[Senate Prints 115-2]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                            S. PRT. 115-2

.                             
                              
                          Rules of Procedure

                   ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

                          COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

                       United States Senate

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                 Printed for the Use of the Committee on Finance
                  Pursuant to Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
                           of the Senate


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       U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 





			COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

			     115th CONGRESS


       		ORRIN G. HATCH, UTAH, CHAIRMAN
	
	
CHUCK GRASSLEY				RON WYDEN
 Iowa					 Oregon

MIKE CRAPO				DEBBIE STABENOW
 Idaho					 Michigan

PAT ROBERTS				MARIA CANTWELL
 Kansas					 Washington

MICHAEL B. ENZI				BILL NELSON
 Wyoming				 Florida

JOHN CORNYN				ROBERT MENENDEZ
 Texas					 New Jersey

JOHN THUNE				THOMAS R. CARPER
 South Dakota				 Delaware

RICHARD BURR				BENJAMIN L. CARDIN
 North Carolina				 Maryland

JOHNNY ISAKSON				SHERROD BROWN
 Georgia				 Ohio

ROB PORTMAN				MICHAEL F. BENNET
 Ohio					 Colorado
 
PATRICK J. TOOMEY			ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr.
 Pennsylvania				 Pennsylvania

DEAN HELLER				MARK R. WARNER
 Nevada					 Virginia

TIM SCOTT				CLAIRE McCASKILL
 South Carolina				 Missouri

BILL CASSIDY		
 Louisiana

		Chris Campbell, Staff Director

	Joshua Sheinkman, Democratic Staff Director

			    (ii)







  
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                           (iii)



  

			TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                       Page
                                                                 
I. Rules of Procedure					1
      Rule  1. Regular Meeting Days			1
      Rule  2. Committee Meetings			1
      Rule  3. Presiding Officer			2
      Rule  4. Quorums					2
      Rule  5. Reporting of Measures or Recommenda-
                tions					2
      Rule  6. Proxy Voting; Polling			2
      Rule  7. Order of Motions				2
      Rule  8. Bringing a Matter to a Vote		3
      Rule  9. Public Announcement of Committee Votes   3
      Rule 10. Subpoenas				3
      Rule 11. Nominations				3
      Rule 12. Open Committee Hearings			4
      Rule 13. Announcement of Hearings			4
      Rule 14. Witnesses at Hearings			4
      Rule 15. Audiences				5
      Rule 16. Broadcasting of Hearings			5
      Rule 17. Subcommittees				6
      Rule 18. Transcripts of Committee Meetings	7
      Rule 19. Amendment of Rules			8                                                             
                                                            
II. Excerpts From the Standing Rules of the Senate Re-
      lating to Standing Committees			9

				(v)
				
				
				

                          COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

I. RULES OF PROCEDURE

                       (Adopted February 6, 2017)

