[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 12 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H462-H464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT 
                        FOR THE 104TH CONGRESS.

  (Mr. CLINGER asked and was given permission to extend his remarks at 
this point in the Record and to include extraneous matter.)
  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to and in accordance with clause 
2(a) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I 
[[Page H463]] submit for publication in the Congressional Record a copy 
of the rules of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee for the 
104th Congress as approved by the committee on January 10, 1995.
  I. Rules of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, U.S. 
                House of Representatives, 104th Congress

       Rule XI, 1(a)(1) of the House of Representatives provides:
       The Rules of the House are the rules of its committees and 
     subcommittees so far as applicable, except that a motion to 
     recess from day to day, and a motion to dispense with the 
     first reading (in full) of a bill or resolution, if printed 
     copies are available, are nondebatable motions of high 
     privilege in committees and subcommittees.
       Rule XI, 2(a) of the House of Representatives provides, in 
     part:
       Each standing committee of the House shall adopt written 
     rules governing its procedures. * * *
       In accordance with this, the Committee on Government Reform 
     and Oversight, on January 10, 1995, adopted the rules of the 
     committee:


                     Rule 1.--Application of Rules

       Except where the terms ``full committee'' and 
     ``subcommittee'' are specifically referred to, the following 
     rules shall apply to the Committee on Government Reform and 
     Oversight and its subcommittees as well as to the respective 
     chairmen.
       [See House Rule XI, 1.]


                           Rule 2.--Meetings

       The regular meetings of the full committee shall be held on 
     the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m., unless when 
     Congress has adjourned. The chairman is authorized to 
     dispense with a regular meeting or to change the date 
     thereof, and to call and convene additional meetings, when 
     circumstances warrant. A special meeting of the committee may 
     be requested by members of the committee following the 
     provisions of House Rule XI, 2(c)(2). Subcommittees shall 
     meet at the call of the subcommittee chairmen. Every member 
     of the committee or the appropriate subcommittee, unless 
     prevented by unusual circumstances, shall be provided with a 
     memorandum at least three calendar days 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.
       [See House Rule XI, 2(b).]


                            rule 3.--quorums

       A majority of the members of the committee shall form a 
     quorum, 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 
     the reporting of a measure or recommendation. If the chairman 
     is not present at any meeting of the committee or 
     subcommittee, the ranking member of the majority party on the 
     committee or subcommittee who is present shall preside at 
     that meeting.
       [See House Rule XI, 2(h).]


                       rule 4.--committee reports

       Bills and resolutions approved by the committee shall be 
     reported by the chairman following House Rule XI, 2(l).
       Every investigative report shall be approved by a majority 
     vote of the committee at a meeting at which a quorum is 
     present. Supplemental, minority, or additional views may be 
     filed following House Rule XI, 2(l)(5). The time allowed for 
     filing such views shall be three calendar days (excluding 
     Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) unless the committee 
     agrees to a different time, but agreement on a shorter time 
     shall require the concurrence of each member seeking to file 
     such views. A proposed report shall not be considered in 
     subcommittee or full committee unless the proposed report has 
     been available to the members of such subcommittee or full 
     committee for at least three calendar days (excluding 
     Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) before the 
     consideration of such proposed report in subcommittee or full 
     committee. If hearings have been held on the matter reported 
     upon, every reasonable effort shall be made to have such 
     hearings available to the members of the subcommittee or full 
     committee before the consideration of the proposed report in 
     such subcommittee or full committee.
       Only those reports approved by a majority vote of the 
     committee may be ordered printed, unless otherwise required 
     by the Rules of the House of Representatives.


                          rule 5.--proxy votes

       In accordance with the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives, members may not vote by proxy on any measure 
     or matter before the committee or any subcommittee.
       [See House Rule XI, 2(f).]


                          rule 6.--roll calls

       A roll call of the members may be had upon the request of 
     any member upon approval of a one-fifth vote.
       [See House Rule XI, 2(e).]


                  rule 7.--record of committee actions

       The committee staff shall maintain in the committee offices 
     a complete record of committee actions from the current 
     Congress including a record of the rollcall votes taken at 
     committee 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.
       [See House Rule XI, 2(e).]


