[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 23, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H259-H275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PUBLICATION OF COMMITTEE RULES

         Rules of the Committee on Rules for the 113th Congress

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I submit the attached copy of the rules of 
the Committee on Rules for the U.S. House of Representatives for the 
113th Congress:


                       RULE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

       (a) The Rules of the House are the rules of the Committee 
     and its 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 non-debatable privileged 
     motions in the Committee. A proposed investigative or 
     oversight report shall be considered as read if it has been 
     available to the members of the Committee for at least 24 
     hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except 
     when the House is in session on such day).
       (b) Each subcommittee is a part of the Committee, and is 
     subject to the authority and direction of the Committee and 
     to its rules so far as applicable.
       (c) The provisions of clause 2 of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House are incorporated by reference as the rules of the 
     Committee to the extent applicable.
       (d) The Committee's rules shall be published in the 
     Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the 
     Committee is elected in each odd-numbered year.


           RULE 2--REGULAR, ADDITIONAL, AND SPECIAL MEETINGS

                            Regular Meetings

       (a)(1) The Committee shall regularly meet at 5:00 p.m. on 
     the first day on which votes are scheduled of each week when 
     the House is in session.
       (2) A regular meeting of the Committee may be dispensed 
     with if, in the judgment of the Chairman of the Committee 
     (hereafter in these rules referred to as the ``Chair''), 
     there is no need for the meeting.
       (3) Additional regular meetings and hearings of the 
     Committee may be called by the Chair.

                      Notice for Regular Meetings

       (b) The Chair shall notify in electronic or written form 
     each member of the Committee of the agenda of each regular 
     meeting of the Committee at least 48 hours before the time of 
     the meeting and shall provide to each member of the 
     Committee, at least 24 hours before the time of each regular 
     meeting:
       (1) for each bill or resolution scheduled on the agenda for 
     consideration of a rule, a copy of--
       (A) the bill or resolution;
       (B) any committee reports thereon; and
       (C) any available letter requesting a rule for the bill or 
     resolution; and
       (2) for each other bill, resolution, report, or other 
     matter on the agenda a copy of--
       (A) the bill, resolution, report, or materials relating to 
     the other matter in question; and
       (B) any report on the bill, resolution, report, or any 
     other matter made by any subcommittee of the Committee.

                           Emergency Meetings

       (c)(1) The Chair may call an emergency meeting of the 
     Committee at any time on any measure or matter which the 
     Chair determines to be of an emergency nature; provided, 
     however, that the Chair has made an effort to consult the 
     ranking minority member, or, in such member's absence, the 
     next ranking minority party member of the Committee.
       (2) As soon as possible after calling an emergency meeting 
     of the Committee, the Chair shall notify each member of the 
     Committee of the time and location of the meeting.
       (3) To the extent feasible, the notice provided under 
     paragraph (2) shall include the agenda for the emergency 
     meeting and copies of available materials which would 
     otherwise have been provided under subsection (b) if the 
     emergency meeting was a regular meeting.

                            Special Meetings

       (d) Special meetings shall be called and convened as 
     provided in clause 2(c)(2) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
     House.


                 RULE 3--MEETING AND HEARING PROCEDURES

                               In General

       (a)(1) Meetings and hearings of the Committee shall be 
     called to order and presided over by the Chair or, in the 
     Chair's absence, by the member designated by the Chair as the 
     Vice Chair of the Committee, or by the ranking majority 
     member of the Committee present as Acting Chair.
       (2) Meetings and hearings of the Committee shall be open to 
     the public unless closed in accordance with clause 2(g) of 
     rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
       (3) Any meeting or hearing of the Committee that is open to 
     the public shall be open to coverage by television, radio, 
     and still photography in accordance with the provisions of 
     clause 4 of rule XI of the Rules of the House (which are 
     incorporated by reference as part of these rules).
       (4) Before a motion to report a rule is offered, a copy of 
     the language recommended shall be furnished to each member of 
     the Committee.

                                 Quorum

       (b)(1) For the purpose of hearing testimony on requests for 
     rules, five members of the Committee shall constitute a 
     quorum.
       (2) For the purpose of taking testimony and receiving 
     evidence on measures or matters of original jurisdiction 
     before the Committee, three members of the Committee shall 
     constitute a quorum.
       (3) A majority of the members of the Committee shall 
     constitute a quorum for the purposes of: reporting any 
     measure or matter; authorizing a subpoena; closing a meeting 
     or hearing pursuant to clause 2(g) of rule XI of

[[Page H260]]

     the Rules of the House (except as provided in clause 
     2(g)(2)(A) and (B)); or taking any other action.

                                 Voting

       (c)(1) No vote may be conducted on any measure or motion 
     pending before the Committee unless a majority of the members 
     of the Committee is actually present for such purpose.
       (2) A record vote of the Committee shall be provided on any 
     question before the Committee upon the request of any member.
       (3) No vote by any member of the Committee on any measure 
     or matter may be cast by proxy.
       (4) A record of the vote of each Member of the Committee on 
     each record vote on any measure or matter before the 
     Committee shall be made publicly available in electronic form 
     within 48 hours, and with respect to any record vote on any 
     motion to amend or report, shall be included in the report of 
     the Committee showing the total number of votes cast for and 
     against and the names of those members voting for and 
     against.

