland
Steve Russell, Oklahoma              Peter Welch, Vermont
Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin            Matt Cartwright, Pennsylvania
Will Hurd, Texas                     Mark DeSaulnier, California
Gary J. Palmer, Alabama              Jimmy Gomez, California
James Comer, Kentucky
Paul Mitchell, Michigan
Greg Gianforte, Montana

                     Sheria Clarke, Staff Director

                  Robert Borden, Deputy Staff Director

        William H.W. McKenna, General Counsel & Parliamentarian

                        Laura Rush, Chief Clerk

                 David Rapallo, Minority Staff Director





























                            C O N T E N T S



                               __________
                                                                   Page
 I. Rules of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.........1
        Rule 1.--General.........................................     1
        Rule 2.--Meetings........................................     1
        Rule 3.--Quorums.........................................     2
        Rule 4.--Committee Reports...............................     2
        Rule 5.--Record Votes....................................     3
        Rule 6.--Subcommittees; Referrals........................     3
        Rule 7.--Subcommittee Hearing and Meeting Procedure......     4
        Rule 8.--Staff...........................................     5
        Rule 9.--Hearings........................................     5
        Rule 10.--Committee Records, Open Meetings, Transparency.     6
        Rule 11.--Audio and Visual Coverage of Committee 
            Proceedings..........................................     6
        Rule 12.--Additional Duties of the Chair of the Committee     7
        Rule 13.--Consideration of Certain Bills and Resolutions.     8
        Rule 14.--Panels and Task Forces.........................     8
        Rule 15.--Deposition Authority...........................     8
        Rule 16.--Witness Procedure..............................    10
II. Selected Rules of the House of Representatives...................13
        A. 1. Powers and Duties of the Committee--Rule X of the 
            House................................................    13
           2. General Oversight Responsibilities--Rule X, Clauses 
              2 and 3 of the House...............................    14
           3. Additional Functions of Committees--Rule X, Clause 
              4 of the House and H. Res. 5.......................    17
        B. Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business--Rule 
            XI of the House......................................    19
        C. Reports_Selected Excerpts from Rule XIII, Clauses 2, 3 
            and 4 of the House...................................    32
III.Selected Matters of Interest.....................................37

        A. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 191. Oaths to witnesses.................    37
        B. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 192. Refusal of witness to testify or 
            produce papers.......................................    37
        C. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 193. Privilege of witnesses.............    37
        D. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 194. Certification of failure to testify 
            or produce; grand jury action........................    37
        E. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552a. Privacy Act exemptions............    38
        F. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 2302. Prohibited personnel practices....    39
        G. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 2954. Information to committees of 
            Congress on request..................................    39
        H. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7211. Employees' right to petition 
            Congress.............................................    40
        I. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1001. Statements or entries generally..    40
        J. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1505. Obstruction of proceedings before 
            departments, agencies, and committees................    40
        K. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1621. Perjury generally................    41
        L. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 6005. Congressional proceedings........    41
        M. 28 U.S.C. Sec. 535. Investigation of crimes involving 
            Government officers and employees; limitations.......    42
        N. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 712. Investigating the use of public 
            money................................................    42
        O. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 717. Evaluating programs and activities 
            of the United States Government......................    42
        P. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 719. Comptroller General reports.......    43
        Q. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 1113. Congressional information........    43








      I. RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM

                     U.S. House of Representatives

                             115th Congress

                              ----------                              


                            Rule 1.--General

    (a) Rules of the House. The Rules of the House are the 
rules of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
(``the Committee'') and its subcommittees so far as applicable.
    (b) Application of the Rules. Except where the terms ``the 
Committee'' and ``subcommittee'' are specifically referred to, 
the following rules shall apply to the Committee and its 
subcommittees as well as to their respective chairs, ranking 
minority members, members, and staff.

                           Rule 2.--Meetings

    (a) Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Committee 
shall be held on the second Thursday of each month at 10 a.m., 
when the House is in session. The Chair of the Committee is 
authorized to dispense with a regular meeting or to change the 
date thereof when circumstances warrant.
    (b) Additional and Special Meetings. The Chair of the 
Committee may call and convene additional meetings, when 
circumstances warrant. A special meeting of the Committee may 
be requested by members of the Committee pursuant to the 
provisions of House Rule XI, clause 2(c)(2).
    (c) Subcommittee Meetings. Each subcommittee shall meet at 
the call of its chair, subject to Rule 7.
    (d) Presiding Member. The chair of the Committee or a 
subcommittee shall preside over each meeting and hearing 
thereof (``the presiding member''). If the chair of the 
Committee or a subcommittee is not present during a meeting or 
hearing thereof, the Vice Chair of the Committee or 
subcommittee, designated pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 
2(d), shall serve as the presiding member during the absence of 
the chair. If the chair and vice chair of the Committee or a 
subcommittee are not present during a meeting or hearing 
thereof, the ranking member of the majority party on the 
Committee or subcommittee who is present shall serve as the 
presiding member during the absence of the chair and vice 
chair.
    (e) Notice. The chair of the Committee or a subcommittee 
shall announce the date, place, and subject matter of a meeting 
or hearing pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 2(g)(3)(A).
    (f) Agenda. Every member of the Committee, unless prevented 
by unusual circumstances, shall be provided with a memorandum 
at least 72 hours before each meeting or hearing explaining: 
(1) the purpose of the meeting or hearing; and (2) the names, 
titles, background and reasons for appearance of any witnesses. 
The ranking minority member shall be responsible for providing 
the same information on witnesses whom the minority may 
request.
    (g) Availability of Text. To the maximum extent 
practicable, amendments to a measure or matter shall be 
submitted in writing or electronically to the designee of the 
chair and ranking minority member of the Committee or a 
subcommittee at least 24 hours prior to its consideration of 
the measure or matter. The chair may exercise discretion to 
give priority to amendments submitted in advance.

                            Rule 3.--Quorums

    (a) Generally. A majority of the members of the Committee 
or a subcommittee shall form a quorum for the Committee or 
subcommittee, respectively, except that two members shall 
constitute a quorum for taking testimony and receiving 
evidence, and one third of the members shall form a quorum for 
taking any action other than for which the presence of a 
majority of the Committee or subcommittee is otherwise 
required.    
    (b) Subcommittee Field Hearings. The Chair of the Committee 
may, at the request of a subcommittee chair, make a temporary 
assignment of any member of the Committee to such subcommittee 
for the purpose of constituting a quorum at and participating 
in any public hearing by such subcommittee to be held outside 
of Washington, DC. A member appointed to such temporary 
positions shall not be a voting member. The Chair of the 
Committee shall give reasonable notice of such temporary 
assignment to the ranking minority member of the Committee and 
of the respective subcommittee.

                       Rule 4.--Committee Reports

    (a) Bills and Resolutions. Each bill or resolution approved 
by the Committee shall be reported by the Chair of the 
Committee pursuant to House Rule XIII, clauses 2-4.
    (b) Approval of Investigative and Oversight Reports. Only 
those investigative or oversight reports approved by a majority 
vote of the Committee at a meeting at which a quorum is present 
may be ordered printed, unless otherwise required by the Rules 
of the House of Representatives.
    (c) Notice of Investigative and Oversight Reports. A 
proposed investigative or oversight report shall not be 
considered in the Committee unless the proposed report has been 
available to the members of the Committee for at least three 
calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal 
holidays, unless the House is in session on such days) before 
consideration of such proposed report in the Committee. If a 
hearing has been held on the matter reported upon, every 
reasonable effort shall be made to have such hearing printed 
and available to the members of the Committee before the 
consideration of the proposed report in the Committee.
    (d) Additional Views. If at the time of approval of a 
report, a member of the Committee gives notice of intent to 
file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
any member of the Committee shall be entitled to file such 
views following House Rule XI, clause 2(l) and Rule XIII, 
clause 3(a)(1).

