[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2133-S2134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has 
adopted rules governing its procedures for the 111th Congress. Pursuant 
to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on 
behalf of myself and Senator Burr, I ask unanimous consent to have a 
copy of the committee rules be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                     COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

                   Rules of Procedure, 111th Congress


                              i. meetings

       (A) Unless otherwise ordered, the Committee shall meet on 
     the first Wednesday of each month. The Chairman may, upon 
     proper notice, call such additional meetings as deemed 
     necessary.
       (B) Except as provided in subparagraphs (b) and (d) of 
     paragraph 5 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public. The 
     Committee shall prepare and keep a complete transcript or 
     electronic recording adequate to fully record the proceedings 
     of each meeting whether or not such meeting or any part 
     thereof is closed to the public.
       (C) The Chairman of the Committee, or the Ranking Majority 
     Member present in the absence of the Chairman, or such other 
     Member as the Chairman may designate, shall preside over all 
     meetings.
       (D) Except as provided in rule XXVI of the Standing Rules 
     of the Senate, no meeting of

[[Page S2134]]

     the Committee shall be scheduled except by majority vote of 
     the Committee or by authorization of the Chairman of the 
     Committee.
       (E) The Committee shall notify the office designated by the 
     Committee on Rules and Administration of the time, place, and 
     purpose of each meeting. In the event such meeting is 
     canceled, the Committee shall immediately notify such 
     designated office.
       (F) Written or electronic notice of a Committee meeting, 
     accompanied by an agenda enumerating the items of business to 
     be considered, shall be sent to all Committee Members at 
     least 72 hours (not counting Saturdays, Sundays, and federal 
     holidays) in advance of each meeting. In the event that the 
     giving of such 72-hour notice is prevented by unforeseen 
     requirements or Committee business, the Committee staff shall 
     communicate notice by the quickest appropriate means to 
     Members or appropriate staff assistants of Members and an 
     agenda shall be furnished prior to the meeting.
       (G) Subject to the second sentence of this paragraph, it 
     shall not be in order for the Committee to consider any 
     amendment in the first degree proposed to any measure under 
     consideration by the Committee unless a written or electronic 
     copy of such amendment has been delivered to each Member of 
     the Committee at least 24 hours before the meeting at which 
     the amendment is to be proposed. This paragraph may be waived 
     by a majority vote of the Members and shall apply only when 
     72-hour written notice has been provided in accordance with 
     paragraph (F).


                              ii. quorums

       (A) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (B), eight 
     Members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the 
     reporting or approving of any measure or matter or 
     recommendation. Five Members of the Committee shall 
     constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting any other 
     business.
       (B) In order to transact any business at a Committee 
     meeting, at least one Member of the minority shall be 
     present. If, at any meeting, business cannot be transacted 
     because of the absence of such a Member, the matter shall lay 
     over for a calendar day. If the presence of a minority Member 
     is not then obtained, business may be transacted by the 
     appropriate quorum.
       (C) One Member shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of 
     receiving testimony.


                              iii. voting

       (A) Votes may be cast by proxy. A proxy shall be written 
     and may be conditioned by personal instructions. A proxy 
     shall be valid only for the day given.
       (B) There shall be a complete record kept of all Committee 
     actions. Such record shall contain the vote cast by each 
     Member of the Committee on any question on which a roll call 
     vote is requested.


                  iv. hearings and hearing procedures

       (A) Except as specifically otherwise provided, the rules 
     governing meetings shall govern hearings.
       (B) At least one week in advance of the date of any 
     hearing, the Committee shall undertake, consistent with the 
     provisions of paragraph 4 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules 
     of the Senate, to make public announcements of the date, 
     place, time, and subject matter of such hearing.
       (C) The Committee shall require each witness who is 
     scheduled to testify at any hearing to file 40 copies of such 
     witness' testimony with the Committee not later than 48 hours 
     prior to the witness' scheduled appearance unless the 
     Chairman and Ranking Minority Member determine there is good 
     cause for failure to do so.
       (D) The presiding Member at any hearing is authorized to 
     limit the time allotted to each witness appearing before the 
     Committee.
       (E) The Chairman, with the concurrence of the Ranking 
     Minority Member of the Committee, is authorized to subpoena 
     the attendance of witnesses and the production of memoranda, 
     documents, records, and any other materials. If the Chairman 
     or a Committee staff member designated by the Chairman has 
     not received from the Ranking Minority Member or a Committee 
     staff member designated by the Ranking Minority Member notice 
     of the Ranking Minority Member's non-concurrence in the 
     subpoena within 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and 
     federal holidays) of being notified of the Chairman's 
     intention to subpoena attendance or production, the Chairman 
     is authorized following the end of the 48-hour period 
     involved to subpoena the same without the Ranking Minority 
     Member's concurrence. Regardless of whether a subpoena has 
     been concurred in by the Ranking Minority Member, such 
     subpoena may be authorized by vote of the Members of the 
     Committee. When the Committee or Chairman authorizes a 
     subpoena, the subpoena may be issued upon the signature of 
     the Chairman or of any other Member of the Committee 
     designated by the Chairman.
       (F) Except as specified in Committee Rule VII (requiring 
     oaths, under certain circumstances, at hearings to confirm 
     Presidential nominations), witnesses at hearings will be 
     required to give testimony under oath whenever the presiding 
     Member deems such to be advisable.