                           Hearing Procedures

       (d)(1) With regard to hearings on matters of original 
     jurisdiction, to the greatest extent practicable:
       (A) each witness who is to appear before the Committee 
     shall file with the Committee at least 24 hours in advance of 
     the appearance a statement of proposed testimony in written 
     and electronic form and shall limit the oral presentation to 
     the Committee to a brief summary thereof; and
       (B) each witness appearing in a non-governmental capacity 
     shall include with the statement of proposed testimony 
     provided in written and electronic form a curriculum vitae 
     and a disclosure of the amount and source (by agency and 
     program) of any Federal grant (or subgrant thereof) or 
     contract (or subcontract thereof) received during the current 
     fiscal year or either of the two preceding fiscal years.
       (2) The five-minute rule shall be observed in the 
     interrogation of each witness before the Committee until each 
     member of the Committee has had an opportunity to question 
     the witness.
       (3) The provisions of clause 2(k) of rule XI of the Rules 
     of the House shall apply to any hearing conducted by the 
     Committee.

                          Subpoenas and Oaths

       (e)(1) Pursuant to clause 2(m) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, a subpoena may be authorized 
     and issued by the Committee or a subcommittee in the conduct 
     of any investigation or series of investigations or 
     activities, only when authorized by a majority of the members 
     voting, a majority being present.
       (2) The Chair may authorize and issue subpoenas under such 
     clause during any period in which the House has adjourned for 
     a period of longer than three days.
       (3) Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the Chair or by 
     any member designated by the Committee, and may be served by 
     any person designated by the Chair or such member.
       (4) The Chair, or any member of the Committee designated by 
     the Chair, may administer oaths to witnesses before the 
     Committee.


               RULE 4--GENERAL OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES

       (a) The Committee shall review and study, on a continuing 
     basis, the application, administration, execution, and 
     effectiveness of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject 
     matter of which is within its jurisdiction.
       (b) Not later than February 15 of the first session of a 
     Congress, the Committee shall meet in open session, with a 
     quorum present, to adopt its oversight plans for that 
     Congress for submission to the Committee on House 
     Administration and the Committee on Oversight and Government 
     Reform, in accordance with the provisions of clause 2(d) of 
     House rule X.


                         RULE 5--SUBCOMMITTEES

          Establishment and Responsibilities of Subcommittees

       (a)(1) There shall be two subcommittees of the Committee as 
     follows:
       (A) Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process, which 
     shall have general responsibility for measures or matters 
     related to relations between the Congress and the Executive 
     Branch.
       (B) Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House, 
     which shall have general responsibility for measures or 
     matters related to process and procedures of the House, 
     relations between the two Houses of Congress, relations 
     between the Congress and the Judiciary, and internal 
     operations of the House.
       (2) In addition, each such subcommittee shall have specific 
     responsibility for such other measures or matters as the 
     Chair refers to it.
       (3) Each subcommittee of the Committee shall review and 
     study, on a continuing basis, the application, 
     administration, execution, and effectiveness of those laws, 
     or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is within its 
     general responsibility.

           Referral of Measures and Matters to Subcommittees

       (b)(1) No special order providing for the consideration of 
     any bill or resolution shall be referred to a subcommittee of 
     the Committee.
       (2) The Chair shall refer to a subcommittee such measures 
     or matters of original jurisdiction as the Chair deems 
     appropriate given its jurisdiction and responsibilities.
       (3) All other measures or matters of original jurisdiction 
     shall be subject to consideration by the full Committee.
       (4) In referring any measure or matter of original 
     jurisdiction to a subcommittee, the Chair may specify a date 
     by which the subcommittee shall report thereon to the 
     Committee.
       (5) The Committee by motion may discharge a subcommittee 
     from consideration of any measure or matter referred to a 
     subcommittee of the Committee.

                      Composition of Subcommittees

       (c) The size and ratio of each subcommittee shall be 
     determined by the Committee and members shall be elected to 
     each subcommittee, and to the positions of chairman and 
     ranking minority member thereof, in accordance with the rules 
     of the respective party caucuses. The Chair of the full 
     Committee shall designate a member of the majority party on 
     each subcommittee as its vice chairman.

                   Subcommittee Meetings and Hearings

       (d)(1) Each subcommittee of the Committee is authorized to 
     meet, hold hearings, receive testimony, mark up legislation, 
     and report to the full Committee on any measure or matter 
     referred to it.
       (2) No subcommittee of the Committee may meet or hold a 
     hearing at the same time as a meeting or hearing of the full 
     Committee is being held.
       (3) The chairman of each subcommittee shall schedule 
     meetings and hearings of the subcommittee only after 
     consultation with the Chair.

                                 Quorum

       (e)(1) For the purpose of taking testimony, two members of 
     the subcommittee shall constitute a quorum.
       (2) For all other purposes, a quorum shall consist of a 
     majority of the members of a subcommittee.

                          Effect of a Vacancy

       (f) Any vacancy in the membership of a subcommittee shall 
     not affect the power of the remaining members to execute the 
     functions of the subcommittee.

                                Records

       (g) Each subcommittee of the Committee shall provide the 
     full Committee with copies of such records of votes taken in 
     the subcommittee and such other records with respect to the 
     subcommittee necessary for the Committee to comply with all 
     rules and regulations of the House.