                         Rule 5.--Record Votes

    (a) Request for Record Vote. A record vote of the members 
may be had upon the request of any member upon approval of a 
one-fifth vote of the members present.
    (b) Postponement of a Record Vote. Pursuant to House Rule 
XI, clause 2 (h)(4), the presiding member at a meeting is 
authorized 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 to resume proceedings on a 
postponed question at any time after reasonable notice. When 
proceedings resume on a postponed question, notwithstanding any 
intervening order for the previous question, an underlying 
proposition shall remain subject to further debate or amendment 
to the same extent as when the question was postponed. After 
consultation with the ranking minority member, the chair shall 
take reasonable steps to notify members on the resumption of 
proceedings on any postponed record vote.

                   Rule 6.--Subcommittees; Referrals

    (a)(1) There shall be six subcommittees of the Committee, 
with appropriate party ratios, as follows:
                  (A) Subcommittee on Government Operations, 
                which shall have legislative and oversight 
                jurisdiction over: government management and 
                accounting measures; the economy, efficiency, 
                and management of government operations and 
                activities; procurement; federal property; 
                public information; federal records; federal 
                civil service; government reorganizations; the 
                U.S. Postal Service; the National Archives; the 
                Census Bureau; and the District of Columbia.
                  (B) Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and 
                Administrative Rules, which shall have 
                oversight jurisdiction over: health care 
                policy, administration, and programs; 
                regulatory affairs; government-wide rules and 
                regulations; financial services; and the 
                administration and solvency of benefit and 
                entitlement programs; and legislative 
                jurisdiction over regulatory affairs and 
                federal paperwork reduction.
                  (C) Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and 
                Environment, which shall have oversight 
                jurisdiction over energy policy, public lands, 
                environmental policy, fish and wildlife, 
                mining, energy development, pollution, and 
                related regulations.
                  (D) Subcommittee on Information Technology, 
                which shall have oversight jurisdiction over: 
                information security, including cybersecurity 
                and federal information security; information 
                technology policy, management, and procurement; 
                emerging technologies; intellectual property; 
                telecommunications; and privacy.
                  (E) Subcommittee on Intergovernmental 
                Affairs, which shall have legislative and 
                oversight jurisdiction over the relationship 
                between the federal government and states and 
                municipalities, including unfunded mandates, 
                federal regulations, grants, and programs.
                  (F) Subcommittee on National Security, which 
                shall have oversight jurisdiction over: 
                national security, homeland security, foreign 
                operations, including the relationships between 
                the United States and international 
                organizations of which the United States is a 
                member, immigration, defense, and criminal 
                justice.
          (2) In addition, each subcommittee shall have 
        specific responsibility for such other measures or 
        matters as the Chair of the Committee refers to it.
          (3) Each subcommittee with legislative jurisdiction 
        shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the 
        application, administration, execution, and 
        effectiveness of those laws, or parts of laws, the 
        subject matter of which is within its general 
        responsibility.
    (b) Referrals. Bills, resolutions, and other matters may be 
expeditiously referred by the Chair of the Committee to 
subcommittees, as appropriate in the determination of the Chair 
of the Committee, for consideration or investigation in 
accordance with subcommittees' jurisdictions. Bills, 
resolutions, and other matters referred to subcommittees may be 
re-referred or discharged by the Chair of the Committee when, 
in the judgment of the Chair, the subcommittee is not able to 
complete its work or cannot reach agreement therein.
    (c) Membership. The Chair of the Committee shall assign 
members to the subcommittees and shall designate the chair and 
vice-chair of each subcommittee. Minority party assignments, 
including designation of the ranking minority member of each 
subcommittee, shall be made only with the concurrence of the 
Ranking Minority Member of the Committee.
    (d) Ex Officio Membership. The Chair of the Committee and 
the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee shall be ex 
officio members of all subcommittees. They are authorized to 
vote on subcommittee matters; but, unless they are regular 
members of the subcommittee, they shall not be counted in 
determining a subcommittee quorum other than a quorum for 
taking testimony.

          Rule 7.--Subcommittee Hearing and Meeting Procedure

    (a) Generally. Each subcommittee is authorized to meet, 
hold hearings, receive testimony, markup legislation, and 
report to the Committee on any measure or matter referred to 
it.
    (b) During Committee Meetings and Hearings. No subcommittee 
may meet or hold a hearing at the same time as a meeting or 
hearing of the Committee.
    (c) Scheduling. Each subcommittee chair shall set hearing 
and meeting dates only with the approval of the Chair of the 
Committee with a view toward assuring the availability of 
meeting rooms and avoiding simultaneous scheduling of meetings 
or hearings.

                             Rule 8.--Staff

    (a) Employment Authority. Except as otherwise provided by 
House Rule X, clauses 6, 7 and 9, the Chair of the Committee 
shall have the authority to hire and discharge employees of the 
professional and clerical staff of the Committee and 
subcommittees.
    (b) Duties. Except as otherwise provided by House Rule X, 
clauses 6, 7 and 9, the staff of the Committee and 
subcommittees shall be subject to the direction of the Chair of 
the Committee and shall perform such duties as the Chair of the 
Committee may assign.

                           Rule 9.--Hearings

    (a) Generally. Hearings shall be conducted according to the 
procedures in House Rule XI, clause 2(k). All questions put to 
witnesses before the Committee or a subcommittee shall be 
relevant to the subject matter before the Committee or 
subcommittee for consideration, and the presiding member shall 
rule on the relevance of any question put to a witness.
    (b) Recognition and Order of Questioning. A member may 
question witnesses only when recognized by the presiding member 
for that purpose. In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 
2(j)(2), the five-minute rule shall apply during the 
questioning of witnesses in a hearing. The presiding member 
shall, so far as practicable, recognize alternately based on 
seniority of those majority and minority members present at the 
time the hearing was called to order and others based on their 
arrival at the hearing. After that, additional time may be 
extended at the direction of the presiding member.
    (c) Extended Questioning. The presiding member, or the 
Committee or subcommittee by motion, may permit a specified 
number of majority and minority members to question a witness 
for a specified, total period that is equal for each side and 
not longer than thirty minutes for each side.
    (d) Staff Questioning. The presiding member, or the 
Committee or subcommittee by motion, may permit Committee or 
subcommittee staff of the majority and minority to question a 
witness for a specified, total period that is equal for each 
side and not longer than thirty minutes for each side.
    (e) Time for Questioning. Nothing in paragraph (c) or (d) 
affects the rights of a member (other than a member designated 
under paragraph (c)) to question a witness for 5 minutes in 
accordance with paragraph (b). In any extended questioning 
permitted under paragraph (c) or (d), the presiding member 
shall determine how to allocate the time permitted for extended 
questioning by majority members or staff, and the ranking 
minority member shall determine how to allocate the time 
permitted for extended questioning by minority members or 
staff.
    (f) Witness Statements. Witnesses appearing before the 
Committee or a subcommittee shall, so far as practicable, 
submit written statements at least 24 hours before their 
appearance.
    (g) Oaths. The presiding member may administer oaths to any 
witness before the Committee or subcommittee. All witnesses 
appearing in hearings may be administered the following oath by 
the presiding member prior to receiving the testimony: ``Do you 
solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony that you are about 
to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 
truth, so help you God?''