                           v. media coverage

       Any Committee meeting or hearing which is open to the 
     public may be covered by television, radio, and print media. 
     Photographers, reporters, and crew members using mechanical 
     recording, filming, or broadcasting devices shall position 
     and use their equipment so as not to interfere with the 
     seating, vision, or hearing of the Committee Members or staff 
     or with the orderly conduct of the meeting or hearing. The 
     presiding Member of the meeting or hearing may for good cause 
     terminate, in whole or in part, the use of such mechanical 
     devices or take such other action as the circumstances and 
     the orderly conduct of the meeting or hearing may warrant.


                              vi. general

       All applicable requirements of the Standing Rules of the 
     Senate shall govern the Committee.


                     vii. presidential nominations

       (A) Each Presidential nominee whose nomination is subject 
     to Senate confirmation and referred to this Committee shall 
     submit a statement of his or her background and financial 
     interests, including the financial interests of his or her 
     spouse and of children living in the nominee's household, on 
     a form approved by the Committee which shall be sworn to as 
     to its completeness and accuracy. The Committee form shall be 
     in two parts:
       (1) Information concerning employment, education, and 
     background of the nominee which generally relates to the 
     position to which the individual is nominated and which is to 
     be made public; and
       (2) Information concerning the financial and other 
     background of the nominee, to be made public when the 
     Committee determines that such information bears directly on 
     the nominee's qualifications to hold the position to which 
     the individual is nominated.
       (B) At any hearing to confirm a Presidential nomination, 
     the testimony of the nominee and, at the request of any 
     Member, any other witness shall be under oath.
       (C) Committee action on a nomination, including hearings or 
     a meeting to consider a motion to recommend confirmation, 
     shall not be initiated until at least five days after the 
     nominee submits the form required by this rule unless the 
     Chairman, with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority 
     Member, waives this waiting period.


       viii. naming of department of veterans affairs facilities

       It is the policy of the Committee that no Department of 
     Veterans Affairs facility shall be named after any individual 
     unless:
       (A) Such individual is deceased and was:
       (1) A veteran who (i) was instrumental in the construction 
     or the operation of the facility to be named, or (ii) was a 
     recipient of the Medal of Honor or, as determined by the 
     Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, otherwise performed 
     military service of an extraordinarily distinguished 
     character;
       (2) A Member of the United States House of Representatives 
     or Senate who had a direct association with such facility;
       (3) An Administrator of Veterans Affairs, a Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs, a Secretary of Defense or of a service 
     branch, or a military or other Federal civilian official of 
     comparable or higher rank; or
       (4) An individual who, as determined by the Chairman and 
     Ranking Minority Member, performed outstanding service for 
     veterans.
       (B) Each Member of the Congressional delegation 
     representing the State in which the designated facility is 
     located must indicate in writing such Member's support of the 
     proposal to name such facility after such individual.
       (C) The pertinent State department or chapter of each 
     Congressionally chartered veterans' organization having a 
     national membership of at least 500,000 must indicate in 
     writing its support of such proposal.


                      ix. amendments to the rules

       The rules of the Committee may be changed, modified, 
     amended, or suspended at any time provided, however, that no 
     less than a majority of the entire membership so determine at 
     a regular meeting with due notice or at a meeting 
     specifically called for that purpose. The rules governing 
     quorums for reporting legislative matters shall govern rules 
     changes, modification, amendments, or suspension.

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