                   rule 8.--subcommittees; referrals

       There shall be seven subcommittees with appropriate party 
     ratios that shall have fixed jurisdictions. Bills, 
     resolutions, and other matters shall be referred by the 
     chairman to subcommittees within two weeks for consideration 
     or investigation in accordance with their fixed 
     jurisdictions. Where the subject matter of the referral 
     involves the jurisdiction of more than one subcommittee or 
     does not fall within any previously assigned jurisdiction, 
     the chairman shall refer the matter as he may deem advisable. 
     Bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to 
     subcommittees may be reassigned by the chairman when, in his 
     judgment, the subcommittee is not able to complete its work 
     or cannot reach agreement therein. In a subcommittee having 
     an even number of members, if there is a tie vote with all 
     members voting on any measure, the measure shall be placed on 
     the agenda for full committee consideration as if it had been 
     ordered reported by the subcommittee without recommendation. 
     This provision shall not preclude further action on the 
     measure by the subcommittee.
       [See House Rule XI, 1(a)(2).]


                      rule 9.--ex officio members

       The chairman 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 10.--staff

       Except as otherwise provided by House Rule XI, 5 and 6, the 
     chairman of the full committee shall have the authority to 
     hire and discharge employees of the professional and clerical 
     staff of the full committee and of subcommittees.


                       rule 11.--staff direction

       Except as otherwise provided by House Rule XI, 5 and 6, the 
     staff of the committee shall be subject to the direction of 
     the chairman of the full committee and shall perform such 
     duties as he may assign.
                 rule 12.--Hearing Dates and Witnesses

       The chairman of the full committee will announce the date, 
     place, and subject matter of all hearings at least one week 
     before the commencement of any hearings, unless he determines 
     that there is good cause to begin such hearings sooner. So 
     that the chairman of the full committee may coordinate the 
     committee facilities and hearing plans, each subcommittee 
     chairman shall notify him of any hearing plans at least two 
     weeks before the date of commencement of hearings, including 
     the date, place, subject matter, and the names of witnesses, 
     willing and unwilling, who would be called to testify, 
     including, to the extent he is advised thereof, witnesses 
     whom the minority members may request. The minority members 
     shall supply the names of witnesses they intend to call to 
     the chairman of the full committee or subcommittee at the 
     earliest possible date. Witnesses appearing before the 
     committee shall, so far as practicable, submit written 
     statements at least 24 hours before their appearance.
       [See House Rules XI, 2 (g)(3), (g)(4), (j) and (k).]


                        rule 13.--Open Meetings

       Meetings for the transaction of business and hearings of 
     the committee shall be open to the public or closed in 
     accordance with Rule XI of the House of Representatives.
       [See House Rules XI, 2 (g) and (k).]


                       rule 14.--Five-Minute Rule

       A committee member may question a witness only when 
     recognized by the chairman for that purpose. In accordance 
     with House Rule XI, 2(j)(2), each committee member may 
     request up to five minutes to question a witness until each 
     member who so desires has had such opportunity. Until all 
     such requests have been satisfied, the chairman 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 chairman.


              rule 15.--Investigative Hearings; Procedure

       Investigative hearings shall be conducted according to the 
     procedures in House Rule XI, 2(k). All questions put to 
     witnesses before the committee shall be relevant to the 
     subject matter before the committee for consideration, and 
     the chairman shall rule on the relevance of any questions put 
     to the witness.


                     rule 16.--Stenographic Record

       A stenographic record of all testimony shall be kept of 
     public hearings and shall be made available on such 
     conditions as the chairman may prescribe.


                  rule 17.--tv, radio, and photographs

       An open meeting or hearing of the committee or a 
     subcommittee may be covered, in whole or in part, by 
     television broadcast, radio broadcast, and still photography, 
     or by any of such methods of coverage, unless closed subject 
     to the provisions of House Rule XI, 3.
         [[Page H464]] rule 18.--Additional duties of chairman

       The chairman of the full committee shall:
       (a) Make available to other committees the findings and 
     recommendations resulting from the investigations of the 
     committee or its subcommittees as required by House Rule X, 
     4(c)(2);
       (b) Direct such review and studies on the impact or 
     probable impact of tax policies affecting subjects within the 
     committee's jurisdiction as required by House Rule X, 2(c);
       (c) Submit to the Committee on the Budget views and 
     estimates required by House Rule X, 4(g), and to file reports 
     with the House as required by the Congressional Budget Act;
       (d) 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; and
       (e) Prepare, after consultation with subcommittee chairmen 
     and the minority, a budget for the committee which shall 
     include an adequate budget for the subcommittees to discharge 
     their responsibilities.
       (f) Make any necessary technical and conforming changes to 
     legislation reported by the committee upon unanimous consent.
     

                          ____________________