        Rule 10.--Committee Records, Open Meetings, Transparency

    (a) Generally. The Committee and subcommittee staff shall 
maintain in the Committee offices a complete record of 
Committee and subcommittee actions from the current Congress 
including a record of the roll call votes taken at business 
meetings. The original records, or true copies thereof, as 
appropriate, shall be available for public inspection whenever 
the Committee offices are open for public business. The staff 
shall assure that such original records are preserved with no 
unauthorized alteration, additions, or defacement.
    (b) Transcripts of Proceedings. A stenographic record of 
all testimony shall be kept of public hearings and shall be 
made available on such conditions as the Chair of the Committee 
may prescribe.
    (c) Open Meetings. Meetings and hearings shall be open to 
the public or closed in accordance with the Rules of the House 
of Representatives.
    (d) Committee Website. The Chair of the Committee shall 
maintain an official website on behalf of the Committee for the 
purpose of furthering the Committee's legislative and oversight 
responsibilities, including communicating information about the 
Committee's activities to Committee members and other members 
of the House. To the greatest extent practicable, the Chair of 
the Committee shall ensure that Committee records are made 
available on the Committee's official website in appropriate 
formats.
    (e) Minority Website. The Ranking Minority Member of the 
Committee is authorized to maintain an official website on 
behalf of the minority members of the Committee for the same 
purpose as in paragraph (d), including communicating 
information about the activities of the minority to Committee 
members and other members of the House.
    (f) Archived Records. The records of the Committee at the 
National Archives and Records Administration shall be made 
available for public use in accordance with rule VII of the 
Rules of the House. The Chair shall notify the Ranking Minority 
Member of any decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 
4(b) of the rule, to withhold a record otherwise available, and 
the matter shall be presented to the Committee for a 
determination on written request of any member of the 
Committee.

      Rule 11.--Audio and Visual Coverage of Committee Proceedings

    (a) Generally. An open meeting or hearing may be covered, 
in whole or in part, by television broadcast, radio broadcast, 
internet broadcast, and still photography, unless closed 
subject to the provisions of House Rules. Any such coverage 
shall conform to the provisions of House Rule XI, clause 4.
    (b) Committee Broadcast System. Use of the Committee 
Broadcast System shall be fair and nonpartisan, and in 
accordance with House Rule XI, clause 4(b), and all other 
applicable rules of the House and the Committee. Members of the 
Committee shall have prompt access to a copy of coverage by the 
Committee Broadcast System, to the extent that such coverage is 
maintained.
    (c) Other Coverage. Personnel providing coverage of an open 
meeting or hearing of the Committee by internet broadcast, 
other than through the Committee Broadcast System shall be 
currently accredited to the Radio and Television 
Correspondents' Galleries. If the Committee Broadcast System is 
not available, the Chair of the Committee may, with the 
concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee, 
direct staff to provide coverage in a manner that is fair and 
nonpartisan and in accordance with House Rule XI, clause 4.

       Rule 12.--Additional Duties of the Chair of the Committee

    The Chair of the Committee shall:
    (a) Make available to other committees the findings and 
recommendations resulting from the investigations of the 
Committee, as required by House Rule X, clause 4(c)(2);
    (b) Direct such review and studies on--
          (1) the impact or probable impact of tax policies 
        affecting subjects within the Committee's jurisdiction, 
        as required by House Rule X, clause 2(c);
          (2) the operation of Government activities at all 
        levels with a view to determining their economy and 
        efficiency, as required by House Rule X, clause 3(i);
          (3) the effect of laws enacted to reorganize the 
        legislative and executive branches of the Government, 
        as required by House Rule X, clause 4(c)(1)(B); and
          (4) 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, 
        as required by House Rule X, clause 4(c)(1)(C);
    (c) Submit to the Committee on House Administration and the 
Committee on Appropriations the Committee's authorization and 
oversight plan as required by House Rule X, clause 2(d);
    (d) Report to the House by March 31 in the first session of 
Congress, after consultation with the Speaker, the Majority 
Leader, and the Minority Leader, the authorization and 
oversight plans submitted by committees together with any 
recommendations that the Committee or the House leadership 
group described above may make to ensure the most effective 
coordination of authorization and oversight plans and otherwise 
achieve the objectives of House Rule X, clause 2;
    (e) Submit to the House such recommendations as the 
Committee considers necessary or desirable in connection with 
the reports of the Comptroller General, as required by House 
Rule X, clause 4(c)(1)(A);
    (f) Submit to the Committee on the Budget views and 
estimates required by House Rule X, clause 4(f), and to file 
reports with the House as required by the Congressional Budget 
Act;
    (g) Authorize and issue subpoenas as provided in House Rule 
XI, clause 2(m), in the conduct of any investigation or 
activity or series of investigations or activities within the 
jurisdiction of the Committee;
    (h) Prepare, after consultation with the Ranking Minority 
Member of the Committee, a budget for the Committee;
    (i) Make any necessary technical and conforming changes to 
legislation reported by the Committee upon unanimous consent; 
and
    (j) Offer motions under clause 1 of Rule XXII of the Rules 
of the House (motion to request or agree to a conference) 
whenever the Chair of the Committee considers it appropriate.

        Rule 13.--Consideration of Certain Bills and Resolutions

    (a) Commemorative Stamps. The determination of the subject 
matter of commemorative stamps and new semi-postal issues is 
properly for consideration by the Postmaster General and the 
Committee will not give consideration to legislative proposals 
specifying the subject matter of commemorative stamps and new 
semi-postal issues. It is suggested that recommendations for 
the subject matter of stamps be submitted to the Postmaster 
General.
    (b) Postal Naming Bills. The consideration of bills 
designating facilities of the United States Postal Service 
shall be conducted so as to minimize the time spent on such 
matters by the Committee and the House.
    (c) Resolutions. The Chair of the Committee shall not 
request to have scheduled any resolution for consideration 
under suspension of the Rules, which expresses appreciation, 
commends, congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the 
accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of, an 
entity, event, group, individual, institution, team or 
government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of 
time for such purposes.

                    Rule 14.--Panels and Task Forces

    (a) Generally. The Chair of the Committee is authorized to 
appoint panels or task forces to carry out the duties and 
functions of the Committee.
    (b) Ex Officio Membership. The Chair and Ranking Minority 
Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio members of each 
panel or task force established under this Rule.
    (c) Appointment of Leadership. The chair of any panel or 
task force shall be appointed by the Chair of the Committee. 
The Ranking Minority Member of the Committee shall select a 
ranking minority member for each panel or task force.
    (d) Application of Rules. The House and Committee rules 
applicable to subcommittee meetings, hearings, recommendations, 
and reports shall apply to the meetings, hearings, 
recommendations, and reports of panels and task forces.
    (e) Termination. No panel or task force appointed under 
this Rule shall continue in existence for more than six months. 
A panel or task force appointed under this Rule may, upon the 
expiration of six months, be reappointed by the chair.

