[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 16 (Tuesday, February 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H189-H190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PUBLICATION OF THE RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY 107TH 
                                CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(2) of Rule 
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I hereby submit the 
rules of the Committee on the Judiciary for the 107th Congress for 
publication in the Congressional Record. These rules were adopted by 
the Committee on January 31, 2001, in a meeting that was open to the 
public.

  U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Rules of 
   Procedure, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Adopted January 31, 2001


           Members of Committee--One Hundred Seventh Congress

       F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Wisconsin, Chairman, Henry J. 
     Hyde, Illinois, George W. Gekas, Pennsylvania, Howard Coble, 
     North Carolina, Lamar S. Smith, Texas, Elton Gallegly, 
     California, Bob Goodlatte, Virginia, Steve Chabot, Ohio, Bob 
     Barr, Georgia, William L. Jenkins, Tennessee, Asa Hutchinson, 
     Arkansas, Chris Cannon, Utah, Lindsey O. Graham, South 
     Carolina, Spencer Bachus, Alabama, Joe Scarborough, Florida, 
     John N. Hostettler, Indiana, Mark Green, Wisconsin, Ric 
     Keller, Florida, Darrell E. Issa, California, Melissa A. 
     Hart, Pennsylvania, and Jeff Flake, Arizona.
       John Conyers, Jr., Michigan, Barney Frank, Massachusetts, 
     Howard L. Berman, California, Rick Boucher, Virginia, Jerrold 
     Nadler, New York, Robert C. Scott, Virginia, Melvin L. Watt, 
     North Carolina, Zoe Lofgren, California, Sheila Jackson Lee, 
     Texas, Maxine Waters, California, Martin T. Meehan, 
     Massachusetts, William D. Delahunt, Massachusetts, Robert 
     Wexler, Florida, Steven R. Rothman, New Jersey, Tammy 
     Baldwin, Wisconsin, and Anthony D. Weiner, New York.


                           rules of procedure

     Rule I
       The Rules of the House of Representatives are the rules of 
     the Committee on the Judiciary and its subcommittees with the 
     following specific additions thereto.
     Rule II. Committee Meetings
       (a) The regular meeting day of the Committee on the 
     Judiciary for the conduct of its business shall be on Tuesday 
     of each week while the House is in session.
       (b) Additional meetings may be called by the Chairman and a 
     regular meeting of the Committee may be dispensed with when, 
     in the judgment of the Chairman, there is no need therefor.
       (c) At least 24 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and 
     legal holidays when the House is not in session) before each 
     scheduled Committee or subcommittee meeting, each Member of 
     the Committee or subcommittee shall be furnished a list of 
     the bill(s) and subject(s) to be considered and/or acted upon 
     at the meeting. Bills or subjects not listed shall be subject 
     to a point of order, unless their consideration is agreed to 
     by a two-thirds vote of the Committee or subcommittee.

[[Page H190]]

