[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair desires to read to the Members the 
contents of clause 9 of rule XVII:


                             Secret Session

  Whenever confidential communications are received from the President 
of the United States, or whenever the Speaker or any Member shall 
inform the House that he has communications which he believes ought to 
be kept secret for the present, the House shall be cleared of all 
persons except the Members and officers thereof, and so continue during 
the reading of such communications, the debates and the proceedings 
thereon, unless otherwise ordered by the House.
  The galleries of the House Chamber will be cleared of all persons and 
the House Chamber will be cleared of all persons except Members of the 
House and those officers and employees specified by the Speaker whose 
attendance on the floor is essential to the functioning of the secret 
session of the House. All proceedings in the House during such 
consideration shall be kept secret until otherwise ordered by the 
House.
  In addition to the provisions of clause 13 of rule XXIII, which is 
applicable to all Members, officers and employees, every employee and 
officer present in the Chamber during the secret session will sign an 
oath of secrecy, which is in the Speaker's Ceremonial Office, room H-
210.
  The Chair will declare a recess long enough for this order to be 
carried out.
  The Chair will ask all Members to leave the Chamber temporarily until 
the security check is completed.
  Three bells will be rung approximately 15 minutes before the House 
reconvenes for the secret session.

                          ____________________