                     Rule 15.--Deposition Authority

    (a) Generally.  The Chair of the Committee, upon 
consultation with the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee, 
may order the taking of depositions, under oath and pursuant to 
notice or subpoena.
    (b) Notices. Notices for the taking of depositions shall 
specify the date, time, and place of examination (if other than 
within the Committee offices).
    (c) Oaths. Depositions shall be taken under oath 
administered by a member or a person otherwise authorized to 
administer oaths.
    (d) Consultation. Consultation with the Ranking Minority 
Member of the Committee shall include three business days' 
notice before any deposition is taken. All members shall also 
receive three business days' notice that a deposition has been 
scheduled.
    (e) Attendance. Witnesses may be accompanied at a 
deposition by counsel to advise them of their rights. No one 
may be present at depositions except members, Committee staff 
designated by the Chair of the Committee or the Ranking 
Minority Member of the Committee, an official reporter, the 
witness, and the witness's counsel. Observers or counsel for 
other persons, or for agencies under investigation, may not 
attend.
    (f) Requirement of Member Attendance. At least one member 
of the Committee shall be present at each deposition taken by 
the Committee, unless--
          (1) the witness to be deposed agrees in writing to 
        waive this requirement; or
          (2) the Committee authorizes the taking of a 
        specified deposition pursuant to H. Res. 5 without the 
        presence of a member of the Committee during a 
        specified period, provided that the House is not in 
        session on the day of the deposition.
    (g) Who May Question. A deposition shall be conducted by 
any member or staff attorney designated by the Chair of the 
Committee or Ranking Minority Member of the Committee. When 
depositions are conducted by Committee staff attorneys, there 
shall be no more than two Committee staff attorneys permitted 
to question a witness per round. One of the Committee staff 
attorneys shall be designated by the Chair of the Committee and 
the other by the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee. 
Other Committee staff members designated by the Chair of the 
Committee or Ranking Minority Member of the Committee may 
attend, but may not pose questions to the witness.
    (h) Order of Questions. Questions in the deposition shall 
be propounded in rounds, alternating between the majority and 
minority. A single round shall not exceed 60 minutes per side, 
unless the members or staff attorneys conducting the deposition 
agree to a different length of questioning. In each round, a 
member or Committee staff attorney designated by the Chair of 
the Committee shall ask questions first, and the member or 
Committee staff attorney designated by the Ranking Minority 
Member of the Committee shall ask questions second.
    (i) Objections. Any objection made during a deposition must 
be stated concisely and in a non-argumentative and non-
suggestive manner. The witness may refuse to answer a question 
only to preserve a privilege. When the witness has objected and 
refused to answer a question to preserve a privilege, the Chair 
of the Committee may rule on any such objection after the 
deposition has adjourned. If the Chair of the Committee 
overrules any such objection and thereby orders a witness to 
answer any question to which a privilege objection was lodged, 
such ruling shall be filed with the clerk of the Committee and 
shall be provided to the members and the witness no less than 
three days before the reconvened deposition. If a member of the 
Committee appeals in writing the ruling of the Chair, the 
appeal shall be preserved for Committee consideration. A 
deponent who refuses to answer a question after being directed 
by the Chair in writing to answer may be subject to sanction, 
except that no sanctions may be imposed if the ruling of the 
Chair is reversed by the Committee on appeal.
    (j) Record of Testimony. Committee staff shall ensure that 
the testimony is either transcribed or electronically recorded 
or both. If a witness's testimony is transcribed, the witness 
or the witness's counsel shall be afforded an opportunity to 
review a copy. No later than five days thereafter, the witness 
may submit suggested changes to the Chair of the Committee. 
Committee staff may make any typographical and technical 
changes. Substantive changes, modifications, clarifications, or 
amendments to the deposition transcript submitted by the 
witness must be accompanied by a letter signed by the witness 
requesting the changes and a statement of the witness's reasons 
for each proposed change. Any substantive changes, 
modifications, clarifications, or amendments shall be included 
as an appendix to the transcript conditioned upon the witness 
signing the transcript.
    (k) Transcription Requirements. The individual 
administering the oath, if other than a member, shall certify 
on the transcript that the witness was duly sworn. The 
transcriber shall certify that the transcript is a true record 
of the testimony, and the transcript shall be filed, together 
with any electronic recording, with the clerk of the Committee 
in Washington, D.C. Depositions shall be considered to have 
been taken in Washington, D.C., as well as the location 
actually taken once filed there with the clerk of the Committee 
for the Committee's use. The Chair of the Committee and the 
Ranking Minority Member of the Committee shall be provided with 
a copy of the transcripts of the deposition at the same time.
    (l) Release. The Chair of the Committee and Ranking 
Minority Member of the Committee shall consult regarding the 
release of depositions. If either objects in writing to a 
proposed release of a deposition or a portion thereof, the 
matter shall be promptly referred to the Committee for 
resolution.
    (m) Provision of Rules to Witnesses. A witness shall not be 
required to testify unless the witness has been provided with a 
copy of the Committee's rules.

                      Rule 16.--Witness Procedure

    (a) Witness Disclosures. Witnesses appearing at a hearing 
of the Committee or a subcommittee in a non-governmental 
capacity shall include a curriculum vitae and a disclosure of 
the amount and source (by agency and program) of each federal 
grant (or subgrant thereof) or contract (or subcontract 
thereof), as well as the amount and source of payments or 
contracts originating from foreign governments, insofar as they 
relate to the subject matter of the hearing, received during 
the current calendar year or either of the two previous 
calendar years, by the witness or by an entity represented by 
the witness.
    (b) Representation by Counsel. When representing a witness 
or entity before the Committee or a subcommittee in response to 
a request or subpoena from the Committee, or in connection with 
testimony before the Committee or a subcommittee, counsel for 
the witness or entity must promptly submit to the Committee a 
notice of appearance specifying the following: (1) counsel's 
name, firm or organization, bar membership, and contact 
information including email; and (2) each client or entity 
represented by the counsel in connection with the proceeding.

           II. SELECTED RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              ----------                              


     A. 1. Powers and Duties of the Committee--Rule X of the House

    House Rule X provides for the organization of standing 
committees. The first paragraph of clause 1 of Rule X and 
subdivision (n) thereof reads as follows:

                       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:

                     *      *      *      *      *

    (n) Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
          (1) Federal civil service, including 
        intergovernmental personnel; and the status of officers 
        and employees of the United States, including their 
        compensation, classification, and retirement.
          (2) Municipal affairs of the District of Columbia in 
        general (other than appropriations).
          (3) Federal paperwork reduction.
          (4) Government management and accounting measures 
        generally.
          (5) Holidays and celebrations.
          (6) Overall economy, efficiency, and management of 
        government operations and activities, including Federal 
        procurement.
          (7) National archives.
          (8) Population and demography generally, including 
        the Census.
          (9) Postal Service generally, including 
        transportation of the mails.
          (10) Public information and records.
          (11) Relationship of the Federal Government to the 
        States and municipalities generally.
          (12) Reorganizations in the executive branch of the 
        Government.