       (d) The Chairman, with such notice to the ranking Minority 
     Member as is practicable, may call and convene, as he 
     considers necessary, additional meetings of the Committee for 
     the consideration of any bill or resolution pending before 
     the Committee or for the conduct of other Committee business. 
     The Committee shall meet for such purpose pursuant to that 
     call of the Chairman.
       (e) Committee and subcommittee meetings for the transaction 
     of business, i.e., meetings other than those held for the 
     purpose of taking testimony, shall be open to the public 
     except when the Committee or subcommittee determines by 
     majority vote to close the meeting because disclosure of 
     matters to be considered would endanger national security, 
     would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or 
     would tend to defame, degrade or incriminate any person or 
     otherwise would violate any law or rule of the House.
       (f) Every motion made to the Committee and entertained by 
     the Chairman shall be reduced to writing upon demand of any 
     Member, and a copy made available to each Member present.
       (g) For purposes of taking any action at a meeting of the 
     full Committee or any subcommittee thereof, a quorum shall be 
     constituted by the presence of not less than one-third of the 
     Members of the Committee or subcommittee, except that a full 
     majority of the Members of the Committee or subcommittee 
     shall constitute a quorum for purposes of reporting a measure 
     or recommendation from the Committee or subcommittee, closing 
     a meeting to the public, or authorizing the issuance of a 
     subpoena.
       (h) Transcripts of markups shall be recorded and may be 
     published in the same manner as hearings before the committee 
     and shall be included as part of the legislative report 
     unless waived by the Chairman.
     Rule III. Hearings
       (a) The Committee Chairman or any subcommittee chairman 
     shall make public announcement of the date, place, and 
     subject matter of any hearing to be conducted by it on any 
     measure or matter at least one week before the commencement 
     of that hearing. If the Chairman of the Committee, or 
     subcommittee, with the concurrence of the ranking Minority 
     Member, determines there is good cause to begin the hearing 
     sooner, or if the Committee or subcommittee so determines by 
     majority vote, a quorum being present for the transaction of 
     business, the Chairman or subcommittee chairman shall make 
     the announcement at the earliest possible date.
       (b) Committee and subcommittee hearings shall be open to 
     the public except when the Committee or subcommittee 
     determines by majority vote to close the meeting because 
     disclosure of matters to be considered would endanger 
     national security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement 
     information, or would tend to defame, degrade or incriminate 
     any person or otherwise would violate any law or rule of the 
     House.
       (c) For purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence 
     before the Committee or any subcommittee, a quorum shall be 
     constituted by the presence of two Members.
       (d) In the course of any hearing each Member shall be 
     allowed five minutes for the interrogation of a witness until 
     such time as each Member who so desires has had an 
     opportunity to question the witness.
       (e) The transcripts of those hearings conducted by the 
     committee which are decided to be printed shall be published 
     in verbatim form, with the material requested for the record 
     inserted at that place requested, or at the end of the 
     record, as appropriate. Individuals, including Members of 
     Congress, whose comments are to be published as part of a 
     committee document shall be given the opportunity to 
     verify the accuracy of the transcription in advance of 
     publication. Any requests by those Members, staff or 
     witnesses to correct any errors other than errors in the 
     transcription, or disputed errors in transcription, shall 
     be appended to the record, and the appropriate place where 
     the change is requested will be footnoted. Prior to 
     approval by the Chairman of hearings conducted jointly 
     with another congressional committee, a memorandum of 
     understanding shall be prepared which incorporates an 
     agreement for the publication of the verbatim transcript.
     Rule IV. Broadcasting
       Whenever a hearing or meeting conducted by the Committee or 
     any subcommittee is open to the public, those proceedings 
     shall be open to coverage by television, radio and still 
     photography except when the hearing or meeting is closed 
     pursuant to the Committee Rules of Procedure.
     Rule V. Standing Subcommittees
       (a) The full Committee shall have jurisdiction over the 
     following subject matters: antitrust law, tort liability, 
     including medical malpractice and product liability, legal 
     reform generally, and such other matters as determined by the 
     Chairman.
       (b) There shall be five standing subcommittees of the 
     Committee on the Judiciary, with jurisdictions as follows:
       (1) Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual 
     Property: copyright, patent and trademark law, information 
     technology, administration of U.S. courts, Federal Rules of 
     Evidence, Civil and Appellate Procedure, judicial ethics, 
     other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and 
     relevant oversight.
       (2) Subcommittee on the Constitution: constitutional 
     amendments, constitutional rights, federal civil rights laws, 
     ethics in government, other appropriate matters as referred 
     by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
       (3) Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law: 
     bankruptcy and commercial law, bankruptcy judgeships, 
     administrative law, independent counsel, state taxation 
     affecting interstate commerce, interstate compacts, other 
     appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant 
     oversight.
       (4) Subcommittee on Crime: Federal Criminal Code, drug 
     enforcement, sentencing, parole and pardons, Federal Rules of 
     Criminal Procedure, prisons, other appropriate matters as 
     referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
       (5) Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims: immigration and 
     naturalization, admission of refugees, treaties, conventions 
     and international agreements, claims against the United 
     States, federal charters of incorporation, private 
     immigration and claims bills, other appropriate matters as 
     referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
       (c) The Chairman of the Committee and ranking Minority 
     Member thereof shall be ex officio Members, but not voting 
     Members, of each subcommittee to which such Chairman or 
     ranking Minority member has not been assigned by resolution 
     of the Committee. Ex officio Members shall not be counted as 
     present for purposes of constituting a quorum at any hearing 
     or meeting of such subcommittee.
     Rule VI. Powers and Duties of Subcommittees
       Each subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, 
     receive evidence, and report to the full Committee on all 
     mattes referred to it or under its jurisdiction. Subcommittee 
     chairmen shall set dates for hearings and meetings of their 
     respective subcommittees after consultation with the Chairman 
     and other subcommittee chairmen with a view toward avoiding 
     simultaneous scheduling of full Committee and subcommittee 
     meetings or hearings whenever possible.
     Rule VII. Non-Legislative Reports
       No report of the Committee or subcommittee which does not 
     accompany a measure or matter for consideration by the House 
     shall be published unless all Members of the Committee or 
     subcommittee issuing the report shall have been apprised of 
     such report and given the opportunity to give notice of 
     intention to file supplemental, additional, or dissenting 
     views as part of the report. In no case shall the time in 
     which to file such views be less than three calendar days 
     (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays when the 
     House is not in session).
     Rule VIII. Committee Records
       The records of the Committee at the National Archives and 
     Records Administration shall be made available for public use 
     according to the Rules of the House. The Chairman shall 
     notify the ranking Minority Member of any decision to 
     withhold a record otherwise available, and the matter shall 
     be presented to the Committee for a determination on the 
     written request of any Member of the Committee.

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