    Rule 1. Regular Meeting Days.--The regular meeting day of 
the committee shall be the second and fourth Tuesday of each 
month, except that if there be no business before the committee 
the regular meeting shall be omitted.
    Rule 2. Committee Meetings.--(a) Except as provided by 
paragraph 3 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
(relating to special meetings called by a majority of the 
committee) and subsection (b) of this rule, committee meetings, 
for the conduct of business, for the purpose of holding 
hearings, or for any other purpose, shall be called by the 
chairman after consultation with the ranking minority member. 
Members will be notified of committee meetings at least 48 
hours in advance, unless the chairman determines that an 
emergency situation requires a meeting on shorter notice. The 
notification will include a written agenda together with 
materials prepared by the staff relating to that agenda. After 
the agenda for a committee meeting is published and 
distributed, no nongermane items may be brought up during that 
meeting unless at least two-thirds of the members present agree 
to consider those items.
    (b) In the absence of the chairman, meetings of the 
committee may be called by the ranking majority member of the 
committee who is present, provided authority to call meetings 
has been delegated to such member by the chairman.
    Rule 3. Presiding Officer.--(a) The chairman shall preside 
at all meetings and hearings of the committee except that in 
his absence the ranking majority member who is present at the 
meeting shall preside.
    (b) Notwithstanding the rule prescribed by subsection (a) 
any member of the committee may preside over the conduct of a 
hearing.
    Rule 4. Quorums.--(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) 
one-third of the membership of the committee, including not 
less than one member of the majority party and one member of 
the minority party, shall constitute a quorum for the conduct 
of business.
    (b) Notwithstanding the rule prescribed by subsection (a), 
one member shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of 
conducting a hearing.
    Rule 5. Reporting of Measures or Recommendations.--No 
measure or recommendation shall be reported from the committee 
unless a majority of the committee is actually present and a 
majority of those present concur.
    Rule 6. Proxy Voting; Polling.--(a) Except as provided by 
paragraph 7(a)(3) of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate (relating to limitation on use of proxy voting to report 
a measure or matter), members who are unable to be present may 
have their vote recorded by proxy.
    (b) At the discretion of the committee, members who are 
unable to be present and whose vote has not been cast by proxy 
may be polled for the purpose of recording their vote on any 
rollcall taken by the committee.
    Rule 7. Order of Motions.--When several motions are before 
the committee dealing with related or overlapping matters, the 
chairman may specify the order in which the motions shall be 
voted upon.
    Rule 8. Bringing a Matter to a Vote.--If the chairman 
determines that a motion or amendment has been adequately 
debated, he may call for a vote on such motion or amendment, 
and the vote shall then be taken, unless the committee votes to 
continue debate on such motion or amendment, as the case may 
be. The vote on a motion to continue debate on any motion or 
amendment shall be taken without debate.
    Rule 9. Public Announcement of Committee Votes.--Pursuant 
to paragraph 7(b) of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate (relating to public announcement of votes), the results 
of rollcall votes taken by the committee on any measure (or 
amendment thereto) or matter shall be announced publicly not 
later than the day on which such measure or matter is ordered 
reported from the committee.
    Rule 10. Subpoenas.--Subpoenas for attendance of 
witnesses and the production of memoranda, documents, and 
records shall be issued by the chairman, or by any other member 
of the committee designated by him. deg.Witnesses and 
memoranda, documents, and records may be subpoenaed by the 
chairman of the committee with the agreement of the ranking 
minority member or by a majority vote of the committee. 
Subpoenas for attendance of witnesses and the production of 
memoranda, documents, and records shall be issued by the 
chairman, or by any other member of the committee designated by 
him.
    Rule  11.  Nominations.--In considering a nomination, the 
committee may conduct an investigation or review of the 
nominee's experience, qualifications, and suitability, to serve 
in the position to which he or she has been nominated. To aid 
in such investigation or review, each nominee may be required 
to submit a sworn detailed statement including biographical, 
financial, policy, and other information which the committee 
may request. The committee may specify which items in such 
statement are to be received on a confidential basis. Witnesses 
called to testify on the nomination may be required to testify 
under oath.
    Rule 12. Open Committee Hearings.--To the extent required 
by paragraph 5 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
(relating to limitations on open hearings), each hearing 
conducted by the committee shall be open to the public.
    Rule 13. Announcement of Hearings.--The committee shall 
undertake consistent with the provisions of paragraph 4(a) of 
Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate (relating to 
public notice of committee hearings) to issue public 
announcements of hearings it intends to hold at least one week 
prior to the commencement of such hearings.
    Rule 14. Witnesses at Hearings.--(a) Each witness who is 
scheduled to testify at any hearing must submit his written 
testimony to the staff director not later than noon of the 
business day immediately before the last business day preceding 
the day on which he is scheduled to appear. Such written 
testimony shall be accompanied by a brief summary of the 
principal points covered in the written testimony. Having 
submitted his written testimony, the witness shall be allowed 
not more than ten minutes for oral presentation of his 
statement.
    (b) Witnesses may not read their entire written testimony, 
but must confine their oral presentation to a summarization of 
their arguments.
    (c) Witnesses shall observe proper standards of dignity, 
decorum, and propriety while presenting their views to the 
committee. Any witness who violates this rule shall be 
dismissed, and his testimony (both oral and written) shall not 
appear in the record of the hearing.
    (d) In scheduling witnesses for hearings, the staff shall 