 2. General Oversight Responsibilities--Rule X, Clauses 2 and 3 of the 
                                 House

    Clause 2 of Rule X relates to general oversight 
responsibilities. Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) of 
clause 2 read as follows:

    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 (other than the Committee on 
Appropriations, the Committee on Ethics, and the Committee on 
Rules) shall, in a meeting that is open to the public, adopt 
its authorization and oversight plan for that Congress. Such 
plan shall be submitted simultaneously to the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform, the Committee on House 
Administration, and the Committee on Appropriations.
          (2) Each such plan shall include, with respect to 
        programs and agencies within the committee's 
        jurisdiction, and to the maximum extent practicable--
                  (A) a list of such programs or agencies with 
                lapsed authorizations that received funding in 
                the prior fiscal year or, in the case of a 
                program or agency with a permanent 
                authorization, which has not been subject to a 
                comprehensive review by the committee in the 
                prior three Congresses;
                  (B) a description of each such program or 
                agency to be authorized in the current 
                Congress;
                  (C) a description of each such program or 
                agency to be authorized in the next Congress, 
                if applicable;
                  (D) a description of any oversight to support 
                the authorization of each such program or 
                agency in the current Congress; and
                  (E) recommendations for changes to existing 
                law for moving such programs or agencies from 
                mandatory funding to discretionary 
                appropriations, where appropriate.
          (3) Each such plan may include, with respect to the 
        programs and agencies within the committee's 
        jurisdiction--
                  (A) recommendations for the consolidation or 
                termination of such programs or agencies that 
                are duplicative, unnecessary, or inconsistent 
                with the appropriate roles and responsibilities 
                of the Federal Government;
                  (B) recommendations for changes to existing 
                law related to Federal rules, regulations, 
                statutes, and court decisions affecting such 
                programs and agencies that are inconsistent 
                with the authorities of the Congress under 
                Article I of the Constitution; and
                  (C) a description of such other oversight 
                activities as the committee may consider 
                necessary.
          (4) In the development of such plan, the chair of 
        each committee shall coordinate with other committees 
        of jurisdiction to ensure that programs and agencies 
        are subject to routine, comprehensive authorization 
        efforts.
          (5) 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 authorization and 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 
        authorization and 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.
Special oversight functions
    Clause 3 of Rule X also relates to oversight functions. 
Paragraph (i) reads as follows:

                     *      *      *      *      *

    (i) The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform shall 
review and study on a continuing basis the operation of 
Government activities at all levels with a view to determining 
their economy and efficiency.

 3. Additional Functions of Committees--Rule X, Clause 4 of the House 
                             and H. Res. 5

    Clause 4 of Rule X relates to additional functions of 
committees. Paragraph (c) of clause 4 reads as follows:

    (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.
    (3)(A) The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform may 
adopt a rule authorizing and regulating the taking of 
depositions by a member or counsel of the committee, including 
pursuant to subpoena under clause 2(m) of rule XI (which hereby 
is made applicable for such purpose).
    (B) A rule adopted by the committee pursuant to this 
subparagraph_
          (i) may provide that a deponent be directed to 
        subscribe an oath or affirmation before a person 
        authorized by law to administer the same;
          (ii) shall ensure that the minority members and staff 
        of the committee are accorded equitable treatment with 
        respect to notice of and a reasonable opportunity to 
        participate in any proceeding conducted thereunder; and
          (iii) shall, unless waived by the deponent, require 
        the attendance of a member of the committee.
    (C) Information secured pursuant to the authority described 
in subdivision (A) shall retain the character of discovery 
until offered for admission in evidence before the committee, 
at which time any proper objection shall timely.
Staff Deposition Authority.
    Section 3(b) of H. Res. 5, adopted at the beginning of the 
115th Congress, provides staff deposition authority to each 
standing committee separate from the Committee's deposition 
authority in House Rule X, clause 4. Section (3)(b) reads as 
follows:
          (1) During the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, the 
        chair of a standing committee (other than the Committee 
        on House Administration or the Committee on Rules), and 
        the chair of the Permanent Select Committee on 
        Intelligence, upon consultation with the ranking 
        minority member of such committee, may order the taking 
        of depositions, including pursuant to subpoena, by a 
        member or counsel of such committee.
          (2) Depositions taken under the authority prescribed 
        in this subsection shall be subject to regulations 
        issued by the chair of the Committee on Rules and 
        printed in the Congressional Record.
          (3) At least one member of the committee shall be 
        present at each deposition taken under the authority 
        prescribed in this subsection, unless--
                  (A) the witness to be deposed agrees in 
                writing to waive this requirement; or
                  (B) the committee authorizes the taking of a 
                specified deposition without the presence of a 
                member during a specified period, provided that 
                the House is not in session on the day of the 
                deposition.

  B. Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business--Rule XI of the 
                                 House

    Clauses 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 of Rule XI are set out below.

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 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 seven 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 authorization and 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 authorization 
        and 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 seven 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 
three calendar days after the filing of the request (to be held 
within seven 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 taken.
    (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.
    (ii) The result of any record vote taken in executive 
session in the Committee on Ethics may not be made available 
for inspection by the public without an affirmative vote of a 
majority of the members of the committee.
    (2)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B), all committee 
records (including hearings, 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 
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 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, the Committee 
on Homeland Security and the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence, and the subcommittees thereof, may vote by the 
same procedure to close up to five 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 two 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.
    (7) This paragraph does not apply to hearings of the 
Committee on Appropriations under clause 4(a)(1) of rule X.
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 five-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 five 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 
of such witness 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 two 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 such 
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.