                             RULE 6--STAFF

                               In General

       (a)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the 
     professional and other staff of the Committee shall be 
     appointed, by the Chair, and shall work under the general 
     supervision and direction of the Chair.
       (2) All professional, and other staff provided to the 
     minority party members of the Committee shall be appointed, 
     by the ranking minority member of the Committee, and shall 
     work under the general supervision and direction of such 
     member.
       (3) The appointment of all professional staff shall be 
     subject to the approval of the Committee as provided by, and 
     subject to the provisions of, clause 9 of rule X of the Rules 
     of the House.

                            Associate Staff

       (b) Associate staff for members of the Committee may be 
     appointed only at the discretion of the Chair (in 
     consultation with the ranking minority member regarding any 
     minority party associate staff), after taking into account 
     any staff ceilings and budgetary constraints in effect at the 
     time, and any terms, limits, or conditions established by the 
     Committee on House Administration under clause 9 of rule X of 
     the Rules of the House.

                           Subcommittee Staff

       (c) From funds made available for the appointment of staff, 
     the Chair of the Committee shall, pursuant to clause 6(d) of 
     rule X of the Rules of the House, ensure that sufficient 
     staff is made available to each subcommittee to carry out its 
     responsibilities under the rules of the Committee, and, after 
     consultation with the ranking minority member of the 
     Committee, that the minority party of the Committee is 
     treated fairly in the appointment of such staff.

                         Compensation of Staff

       (d) The Chair shall fix the compensation of all 
     professional and other staff of the Committee, after 
     consultation with the ranking minority member regarding any 
     minority party staff.

                         Certification of Staff

       (e)(1) To the extent any staff member of the Committee or 
     any of its subcommittees does not work under the direct 
     supervision and direction of the Chair, the Member of the 
     Committee who supervises and directs the staff member's work 
     shall file with the Chief of Staff of the Committee (not 
     later than the tenth day of each month) a certification 
     regarding the staff member's work for that member for the 
     preceding calendar month.
       (2) The certification required by paragraph (1) shall be in 
     such form as the Chair may prescribe, shall identify each 
     staff member by name, and shall state that the work engaged 
     in by the staff member and the duties assigned to the staff 
     member for the member of the Committee with respect to the 
     month in question met the requirements of clause 9 of rule X 
     of the Rules of the House.
       (3) Any certification of staff of the Committee, or any of 
     its subcommittees, made

[[Page H261]]

     by the Chair in compliance with any provision of law or 
     regulation shall be made--
       (A) on the basis of the certifications filed under 
     paragraph (1) to the extent the staff is not under the 
     Chair's supervision and direction, and
       (B) on his own responsibility to the extent the staff is 
     under the Chair's direct supervision and direction.


                RULE 7--BUDGET, TRAVEL, PAY OF WITNESSES

                                 Budget

       (a) The Chair, in consultation with other members of the 
     Committee, shall prepare for each Congress a budget providing 
     amounts for staff, necessary travel, investigation, and other 
     expenses of the Committee and its subcommittees.

                                 Travel

       (b)(1) The Chair may authorize travel for any member and 
     any staff member of the Committee in connection with 
     activities or subject matters under the general jurisdiction 
     of the Committee. Before such authorization is granted, there 
     shall be submitted to the Chair in writing the following:
       (A) The purpose of the travel.
       (B) The dates during which the travel is to occur.
       (C) The names of the States or countries to be visited and 
     the length of time to be spent in each.
       (D) The names of members and staff of the Committee for 
     whom the authorization is sought.
       (2) Members and staff of the Committee shall make a written 
     report to the Chair on any travel they have conducted under 
     this subsection, including a description of their itinerary, 
     expenses, and activities, and of pertinent information gained 
     as a result of such travel.
       (3) Members and staff of the Committee performing 
     authorized travel on official business shall be governed by 
     applicable laws, resolutions, and regulations of the House 
     and of the Committee on House Administration.

                            Pay of Witnesses

       (c) Witnesses may be paid from funds made available to the 
     Committee in its expense resolution subject to the provisions 
     of clause 5 of rule XI of the Rules of the House.


                   RULE 8-- COMMITTEE ADMINISTRATION

                               Reporting

       (a) Whenever the Committee authorizes the favorable 
     reporting of a bill or resolution from the Committee--
       (1) the Chair or acting Chair shall report it to the House 
     or designate a member of the Committee to do so, and
       (2) in the case of a bill or resolution in which the 
     Committee has original jurisdiction, the Chair shall allow, 
     to the extent that the anticipated floor schedule permits, 
     any member of the Committee a reasonable amount of time to 
     submit views for inclusion in the Committee report on the 
     bill or resolution. Any such report shall contain all matters 
     required by the Rules of the House of Representatives (or by 
     any provision of law enacted as an exercise of the rulemaking 
     power of the House) and such other information as the Chair 
     deems appropriate.
       (3) In the case of a resolution providing for consideration 
     of a measure, the Committee report accompanying such 
     resolution shall include an accurate explanation of any 
     waivers of points of order, including a detailed explanation 
     of all points of order.

