[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H574-H576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT 
                             105TH CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Burton] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the requirement of 
clause 2(a) or rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I 
submit herewith the rules of the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight for the 105th Congress and ask that they be printed in the 
Record at this point. These rules were adopted by the committee on 
February 12, 1997.

      I. Rules of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight


                      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., when the 
     House is in session. 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

[[Page H575]]

     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, beginning on 
     the day of notice but excluding Saturday, Sundays, and legal 
     holidays (unless the House is in session on such a day), 
     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 consideration of such proposed report in 
     subcommittee or full committee. An investigative report or 
     oversight report will be considered as read if available, to 
     the members, at least 24 hours before consideration, 
     excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays unless the 
     House is in session on such days. 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. 
     An investigative or oversight report may be filed after sine 
     die adjournment of the last regular session of the Congress, 
     provided that if a member gives timely notice of intention to 
     file supplemental, minority or additional views, that member 
     shall be entitled to not less than seven calendar days in 
     which to submit such views for inclusion with the report.
       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 
     judgement, 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, with the concurrence of the ranking minority 
     member, or the committee determines by a vote, that there is 
     good cause to begin such hearings sooner. So that the 
     chairman of the full committee may coordinate the committee 
     facilities and hearings 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 and, 
     when appearing in a non-governmental capacity, provide a 
     curriculum vitae and a listing of any Federal Government 
     grants and contracts received in the previous fiscal year. 
     [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

       (1) 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.
       (2) The chairman, with the concurrence of the ranking 
     minority member, or the committee by motion, may permit an 
     equal 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.
       (3) The chairman, with the concurrence of the ranking 
     minority member, or the committee by motion, may permit 
     committee 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.
       (4) Nothing in paragraph (2) or (3) affects the rights of a 
     Member (other than a Member designated under paragraph (2)) 
     to question a witness for 5 minutes in accordance with 
     paragraph (1) after the questioning permitted under 
     paragraph (2) or (3). In any extended questioning 
     permitted under paragraph (2) or (3), the Chairman shall 
     determine how to allocate the time permitted for extended 
     questioning by majority members or majority committee 
     staff and the ranking minority member shall determine how 
     to allocate the time permitted for extended questioning by 
     minority members or minority committee staff. The Chairman 
     or the ranking minority member, as applicable, may 
     allocate the time for any extended questioning permitted 
     to staff under paragraph (3) to members.


               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 witnesses.


                      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 such methods of coverage, unless closed subject to 
     the provisions of House Rule XI, 3.

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                 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;
       (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; 
     and
       (g) Will designate a Vice Chairman from the majority party.


                     rule 19: commemorative stamps

       The committee has adopted the policy that the determination 
     of the subject matter of commemorative stamps properly is for 
     consideration by the Postmaster General and that the 
     committee will not give consideration to legislative 
     proposals for the issuance of commemorative stamps. It is 
     suggested that recommendations for the issuance of 
     commemorative stamps be submitted to the Postmaster General.

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