attempt to schedule witnesses so as to attain a balance of 
views early in the hearings. Every member of the committee may 
designate witnesses who will appear before the committee to 
testify. To the extent that a witness designated by a member 
cannot be scheduled to testify during the time set aside for 
the hearing, a special time will be set aside for the witness 
to testify if the member designating that witness is available 
at that time to chair the hearing.
    Rule 15. Audiences.--Persons admitted into the audience for 
open hearings of the committee shall conduct themselves with 
the dignity, decorum, courtesy, and propriety traditionally 
observed by the Senate. Demonstrations of approval or 
disapproval of any statement or act by any member or witness 
are not allowed. Persons creating confusion or distractions or 
otherwise disrupting the orderly proceeding of the hearing 
shall be expelled from the hearing.
    Rule 16. Broadcasting of Hearings.--(a) Broadcasting of 
open hearings by television or radio coverage shall be allowed 
upon approval by the chairman of a request filed with the staff 
director not later than noon of the day before the day on which 
such coverage is desired.
    (b) If such approval is granted, broadcasting coverage of 
the hearing shall be conducted unobtrusively and in accordance 
with the standards of dignity, propriety, courtesy, and decorum 
traditionally observed by the Senate.
    (c) Equipment necessary for coverage by television and 
radio media shall not be installed in, or removed from, the 
hearing room while the committee is in session.
    (d) Additional lighting may be installed in the hearing 
room by the media in order to raise the ambient lighting level 
to the lowest level necessary to provide adequate television 
coverage of the hearing at the then current state of the art of 
television coverage.
    (e) The additional lighting authorized by subsection (d) of 
this rule shall not be directed into the eyes of any members of 
the committee or of any witness, and at the request of any such 
member or witness, offending lighting shall be 
extinguished.
    (f) No witness shall be required to be photographed at any 
hearing or to give testimony while the broadcasting (or 
coverage) of that hearing is being conducted. At the request of 
any such witness who does not wish to be subjected to radio or 
television coverage, all equipment used for coverage shall be 
turned off. deg.
    Rule 17. Subcommittees.--(a) The chairman, subject to the 
approval of the committee, shall appoint legislative 
subcommittees. The ranking minority member shall recommend to 
the chairman appointment of minority members to the 
subcommittees. All legislation shall be kept on the full 
committee calendar unless a majority of the members present and 
voting agree to refer specific legislation to an appropriate 
subcommittee.
    (b) The chairman may limit the period during which House-
passed legislation referred to a subcommittee under paragraph 
(a) will remain in that subcommittee. At the end of that 
period, the legislation will be restored to the full committee 
calendar. The period referred to in the preceding sentences 
should be 6 weeks, but may be extended in the event that 
adjournment or a long recess is imminent.
    (c) All decisions of the chairman are subject to approval 
or modification by a majority vote of the committee.
    (d) The full committee may at any time by majority vote of 
those members present discharge a subcommittee from further 
consideration of a specific piece of legislation.
    (e) The chairman and ranking minority members shall serve 
as nonvoting ex officio members of the subcommittees on which 
they do not serve as voting members.
    (f) Any member of the committee may attend hearings held by 
any subcommittee and question witnesses testifying before that 
subcommittee.
    (g) Subcommittee meeting times shall be coordinated by the 
staff director to ensure that--
        (1) no subcommittee meeting will be held when the 
        committee is in executive session, except by unanimous 
        consent;
        (2) no more than one subcommittee will meet when the 
        full committee is holding hearings; and
        (3) not more than two subcommittees will meet at the 
        same time.
    Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), a subcommittee may 
meet when the full committee is holding hearings and two 
subcommittees may meet at the same time only upon the approval 
of the chairman and the ranking minority member of the 
committee and subcommittees involved.
    (h) All nominations shall be considered by the full 
committee.
    (i) The chairman will attempt to schedule reasonably 
frequent meetings of the full committee to permit consideration 
of legislation reported favorably to the committee by the 
subcommittees.
    Rule 18. Transcripts of Committee Meetings.--An accurate 
record shall be kept of all markups of the committee, whether 
they be open or closed to the public. A transcript, marked as 
``uncorrected,'' shall be available for inspection by members 
of the Senate, or members of the committee together with their 
staffs, at any time. Not later than 21 business days after the 
meeting occurs, the committee shall make publicly available 
through the Internet--
    (a) a video recording;
    (b) an audio recording; or
    (c) after all members of the committee have had a 
reasonable opportunity to correct their remarks for grammatical 
errors or to accurately reflect statements, a corrected 
transcript.                                    and 
such record shall remain available until the end of the 
Congress following the date of the meeting. [DELETED]
    This record shall not be published or made public in any 
way except:
    (a) By majority vote of the committee after all members of 
the committee have had a reasonable opportunity to correct 
their remarks for grammatical errors or to accurately reflect 
statements made.
    (b) Any member may release his own remarks made in any 
markup of the committee provided that every member or witness 
whose remarks are contained in the released portion is given a 
reasonable opportunity before release to correct their 
remarks. deg.
    Notwithstanding the above, in the case of the record of an 
executive session of the committee that is closed to the public 
pursuant to Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the 
record shall not be published or made public in any way except 
by majority vote of the committee after all members of the 
committee have had a reasonable opportunity to correct their 
remarks for grammatical errors or to accurately reflect 
statements made.
    Rule 19. Amendment of Rules.--The foregoing rules may be 
added to, modified, amended, or suspended at any time.