                                Records

       (b)(1) There shall be a transcript made of each regular 
     meeting and hearing of the Committee, and the transcript may 
     be printed if the Chair decides it is appropriate or if a 
     majority of the Members of the Committee requests such 
     printing. Any such transcripts shall be a substantially 
     verbatim account of remarks actually made during the 
     proceedings, subject only to technical, grammatical, and 
     typographical corrections authorized by the person making the 
     remarks. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to 
     require that all such transcripts be subject to correction 
     and publication.
       (2) The Committee shall keep a record of all actions of the 
     Committee and of its subcommittees. The record shall contain 
     all information required by clause 2(e)(1) of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives and shall be available 
     for public inspection at reasonable times in the offices of 
     the Committee.
       (3) All Committee hearings, records, data, charts, and 
     files shall be kept separate and distinct from the 
     congressional office records of the Chair, shall be the 
     property of the House, and all Members of the House shall 
     have access thereto as provided in clause 2(e)(2) of rule XI 
     of the Rules of the House.
       (4) The records of the Committee at the National Archives 
     and Records Administration shall be made available for public 
     use in accordance with rule VII of the Rules of the House. 
     The Chair shall notify the ranking minority member of any 
     decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of the 
     rule, to withhold a record otherwise available, and the 
     matter shall be presented to the Committee for a 
     determination on written request of any member of the 
     Committee.

                        Audio and Video Coverage

       (c) The Chair shall provide, to the maximum extent 
     practicable,--
       (1) Complete and unedited audio and video broadcasts of all 
     committee hearings and meetings; and
       (2) For distribution of such broadcasts and unedited 
     recordings thereof to the public and for the storage of audio 
     and video recordings of the proceedings. Proceedings shall be 
     broadcast live on the Majority Committee website and 
     recordings shall be made available on such website within one 
     calendar day of the proceeding.

                 Committee Publications on the Internet

       (d) To the maximum extent feasible, the Committee shall 
     make its publications available in electronic form.

                                Journal

       (e)(1) The Committee shall maintain a Committee Journal, 
     which shall include all bills, resolutions, and other matters 
     referred to or reported by the Committee and all bills, 
     resolutions, and other matters reported by any other 
     committee on which a rule has been granted or formally 
     requested, and such other matters as the Chair shall direct. 
     The Journal shall be published periodically, but in no case 
     less often than once in each session of Congress. (2) A rule 
     is considered as formally requested when the Chairman of a 
     committee of primary jurisdiction which has reported a bill 
     or resolution (or a member of such committee authorized to 
     act on the Chairman's behalf):
       (A) has requested, in writing to the Chair, that a hearing 
     be scheduled on a rule for the consideration of the bill or 
     resolution, and
       (B) has supplied the Committee with the bill or resolution, 
     as reported, together with the final committee report 
     thereon.

                            Other Procedures

       (f) The Chair may establish such other Committee procedures 
     and take such actions as may be necessary to carry out these 
     rules or to facilitate the effective operation of the 
     Committee and its subcommittees in a manner consistent with 
     these rules.


                 RULE 9--AMENDMENTS TO COMMITTEE RULES

       The rules of the Committee may be modified, amended or 
     repealed, in the same manner and method as prescribed for the 
     adoption of committee rules in clause 2 of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House, but only if written notice of the 
     proposed change has been provided to each Member at least 48 
     hours before the time of the meeting at which the vote on the 
     change occurs. Any such change in the rules of the Committee 
     shall be published in the Congressional Record within 30 
     calendar days after their approval.
                                  ____


   Rules of the Committee on Natural Resources for the 113th Congress

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I submit for publication the 
attached copy of the rules of the Committee on Natural Resources for 
the U.S. House of Representatives for the 113th Congress:


               RULE 1. RULES OF THE HOUSE; VICE CHAIRMEN

       (a) Applicability of House Rules.
       (1) The Rules of the House of Representatives, so far as 
     they are applicable, are the rules of the Committee on 
     Natural Resources (hereinafter in these rules referred to as 
     the ``Committee'') and its Subcommittees.
       (2) Each Subcommittee is part of the Committee and is 
     subject to the authority, direction and rules of the 
     Committee. References in these rules to ``Committee'' and 
     ``Chairman'' shall apply to each Subcommittee and its 
     Chairman wherever applicable.
       (3) House Rule XI is incorporated and made a part of the 
     rules of the Committee to the extent applicable.
       (b) Vice Chairmen.--Unless inconsistent with other rules, 
     the Chairman shall appoint Vice Chairmen of the Committee and 
     the Subcommittees. If the Chairman of the Committee or 
     Subcommittee is not present at any meeting of the Committee 
     or Subcommittee, as the case may be, the Vice Chairman shall 
     preside. If the Vice Chairman is not present, the ranking 
     Member of the Majority party on the Committee or Subcommittee 
     who is present shall preside at that meeting.