C. Reports--Selected Excerpts from Rule XIII, Clauses 2, 3 and 4 of the 
                                 House

Filing and printing of reports
    2. (a)(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), all 
reports of committees (other than those filed from the floor) 
shall be delivered to the Clerk for printing and reference to 
the proper calendar under the direction of the Speaker in 
accordance with clause 1. The title or subject of each report 
shall be entered on the Journal and printed in the 
Congressional Record.
    (2) A bill or resolution reported adversely (other than 
those filed as privileged) shall be laid on the table unless a 
committee to which the bill or resolution was referred requests 
at the time of the report its referral to an appropriate 
calendar under clause 1 or unless, within three days 
thereafter, a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner makes 
such a request.
    (b)(1) It shall be the duty of the chair of each committee 
to report or cause to be reported promptly to the House a 
measure or matter approved by the committee and to take or 
cause to be reported promptly to the House a measure or matter 
approved by the committee and to take or cause to be taken 
steps necessary to bring the measure or matter to a vote.
    (2) In any event, the report of a committee on a measure 
that has been approved by the committee shall be filed within 
seven calendar days (exclusive of days on which the House is 
not in session) after the day on which a written request for 
the filing of the report, signed by a majority of the members 
of the committee, has been filed with the clerk of the 
committee. The clerk of the committee shall immediately notify 
the chair of the filing of such a request. This subparagraph 
does not apply to a report of the Committee on Rules with 
respect to a rule, joint rule, or order of business of the 
House, or to the reporting of a resolution of inquiry addressed 
to the head of an executive department.
    (c) All supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting 
views filed under clause 2(l) of rule XI by one or more members 
of a committee shall be included in, and shall be a part of, 
the report filed by the committee with respect to a measure or 
matter. When time guaranteed by clause 2(l) of rule XI has 
expired (or, if sooner, when all separate views have been 
received), the committee may arrange to file its report with 
the Clerk not later than one hour after the expiration of such 
time. This clause and provisions of clause 2(l) of rule XI do 
not preclude the immediate filing or printing of a committee 
report in the absence of a timely request for the opportunity 
to file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
as provided in clause 2(l) of rule XI.
Content of reports
    3. (a)(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), the 
report of a committee on a measure or matter shall be printed 
in a single volume that_
          (A) shall include all supplemental, minority, 
        additional, or dissenting views that have been 
        submitted by the time of the filing of the report; and
          (B) shall bear on its cover a recital that any such 
        supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
        (and any material submitted under paragraph (c)(3)) are 
        included as part of the report.
          (2) A committee may file a supplemental report for 
        the correction of a technical error in its previous 
        report on a measure or matter. A supplemental report 
        only correcting errors in the depiction of record votes 
        under paragraph (b) may be filed under this 
        subparagraph and shall not be subject to the 
        requirement in clause 4 or clause 6 concerning the 
        availability of reports.
    (b) With respect to each record vote on a motion to report 
a measure or matter of a public nature, and on any amendment 
offered to the measure or matter, the total number of votes 
cast for and against, and the names of members voting for and 
against, shall be included in the committee report. The 
preceding sentence does not apply to votes taken in executive 
session by the Committee on Ethics.
    (c) The report of a committee on a measure that has been 
approved by the committee shall include, separately set out and 
clearly identified, the following:
          (1) Oversight findings and recommendations under 
        clause 2(b)(1) of rule X.
          (2) The statement required by section 308(a) of the 
        Congressional Budget Act of 1974, except that an 
        estimate of new budget authority shall include, when 
        practicable, a comparison of the total estimated 
        funding level for the relevant programs to the 
        appropriate levels under current law.
          (3) An estimate and comparison prepared by the 
        Director of the Congressional Budget Office under 
        section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if 
        timely submitted to the committee before the filing of 
        the report.
          (4) A statement of general performance goals and 
        objectives, including outcome-related goals and 
        objectives, for which the measure authorizes funding.
          (5) On a bill or joint resolution that establishes or 
        reauthorizes a Federal program, a statement indicating 
        whether any such program is known to be duplicative of 
        another such program, including at a minimum an 
        explanation of whether any such program was included in 
        a report to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public 
        Law 111-139 or whether the most recent Catalog of 
        Federal Domestic Assistance (published pursuant to 
        section 6104 of title 31, United States Code) 
        identified other programs related to the program 
        established or reauthorized by the measure.
    (d) Each report of a committee on a public bill or public 
joint resolution shall contain the following:
          (1)(A) An estimate by the committee of the costs that 
        would be incurred in carrying out the bill or joint 
        resolution in the fiscal year in which it is reported 
        and in each of the five fiscal years following that 
        fiscal year (or for the authorized duration of any 
        program authorized by the bill or joint resolution if 
        less than five years);
          (B) a comparison of the estimate of costs described 
        in subdivision (A) made by the committee with any 
        estimate of such costs made by a Government agency and 
        submitted to such committee; and
          (C) when practicable, a comparison of the total 
        estimated funding level for the relevant programs with 
        the appropriate levels under current law.
    (2)(A) In subparagraph (1) the term ``Government agency'' 
includes any department, agency, establishment, wholly owned 
Government corporation, or instrumentality of the Federal 
Government or the government of the District of Columbia.
    (B) Subparagraph (1) does not apply to the Committee on 
Appropriations, the Committee on House Administration, the 
Committee on Rules, or the Committee on Ethics, and does not 
apply when a cost estimate and comparison prepared by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been included in 
the report under paragraph (c)(3).
    (e)(1) Whenever a committee reports a bill or joint 
resolution proposing to repeal or amend a statute or part 
thereof, it shall include in its report or in an accompanying 
document (showing by appropriate typographical devices the 
omissions and insertions proposed)_
          (A) the entire text of each section of a statute that 
        is proposed to be repealed; and
          (B) a comparative print of each amendment to the 
        entire text of a section of a statute that the bill or 
        joint resolution proposes to make.
    (2) If a committee reports a bill or joint resolution 
proposing to repeal or amend a statute or part thereof with a 
recommendation that the bill or joint resolution be amended, 
the comparative print required by subparagraph (1) shall 
reflect the changes in existing law proposed to be made by the 
bill or joint resolution as proposed to be amended.
Availability of reports
    4. (a)(1) Except as specified in subparagraph (2), it shall 
not be in order to consider in the House a measure or matter 
reported by a committee until the third calendar day (excluding 
Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is 
in session on such a day) on which each report of a committee 
on that measure or matter has been available to Members, 
Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner.
    (2) Subparagraph (1) does not apply to_
          (A) a resolution providing a rule, joint rule, or 
        order of business reported by the Committee on Rules 
        considered under clause 6;
          (B) a resolution providing amounts from the 
        applicable accounts described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule 
        X reported by the Committee on House Administration 
        considered under clause 6 of rule X;
          (C) a resolution presenting a question of the 
        privileges of the House reported by any committee;
          (D) a measure for the declaration of war, or the 
        declaration of a national emergency, by Congress; and
          (E) a measure providing for the disapproval of a 
        decision, determination, or action by a Government 
        agency that would become, or continue to be, effective 
        unless disapproved or otherwise invalidated by one or 
        both Houses of Congress. In this subdivision the term 
        ``Government agency'' includes any department, agency, 
        establishment, wholly owned Government corporation, or 
        instrumentality of the Federal Government or of the 
        government of the District of Columbia.
    (b) A committee that reports a measure or matter shall make 
every reasonable effort to have its hearings thereon (if any) 
printed and available for distribution to Members, Delegates, 
and the Resident Commissioner before the consideration of the 
measure or matter in the House.

                   III. SELECTED MATTERS OF INTEREST

                A. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 191. Oaths to witnesses

    The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, or a chairman of any joint committee 
established by a joint or concurrent resolution of the two 
Houses of Congress, or of a committee of the whole, or of any 
committee of either House of Congress, is empowered to 
administer oaths to witnesses in any case under their 
examination.
    Any member of either House of Congress may administer oaths 
to witnesses in any matter depending in either House of 
Congress of which he is a Member, or any committee thereof.

 B. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 192. Refusal of witness to testify or produce papers

    Every person who having been summoned as a witness by the 
authority of either House of Congress to give testimony or to 
produce papers upon any matter under inquiry before either 
House, or any joint committee established by a joint or 
concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress, or any 
committee of either House of Congress, willfully makes default, 
or who, having appeared, refuses to answer any question 
pertinent to the question under inquiry, shall be deemed guilty 
of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 
nor less than $100 and imprisonment in a common jail for not 
less than one month nor more than twelve months.

              C. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 193. Privilege of witnesses

    No witness is privileged to refuse to testify to any fact, 
or to produce any paper, respecting which he shall be examined 
by either House of Congress, or by any joint committee 
established by a joint or concurrent resolution of the two 
Houses of Congress, or by any committee of either House, upon 
the ground that his testimony to such fact or his production of 
such paper may tend to disgrace him or otherwise render him 
infamous.

 D. 2 U.S.C. Sec. 194. Certification of failure to testify or produce; 
                           grand jury action

    Whenever a witness summoned as mentioned in section 192 of 
this title fails to appear to testify or fails to produce any 
books, papers, records, or documents, as required, or whenever 
any witness so summoned refuses to answer any question 
pertinent to the subject under inquiry before either House, or 
any joint committee established by a joint or concurrent 
resolution of the two Houses of Congress, or any committee or 
subcommittee of either House of Congress, and the fact of such 
failure or failures is reported to either House while Congress 
is in session or when Congress is not in session, a statement 
of fact constituting such failure is reported to and filed with 
the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House, it 
shall be the duty of the said President of the Senate or 
Speaker of the House, as the case may be, to certify, and he 
shall so certify, the statement of facts aforesaid under the 
seal of the Senate or House, as the case may be, to the 
appropriate United States attorney, whose duty it shall be to 
bring the matter before the grand jury for its action.