II. EXCERPTS FROM THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE RELATING TO STANDING 
                               COMMITTEES

                                RULE XXV

                          standing committees

    1. The following standing committees shall be appointed at 
the commencement of each Congress, and shall continue and have 
the power to act until their successors are appointed, with 
leave to report by bill or otherwise on matters within their 
respective jurisdictions:

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    (i) Committee on Finance, to which committee shall be 
referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, 
memorials, and other matters relating to the following 
subjects:
    1. Bonded debt of the United States, except as provided in 
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Customs, collection districts, and ports of entry and 
delivery.
    3. Deposit of public moneys.
    4. General revenue sharing.
    5. Health programs under the Social Security Act and health 
programs financed by a specific tax or trust fund.
    6. National social security.
    7. Reciprocal trade agreements.
    8. Revenue measures generally, except as provided in the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    9. Revenue measures relating to the insular possessions.
    10. Tariffs and import quotas, and matters related thereto.
    11. Transportation of dutiable goods.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                               RULE XXVI

committee procedure

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


    2. Each committee shall adopt rules (not inconsistent with 
the Rules of the Senate) governing the procedure of such 
committee. The rules of each committee shall be published in 
the Congressional Record not later than March 1 of the first 
year of each Congress, except that if any such committee is 
established on or after February 1 of a year, the rules of that 
committee during the year of establishment shall be published 
in the Congressional Record not later than sixty days after 
such establishment. Any amendment to the rules of a committee 
shall not take effect until the amendment is published in the 
Congressional Record.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the rules, 
when the Senate is in session, no committee of the Senate or 
any subcommittee thereof may meet, without special leave, after 
the conclusion of the first two hours after the meeting of the 
Senate commenced and in no case after two o'clock post meridian 
unless consent therefor has been obtained from the majority 
leader and the minority leader (or in the event of the absence 
of either of such leaders, from his designee). The prohibition 
contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to the 
Committee on Appropriations or the Committee on the Budget. The 
majority leader or his designee shall announce to the Senate 
whenever consent has been given under this subparagraph and 
shall state the time and place of such meeting. The right to 
make such announcement of consent shall have the same priority 
as the filing of a cloture motion.
    (b) Each meeting of a committee, or any subcommittee 
thereof, including meetings to conduct hearings, shall be open 
to the public, except that a meeting or series of meetings by a 
committee or a subcommittee thereof on the same subject for a 
period of no more than fourteen calendar days may be closed to 
the public on a motion made and seconded to go into closed 
session to discuss only whether the matters enumerated in 
clauses (1) through (6) would require the meeting to be closed, 
followed immediately by a record vote in open session by a 
majority of the members of the committee or subcommittee when 
it is determined that the matters to be discussed or the 
testimony to be taken at such meeting or meetings--
        (1) will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret 
        in the interests of national defense or the 
        confidential conduct of the foreign relations of the 
        United States;
        (2) will relate solely to matters of committee staff 
        personnel or internal staff management or procedure;
        (3) will tend to charge an individual with crime or 
        misconduct, to disgrace or injure the professional 
        standing of an individual, or otherwise to expose an 
        individual to public contempt or obloquy, or will 
        represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy 
        of an individual;
        (4) will disclose the identity of any informer or law 
        enforcement agent or will disclose any information 
        relating to the investigation or prosecution of a 
        criminal offense that is required to be kept secret in 
        the interests of effective law enforcement;
        (5) will disclose information relating to the trade 
        secrets of financial or commercial information 
        pertaining specifically to a given person if--
        (A) an Act of Congress requires the information to be 
        kept confidential by Government officers and employees; 
        or
        (B) the information has been obtained by the Government 
        on a confidential basis, other than through an 
        application by such person for a specific Government 
        financial or other benefit, and is required to be kept 
        secret in order to prevent undue injury to the 
        competitive position of such person; or
        (6) may divulge matters required to be kept 
        confidential under other provisions of law or 
        Government regulations.
    (c) Whenever any hearing conducted by any such committee or 
subcommittee is open to the public, that hearing may be 
broadcast by radio or television, or both, under such rules as 
the committee or subcommittee may adopt.
    (d) Whenever disorder arises during a committee meeting 
that is open to the public, or any demonstration of approval or 
disapproval is indulged in by any person in attendance at any 
such meeting, it shall be the duty of the Chair to enforce 
order on his own initiative and without any point of order 
being made by a Senator. When the Chair finds it necessary to 
maintain order, he shall have the power to clear the room, and 
the committee may act in closed session for so long as there is 
doubt of the assurance of order.
    (e) Each committee shall prepare and keep a complete 
transcript or electronic recording adequate to fully record the 
proceeding of each meeting or conference whether or not such 
meeting or any part thereof is closed under this paragraph, 
unless a majority of its members vote to forgo such a record.
                           * * *