                      RULE 2. MEETINGS IN GENERAL

       (a) Scheduled Meetings.--The Committee shall meet at 10 
     a.m. every Wednesday when the House is in session if so 
     noticed by the Chairman under Committee Rule 3(a). The 
     Committee shall also meet at the call of the Chairman subject 
     to advance notice to all Members of the Committee. Special 
     meetings shall be called and convened by the Chairman as 
     provided in clause 2(c)(1) of House Rule XI. Any Committee 
     meeting or hearing that conflicts with a party caucus, 
     conference, or similar party meeting shall be rescheduled at 
     the discretion of the Chairman, in consultation with the 
     Ranking Minority Member. The Committee may not sit during a 
     joint session of the House and Senate or during a recess when 
     a joint meeting of the House and Senate is in progress.
       (b) Open Meetings.--Each meeting for the transaction of 
     business, including the markup of legislation, and each 
     hearing of the Committee or a Subcommittee shall be open to 
     the public, except as provided by clause 2(g) and clause 2(k) 
     of House Rule XI.
       (c) Broadcasting.--Whenever a meeting for the transaction 
     of business, including the markup of legislation, or a 
     hearing is open to the public, that meeting or hearing shall 
     be open to coverage by television, radio, and still 
     photography in accordance with clause 4 of House Rule XI. The 
     provisions of clause 4(f) of House Rule XI are specifically 
     made part of these rules by reference. To the maximum extent 
     practicable, the Committee shall provide audio and visual 
     coverage of each hearing or meeting for the transaction of 
     business in a manner that allows the public to easily listen 
     to and view the proceedings, and maintain the recordings of

[[Page H262]]

     such coverage in a manner that is easily accessible to the 
     public. Operation and use of any Committee Internet broadcast 
     system shall be fair and nonpartisan and in accordance with 
     clause 4(b) of House Rule XI and all other applicable rules 
     of the Committee and the House.
       (d) Oversight Plan.--No later than February 15 of the first 
     session of each Congress, the Committee shall adopt its 
     oversight plans for that Congress in accordance with clause 
     2(d)(1) of House Rule X.


           RULE 3. MEETING AND HEARING PROCEDURES IN GENERAL

       (a) Notice and Information for Members and the Public.
       (1) The Chairman shall publicly announce the date, place 
     and subject matter of: (i) a Committee hearing, which may not 
     commence earlier than one week after such notice; or (ii) a 
     Committee meeting, which may not commence earlier than the 
     third day on which Members have notice thereof.
       (2) A hearing or meeting may begin sooner if the Chairman, 
     with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member, 
     determines that there is good cause to begin the meeting or 
     hearing sooner, or if the Committee so determines by majority 
     vote. In these cases, the Chairman shall publicly announce 
     the meeting or hearing at the earliest possible time. The 
     Chief Legislative Clerk of the Committee shall promptly 
     notify the Daily Digest Clerk of the Congressional Record and 
     shall promptly make publicly available in electronic form the 
     appropriate information as soon as possible after the public 
     announcement is made.
       (3) To the extent practicable, a background memorandum 
     prepared by the Majority staff for the Majority Members and 
     the Minority staff for the Minority Members summarizing the 
     major provisions of any bill being considered by the 
     Committee, including the need for the bill and its effect on 
     current law, will be available for the Members of the 
     Committee no later than 48 hours before the meeting.
       (b) Public Availability of Markup Text.--At least 24 hours 
     prior to the markup of any legislation (or at the time of an 
     announcement under paragraph (a)(2) above made within 24 
     hours before such meeting), the Chairman shall cause the text 
     of such legislation to be made publicly available in 
     electronic form.
       (c) Meetings and Hearings to Begin Promptly.--Each meeting 
     or hearing of the Committee shall begin promptly at the time 
     stipulated in the public announcement of the meeting or 
     hearing.
       (d) Addressing the Committee.--A Committee Member may 
     address the Committee or a Subcommittee on any bill, motion, 
     or other matter under consideration or may question a witness 
     at a hearing only when recognized by the Chairman for that 
     purpose. The time a Member may address the Committee or 
     Subcommittee for any purpose or to question a witness shall 
     be limited to five minutes, except as provided in Committee 
     Rule 4(f). A Member shall limit his remarks to the subject 
     matter under consideration. The Chairman shall enforce the 
     preceding provision.
       (e) Quorums.
       (1) A majority of the Members of the Committee shall 
     constitute a quorum for the reporting of any measure or 
     recommendation, the authorizing of a subpoena, the closing of 
     any meeting or hearing to the public under clause 2(g)(1), 
     clause 2(g)(2)(A) and clause 2(k)(5)(B) of House Rule XI, and 
     the releasing of executive session materials under clause 
     2(k)(7) of House Rule X. Testimony and evidence may be 
     received at any hearing at which there are at least two 
     Members of the Committee present. For the purpose of 
     transacting all other business of the Committee, one third of 
     the Members shall constitute a quorum.
       (2) When a call of the roll is required to ascertain the 
     presence of a quorum, the offices of all Members shall be 
     notified and the Members shall have not less than 15 minutes 
     to prove their attendance. The Chairman shall have the 
     discretion to waive this requirement when a quorum is 
     actually present or whenever a quorum is secured and may 
     direct the Chief Legislative Clerk to note the names of all 
     Members present within the 15-minute period.
       (f) Participation of Members in Committee and 
     Subcommittees.--Any Member of the Committee may sit with any 
     Subcommittee during any meeting or hearing, and by unanimous 
     consent of the Members of the Subcommittee, may participate 
     in such meeting or hearing. However, a Member who is not a 
     Member of the Subcommittee may not vote on any matter before 
     the Subcommittee, be counted for purposes of establishing a 
     quorum or raise points of order.
       (g) Proxies.--No vote in the Committee or its Subcommittees 
     may be cast by proxy.
       (h) Record Votes.--Record votes shall be ordered on the 
     demand of one-fifth of the Members present, or by any Member 
     in the apparent absence of a quorum.
       (i) Postponed Record Votes.
       (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Chairman may, after 
     consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, postpone 
     further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the 
     question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an 
     amendment. The Chairman shall resume proceedings on a 
     postponed request at any time after reasonable notice, but no 
     later than the next meeting day.
       (2) Notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous 
     question, when proceedings resume on a postponed question 
     under paragraph (1), an underlying proposition shall remain 
     subject to further debate or amendment to the same extent as 
     when the question was postponed.
       (3) This rule shall apply to Subcommittee proceedings.
       (j) Privileged Motions.--A motion to recess from day to 
     day, a motion to recess subject to the call of the Chairman 
     (within 24 hours), 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.
       (k) Layover and Copy of Bill.--No measure or recommendation 
     reported by a Subcommittee shall be considered by the 
     Committee until two calendar days from the time of 
     Subcommittee action. No bill shall be considered by the 
     Committee unless a copy has been delivered to the office of 
     each Member of the Committee requesting a copy. These 
     requirements may be waived by a majority vote of the 
     Committee at the time of consideration of the measure or 
     recommendation.
       (l) Access to Dais and Conference Room.--Access to the 
     hearing rooms' daises (and to the conference rooms adjacent 
     to the Committee hearing rooms) shall be limited to Members 
     of Congress and employees of the Committee during a meeting 
     of the Committee, except that Committee Members' personal 
     staff may be present on the daises if their employing Member 
     is the author of a bill or amendment under consideration by 
     the Committee, but only during the time that the bill or 
     amendment is under active consideration by the Committee. 
     Access to the conference rooms adjacent to the Committee 
     hearing rooms shall be limited to Members of Congress and 
     employees of Congress during a meeting of the Committee.
       (m) Cellular Telephones.--The use of cellular telephones is 
     prohibited on the Committee dais or in the Committee hearing 
     rooms during a meeting of the Committee.
       (n) Motion to go to Conference with the Senate.--The 
     Chairman may offer a motion under clause 1 of Rule XXII 
     whenever the Chairman considers it appropriate.