             E. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552a. Privacy Act exemptions

    (b) Conditions of Disclosure.--No agency shall disclose any 
record which is contained in a system of records by any means 
of communication to any person, or to another agency, except 
pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written 
consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains, unless 
disclosure of the record would be--
          (1) to those officers and employees of the agency 
        which maintains the record who have a need for the 
        record in the performance of their duties;
          (2) required under section 552 of this title;
          (3) for a routine use as defined in subsection (a)(7) 
        of this section and described under subsection 
        (e)(4)(D) of this section;
          (4) to the Bureau of the Census for purposes of 
        planning or carrying out a census or survey or related 
        activity pursuant to the provisions of title 13;
          (5) to a recipient who has provided the agency with 
        advance adequate written assurance that the record will 
        be used solely as a statistical research or reporting 
        record, and the record is to be transferred in a form 
        that is not individually identifiable;
          (6) to the National Archives and Records 
        Administration as a record which has sufficient 
        historical or other value to warrant its continued 
        preservation by the United States Government, or for 
        evaluation by the Archivist of the United States or the 
        designee of the Archivist to determine whether the 
        record has such value;
          (7) to another agency or to an instrumentality of any 
        governmental jurisdiction within or under the control 
        of the United States for a civil or criminal law 
        enforcement activity if the activity is authorized by 
        law, and if the head of the agency or instrumentality 
        has made a written request to the agency which 
        maintains the record specifying the particular portion 
        desired and the law enforcement activity for which the 
        record is sought;
          (8) to a person pursuant to a showing of compelling 
        circumstances affecting the health or safety of an 
        individual if upon such disclosure notification is 
        transmitted to the last known address of such 
        individual;
          (9) to either House of Congress, or, to the extent of 
        matter within its jurisdiction, any committee or 
        subcommittee thereof, any joint committee of Congress 
        or subcommittee of any such joint committee;
          (10) to the Comptroller General, or any of his 
        authorized representatives, in the course of the 
        performance of the duties of the Government 
        Accountability Office;
          (11) pursuant to the order of a court of competent 
        jurisdiction; or
          (12) to a consumer reporting agency in accordance 
        with section 3711(e) of title 31.

         F. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 2302. Prohibited personnel practices

    (b) Any employee who has authority to take, direct others 
to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action, shall not, 
with respect to such authority--(13) implement or enforce any 
nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement, if such policy, form, 
or agreement does not contain the following statement: ``These 
provisions are consistent with and do not supersede, conflict 
with, or otherwise alter the employee obligations, rights, or 
liabilities created by existing statute or Executive order 
relating to (1) classified information, (2) communications to 
Congress, (3) the reporting to an Inspector General of a 
violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or mismanagement, a 
gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial 
and specific danger to public health or safety, or (4) any 
other whistleblower protection. The definitions, requirements, 
obligations, rights, sanctions, and liabilities created by 
controlling Executive orders and statutory provisions are 
incorporated into this agreement and are controlling.''
    This subsection shall not be construed to authorize the 
withholding of information from Congress or the taking of any 
personnel action against an employee who discloses information 
to Congress. For purposes of paragraph (8), (i) any presumption 
relating to the performance of a duty by an employee whose 
conduct is the subject of a disclosure as defined under 
subsection (a)(2)(D) may be rebutted by substantial evidence, 
and (ii) a determination as to whether an employee or applicant 
reasonably believes that such employee or applicant has 
disclosed information that evidences any violation of law, 
rule, regulation, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, 
an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to 
public health or safety shall be made by determining whether a 
disinterested observer with knowledge of the essential facts 
known to and readily ascertainable by the employee or applicant 
could reasonably conclude that the actions of the Government 
evidence such violations, mismanagement, waste, abuse, or 
danger.

G. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 2954. Information to committees of Congress on request

    An Executive agency, on request of the Committee on 
Government Operations of the House of Representatives, or of 
any seven members thereof, or on request of the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate, or any five members 
thereof, shall submit any information requested of it relating 
to any matter within the jurisdiction of the committee.

      H. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7211. Employees' right to petition Congress

     The right of employees, individually or collectively, to 
petition Congress or a Member of Congress, or to furnish 
information to either House of Congress, or to a committee or 
Member thereof, may not be interfered with or denied.

        I. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1001. Statements or entries generally

    (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, 
in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, 
legislative, or judicial branch of the the Government of the 
United States, knowingly and willfully--
          (1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, 
        scheme, or device a material fact;
          (2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or 
        fraudulent statement or representation; or
          (3) makes or uses any false writing or document 
        knowing the same to contain any materially false, 
        fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 
years or, if the offense involves international or domestic 
terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more 
than 8 years, or both. If the matter relates to an offense 
under chapter 109A, 109B, 110, or 117, or section 1591, then 
the term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be 
not more than 8 years.
    (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a party to a judicial 
proceeding, or that party's counsel, for statements, 
representations, writings or documents submitted by such party 
or counsel to a judge or magistrate in that proceeding.
    (c) With respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of 
the legislative branch, subsection (a) shall apply only to--
          (1) administrative matters, including a claim for 
        payment, a matter related to the procurement of 
        property or services, personnel or employment 
        practices, or support services, or a document required 
        by law, rule, or regulation to be submitted to the 
        Congress or any office or officer within the 
        legislative branch; or
          (2) any investigation or review, conducted pursuant 
        to the authority of any committee, subcommittee, 
        commission or office of the Congress, consistent with 
        applicable rules of the House or Senate.

J. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1505. Obstruction of proceedings before departments, 
                        agencies, and committees

    Whoever, with intent to avoid, evade, prevent, or obstruct 
compliance, in whole or in part, with any civil investigative 
demand duly and properly made under the Antitrust Civil Process 
Act, willfully withholds, misrepresents, removes from any 
place, conceals, covers up, destroys, mutilates, alters, or by 
other means falsifies any documentary material, answers to 
written interrogatories, or oral testimony, which is the 
subject of such demand; or attempts to do so or solicits 
another to do so; or
    Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any 
threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or 
impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due 
and proper administration of the law under which any pending 
proceeding is being had before any department or agency of the 
United States, or the due and proper exercise of the power of 
inquiry under which any inquiry or investigation is being had 
by either House, or any committee of either House or any joint 
committee of the Congress--
    Shall be fined under this title imprisoned not more than 5 
years, or, if the offense involves international or domestic 
terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more 
than 8 years, or both.

               K. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1621. Perjury generally

    Whoever--
        (1) having taken an oath before a competent tribunal, 
        officer, or person, in any case in which a law of the 
        United States authorizes an oath to be administered, 
        that he will testify, declare, depose, or certify 
        truly, or that any written testimony, declaration, 
        deposition, or certificate by him subscribed, is true, 
        willfully and contrary to such oath states or 
        subscribes any material matter which he does not 
        believe to be true; or
        (2) in any declaration, certificate, verification, or 
        statement under penalty of perjury as permitted under 
        section 1746 of title 28, United States Code, willfully 
        subscribes as true any material matter which he does 
        not believe to be true;
    is guilty of perjury and shall, except as otherwise 
expressly provided by law, be fined under this title or 
imprisoned not more than five years, or both. This section is 
applicable whether the statement or subscription is made within 
or without the United States.