                       RULE 4. HEARING PROCEDURES

       (a) Written Statement; Oral Testimony.--Each witness who is 
     to appear before the Committee or a Subcommittee shall file 
     with the Chief Legislative Clerk of the Committee or 
     Subcommittee Clerk, at least two working days before the day 
     of his or her appearance, a written statement of their 
     proposed testimony. Each witness shall limit his or her oral 
     presentation to a five-minute summary of the written 
     statement, unless the Chairman, in consultation with the 
     Ranking Minority Member, extends this time period. In 
     addition, all witnesses shall be required to submit with 
     their testimony a resume or other statement describing their 
     education, employment, professional affiliations and other 
     background information pertinent to their testimony. Failure 
     to comply with these requirements may result in the exclusion 
     of the written testimony from the hearing record and/or the 
     barring of an oral presentation of the testimony.
       (b) Minority Witnesses.--When any hearing is conducted by 
     the Committee or any Subcommittee upon any measure or matter, 
     the Minority party Members on the Committee or Subcommittee 
     shall be entitled, upon request to the Chairman by a majority 
     of those Minority Members before the completion of the 
     hearing, to call witnesses selected by the Minority to 
     testify with respect to that measure or matter during at 
     least one day of hearings thereon.
       (c) Information for Members.--After announcement of a 
     hearing, the Committee shall make available as soon as 
     practicable to all Members of the Committee a tentative 
     witness list and to the extent practicable the Majority staff 
     shall make available to the Majority Members and the Minority 
     staff shall make available to the Minority Members a 
     memorandum explaining the subject matter of the hearing 
     (including relevant legislative reports and other necessary 
     material). In addition, the Chairman shall make available to 
     the Members of the Committee any official reports from 
     departments and agencies on the subject matter as they are 
     received.
       (d) Subpoenas.--The Committee or a Subcommittee may 
     authorize and issue a subpoena under clause 2(m) of House 
     Rule XI if authorized by a majority of the Members voting. In 
     addition, the Chairman of the Committee may authorize and 
     issue subpoenas during any period of time in which the House 
     of Representatives has adjourned for more than three days. 
     Subpoenas shall be signed only by the Chairman of the 
     Committee, or any Member of the Committee authorized by the 
     Committee, and may be served by any person designated by the 
     Chairman or Member.
       (e) Oaths.--The Chairman of the Committee or any Member 
     designated by the Chairman may administer oaths to any 
     witness before the Committee. All witnesses appearing in 
     hearings may be administered the following oath by the 
     Chairman or his designee prior to receiving the testimony: 
     ``Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony that you 
     are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
     but the truth, so help you God?''
       Opening Statements; Questioning of Witnesses.
       (1) Opening statements by Members may not be presented 
     orally, unless the Chairman or his designee makes a 
     statement, in which case the Ranking Minority Member or his