           L. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 6005. Congressional proceedings

    (a) In the case of any individual who has been or may be 
called to testify or provide other information at any 
proceeding before or ancillary to either House of Congress, or 
any committee, or any subcommittee of either House, or any 
joint committee of the two Houses, a United States district 
court shall issue, in accordance with subsection (b) of this 
section, upon the request of a duly authorized representative 
of the House of Congress or the committee concerned, an order 
requiring such individual to give testimony or provide other 
information which he refuses to give or provide on the basis of 
his privilege against self-incrimination, such order to become 
effective as provided in section 6002 of this title.
    (b) Before issuing an order under subsection (a) of this 
section, a United States district court shall find that--
          (1) in the case of a proceeding before or ancillary 
        to either House of Congress, the request for such an 
        order has been approved by an affirmative vote of a 
        majority of the Members present of that House;
          (2) in the case of a proceeding before or ancillary 
        to a committee or a subcommittee of either House of 
        Congress or a joint committee of both Houses, the 
        request for such an order has been approved by an 
        affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the 
        full committee; and
          (3) ten days or more prior to the day on which the 
        request for such an order was made, the Attorney 
        General was served with notice of an intention to 
        request the order.
    (c) Upon application of the Attorney General, the United 
States district court shall defer the issuance of any order 
under subsection (a) of this section for such period, not 
longer than twenty days from the date of the request for such 
order, as the Attorney General may specify.

  M. 28 U.S.C. Sec. 535. Investigation of crimes involving Government 
                  officers and employees; limitations

              *      *      *      *      *      *      *

    (b) Any information, allegation, matter, or complaint 
witnessed, discovered, or received in a department or agency of 
the executive branch of the Government relating to violations 
of Federal criminal law involving Government officers and 
employees shall be expeditiously reported to the Attorney 
General by the head of the department or agency, or the 
witness, discoverer, or recipient, as appropriate, unless--
          (1) the responsibility to perform an investigation 
        with respect thereto is specifically assigned otherwise 
        by another provision of law; or
          (2) as to any department or agency of the Government, 
        the Attorney General directs otherwise with respect to 
        a specified class of information, allegation, or 
        complaint.

      N. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 712. Investigating the use of public money

    The Comptroller General shall--

              *      *      *      *      *      *      *

    (3) analyze expenditures of each executive agency the 
Comptroller General believes will help Congress decide whether 
public money has been used and expended economically and 
efficiently;
    (4) make an investigation and report ordered by either 
House of Congress or a committee of Congress having 
jurisdiction over revenue, appropriations, or expenditures; and
    (5) give a committee of Congress having jurisdiction over 
revenue, appropriations, or expenditures the help and 
information the committee requests.

O. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 717. Evaluating programs and activities of the United 
                           States Government

              *      *      *      *      *      *      *

    (d)(1) On request of a committee of Congress, the 
Comptroller General shall help the committee to--
          (A) develop a statement of legislative goals and ways 
        to assess and report program performance related to the 
        goals, including recommended ways to assess 
        performance, information to be reported, responsibility 
        for reporting, frequency of reports, and feasibility of 
        pilot testing; and
          (B) assess program evaluations prepared by and for an 
        agency.
    (2) On request of a member of Congress, the Comptroller 
General shall give the member a copy of the material the 
Comptroller General compiles in carrying out this subsection 
that has been released by the committee for which the material 
was compiled.

           P. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 719. Comptroller General reports

              *      *      *      *      *      *      *

    (d) The Comptroller General shall report on analyses 
carried out under section 712(3) of this title to the 
Committees on Governmental Affairs and Appropriations of the 
Senate, the Committees on Government Operations and 
Appropriations of the House, and the committees with 
jurisdiction over legislation related to the operation of each 
executive agency.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ For other requirements which relate to General Accounting 
Office reports to Congress and which affect the committee, see secs. 
232 and 236 of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (Public Law 
91-150).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

              *      *      *      *      *      *      *

    (h) On request of a committee of Congress, the Comptroller 
General shall explain to discuss with the committee or 
committee staff a report the Comptroller General makes that 
would help the committee--
          (1) evaluate a program or activity of an agency 
        within the jurisdiction of the committee; or
          (2) in its consideration of proposed legislation.

           Q. 31 U.S.C. Sec. 1113. Congressional information

    (a)(1) When requested by a committee of Congress having 
jurisdiction over receipts or appropriations, the President 
shall provide the committee with assistance and information.
    (2) When requested by a committee of Congress, additional 
information related to the amount of an appropriation 
originally requested by an Office of Inspector General shall be 
submitted to the committee.
    (b) When requested by a committee of Congress, by the 
Comptroller General, or by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget, and the head of each 
executive agency shall--
          (1) provide information on the location and kind of 
        available fiscal, budget, and program information;
          (2) to the extent practicable, prepare summary tables 
        of that fiscal, budget, and program information and 
        related information of the committee, the Comptroller 
        General, or the Director of the Congressional Budget 
        Office considers necessary; and
          (3) provide a program evaluation carried out or 
        commissioned by an executive agency.
    (c) In cooperation with the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office, the Secretary, and the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget, the Comptroller General shall--
          (1) establish and maintain a current directory of 
        sources of, and information systems for, fiscal, 
        budget, and program information and a brief description 
        of the contents of each source and system;
          (2) when requested, provide assistance to committees 
        of Congress and members of Congress in obtaining 
        information from the sources in the directory; and
          (3) when requested, provide assistance to committees 
        and to the extent practicable, to members of Congress 
        in evaluating the information obtained from the sources 
        in the directory; and
    (d) To the extent they consider necessary, the Comptroller 
General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
individually or jointly shall establish and maintain a file of 
information to meet recurring needs of Congress for fiscal, 
budget, and program information to carry out this section and 
sections 717 and 1112 of this title. The file shall include 
information on budget requests, congressional authorizations to 
obligate and expend apportionment and reserve actions, and 
obligations and expenditures. The Comptroller General and the 
Director shall maintain the file and an index to the file so 
that it is easier for the committees and agencies of Congress 
to use the file and index through data processing and 
communications techniques.
    (e)(1) The Comptroller General shall--
          (A) carry out a continuing program to identify the 
        needs of committees and members of Congress for fiscal 
        budget, and program information to carry out this 
        section and section 1112 of this title;
          (B) assist committees of Congress in developing their 
        information needs;
          (C) monitor recurring reporting requirements of 
        Congress and committees; and
          (D) make recommendations to Congress and committees 
        for changes and improvements in those reporting 
        requirements to meet information needs identified by 
        the Comptroller General, to improve their usefulness to 
        congressional users, and to eliminate unnecessary 
        reporting.
    (2) Before September 2 of each year, the Comptroller 
General shall report to Congress on--
          (A) the needs identified under paragraph (1)(A) of 
        this subsection;
          (B) the relationship of those needs to existing 
        reporting requirements;
          (C) the extent to which reporting by the executive 
        branch of the United States Government currently meets 
        the identified needs;
          (D) the changes to standard classifications necessary 
        to meet congressional needs;
          (E) activities, progress, and results of the program 
        of the Comptroller General under paragraph (1)(B)-(D) 
        of this subsection; and
          (F) progress of the executive branch in the prior 
        year.
    (3) Before March 2 of each year, the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget and the Secretary shall report to 
Congress on plans for meeting the needs identified under 
paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection, including--
          (A) plans for carrying out changes to classifications 
        to meet information needs of Congress;
          (B) the status of information systems in the prior 
        year; and
          (C) the use of standard classifications.

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