[[Page H263]]

     designee may also make a statement. If a witness scheduled to 
     testify at any hearing of the Committee is a constituent of a 
     Member of the Committee, that Member shall be entitled to 
     introduce the witness at the hearing.
       (2) The questioning of witnesses in Committee and 
     Subcommittee hearings shall be initiated by the Chairman, 
     followed by the Ranking Minority Member and all other Members 
     alternating between the Majority and Minority parties. In 
     recognizing Members to question witnesses, the Chairman shall 
     take into consideration the ratio of the Majority to Minority 
     Members present and shall establish the order of recognition 
     for questioning in a manner so as not to disadvantage the 
     Members of the Majority or the Members of the Minority. A 
     motion is in order to allow designated Majority and Minority 
     party Members to question a witness for a specified period to 
     be equally divided between the Majority and Minority parties. 
     This period shall not exceed one hour in the aggregate.
       (g) Materials for Hearing Record.--Any materials submitted 
     specifically for inclusion in the hearing record must address 
     the announced subject matter of the hearing and be submitted 
     to the relevant Subcommittee Clerk or Chief Legislative Clerk 
     no later than 10 business days following the last day of the 
     hearing.
       (h) Claims of Privilege.--Claims of common-law privileges 
     made by witnesses in hearings, or by interviewees or 
     deponents in investigations or inquiries, are applicable only 
     at the discretion of the Chairman, subject to appeal to the 
     Committee.


                  RULE 5. FILING OF COMMITTEE REPORTS

       (a) Duty of Chairman.--Whenever the Committee authorizes 
     the favorable reporting of a measure from the Committee, the 
     Chairman or his designee shall report the same to the House 
     of Representatives and shall take all steps necessary to 
     secure its passage without any additional authority needing 
     to be set forth in the motion to report each individual 
     measure. In appropriate cases, the authority set forth in 
     this rule shall extend to moving in accordance with the Rules 
     of the House of Representatives that the House be resolved 
     into the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
     Union for the consideration of the measure; and to moving in 
     accordance with the Rules of the House of Representatives for 
     the disposition of a Senate measure that is substantially the 
     same as the House measure as reported.
       (b) Filing.--A report on a measure which has been approved 
     by the Committee shall be filed within seven calendar days 
     (exclusive of days on which the House of Representatives is 
     not in session) after the day on which there has been filed 
     with the Committee Chief Legislative Clerk a written request, 
     signed by a majority of the Members of the Committee, for the 
     reporting of that measure. Upon the filing with the Committee 
     Chief Legislative Clerk of this request, the Chief 
     Legislative Clerk shall transmit immediately to the Chairman 
     notice of the filing of that request.
       (c) Supplemental, Additional or Minority Views.--Any Member 
     may, if notice is given by any Member at the time a bill or 
     resolution is approved by the Committee, file supplemental, 
     additional, or minority views. These views must be in writing 
     and signed by each Member joining therein and be filed with 
     the Committee Chief Legislative Clerk not less than two 
     additional calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and 
     legal holidays except when the House is in session on those 
     days) of the time the bill or resolution is approved by the 
     Committee. This paragraph shall not preclude the filing of 
     any supplemental report on any bill or resolution that may be 
     required for the correction of any technical error in a 
     previous report made by the Committee on that bill or 
     resolution.
       (d) Review by Members.--Each Member of the Committee shall 
     be given an opportunity to review each proposed Committee 
     report before it is filed with the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives. Nothing in this paragraph extends the time 
     allowed for filing supplemental, additional or minority views 
     under paragraph (c).
       (e) Disclaimer.--All Committee or Subcommittee reports 
     printed and not approved by a majority vote of the Committee 
     or Subcommittee, as appropriate, shall contain the following 
     disclaimer on the cover of the report:
       ``This report has not been officially adopted by the 
     {Committee on Natural Resources} {Subcommittee} and may not 
     therefore necessarily reflect the views of its Members.''


 RULE 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF SUBCOMMITTEES; FULL COMMITTEE JURISDICTION; 
                             BILL REFERRALS

       (a) Subcommittees.--There shall be five standing 
     Subcommittees of the Committee, with the following 
     jurisdiction and responsibilities:

       Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation

       (1) The National Environmental Policy Act in general.
       (2) Measures and matters related to the National Park 
     System and its units, including Federal reserved water 
     rights.
       (3) The National Wilderness Preservation System.
       (4) Wild and Scenic Rivers System, National Trails System, 
     national heritage areas and other national units established 
     for protection, conservation, preservation or recreational 
     development, other than coastal barriers.
       (5) Military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries 
     administered by the Secretary of the Interior, parks in and 
     within the vicinity of the District of Columbia and the 
     erection of monuments to the memory of individuals.
       (6) Federal and non-Federal outdoor recreation plans, 
     programs and administration including the Land and Water 
     Conservation Fund Act of 1965 and the Outdoor Recreation Act 
     of 1963.
       (7) Preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of 
     interest on the public domain and other historic preservation 
     programs and activities, including national monuments, 
     historic sites and programs for international cooperation in 
     the field of historic preservation.
       (8) Matters concerning the following agencies and programs: 
     Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program, Historic 
     American Buildings Survey, Historic American Engineering 
     Record, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial.
       (9) Public lands generally, including measures or matters 
     relating to entry, easements, withdrawals, grazing and 
     Federal reserved water rights.
       (10) Forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, 
     including alien ownership of mineral lands.
       (11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve 
     international programs for the protection of the environment 
     and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within 
     the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
       (12) Forest reservations, including management thereof, 
     created from the public domain.
       (13) Public forest lands generally, including measures or 
     matters related to entry, easements, withdrawals, grazing and 
     Federal reserved water rights.
       (14) General and continuing oversight and investigative 
     authority over activities, policies and programs within the 
     jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

    Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs

       (1) All matters regarding insular areas of the United 
     States.
       (2) All measures or matters regarding the Freely Associated 
     States and Antarctica.
       (3) Fisheries management and fisheries research generally, 
     including the management of all commercial and recreational 
     fisheries (except for the reauthorization of the Magnuson-
     Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act), 
     interjurisdictional fisheries, international fisheries 
     agreements, aquaculture, seafood safety and fisheries 
     promotion.
       (4) Wildlife resources, including research, restoration, 
     refuges and conservation.
       (5) All matters pertaining to the protection of coastal and 
     marine environments, including estuarine protection.
       (6) Coastal barriers.
       (7) Oceanography.
       (8) Ocean engineering, including materials, technology and 
     systems.
       (9) Coastal zone management.
       (10) Marine sanctuaries.
       (11) U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
       (12) Sea Grant programs and marine extension services.
       (13) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve 
     international programs for the protection of the environment 
     and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within 
     the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
       (14) General and continuing oversight and investigative 
     authority over activities, policies and programs within the 
     jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

                    Subcommittee on Water and Power

       (1) Generation and marketing of electric power from Federal 
     water projects by Federally chartered or Federal regional 
     power marketing authorities.
       (2) All measures and matters concerning water resources 
     planning conducted pursuant to the Water Resources Planning 
     Act, water resource research and development programs and 
     saline water research and development.
       (3) Compacts relating to the use and apportionment of 
     interstate waters, water rights and major interbasin water or 
     power movement programs.
       (4) All measures and matters pertaining to irrigation and 
     reclamation projects and other water resources development 
     and recycling programs, including policies and procedures.
       (5) Indian water rights and settlements.
       (6) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve 
     international programs for the protection of the environment 
     and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within 
     the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
       (7) General and continuing oversight and investigative 
     authority over activities, policies and programs within the 
     jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

              Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources

       (I) All measures and matters concerning the U.S. Geological 
     Survey, except for the activities and programs of the Water 
     Resources Division or its successor.
       (2) All measures and matters affecting geothermal 
     resources.
       (3) Conservation of United States uranium supply.

[[Page H264]]

       (4) Mining interests generally, including all matters 
     involving mining regulation and enforcement, including the 
     reclamation of mined lands, the environmental effects of 
     mining, and the management of mineral receipts, mineral land 
     laws and claims, long-range mineral programs and deep seabed 
     mining.
       (5) Mining schools, experimental stations and long-range 
     mineral programs.
       (6) Mineral resources on public lands.
       (7) Conservation and development of oil and gas resources 
     of the Outer Continental Shelf.
       (8) Petroleum conservation on the public lands and 
     conservation of the radium supply in the United States.
       (9) Measures and matters concerning the transportation of 
     natural gas from or within Alaska and disposition of oil 
     transported by the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.
       (10) Rights of way over public lands for underground 
     energy-related transportation.
       (11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve 
     international programs for the protection of the environment 
     and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within 
     the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
       (12) General and continuing oversight and investigative 
     authority over activities, policies and programs within the 
     jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

            Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs

       (1) Measures relating to the welfare of Native Americans, 
     including management of Indian lands in general and special 
     measures relating to claims which are paid out of Indian 
     funds.
       (2) All matters regarding the relations of the United 
     States with Native Americans and Native American tribes, 
     including special oversight functions under House Rule X.
       (3) All matters regarding Native Alaskans.
       (4) All matters related to the Federal trust responsibility 
     to Native Americans and the sovereignty of Native Americans.
       (b) Full Committee.--The following measures and matters 
     shall be retained at the Full Committee:
       (1) Environmental and habitat measures of general 
     applicability, including the Endangered Species Act and 
     reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
     and Management Act.
       (2) All matters regarding Native Hawaiians.
       (3) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve 
     international programs for the protection of the environment 
     and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within 
     the jurisdiction of the Full Committee under this paragraph.
       (4) All other measures and matters retained by the Full 
     Committee, including those retained under Committee Rule 
     6(e).
       (5) General and continuing oversight and investigative 
     authority over activities, policies and programs within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee under House Rule X.
       (c) Ex-officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio Members of 
     each standing Subcommittee to which the Chairman or the 
     Ranking Minority Member have not been assigned. Ex-officio 
     Members shall have the right to fully participate in 
     Subcommittee activities but may not vote and may not be 
     counted in establishing a quorum.
       (d) Powers and Duties of Subcommittees. Each Subcommittee 
     is authorized to meet, hold hearings, receive evidence and 
     report to the Committee on all matters within its 
     jurisdiction. Each Subcommittee shall review and study, on a 
     continuing basis, the application, administration, execution 
     and effectiveness of those statutes, or parts of statutes, 
     the subject matter of which is within that Subcommittee's 
     jurisdiction; and the organization, operation, and 
     regulations of any Federal agency or entity having 
     responsibilities in or for the administration of such 
     statutes, to determine whether these statutes are being 
     implemented and carried out in accordance with the intent of 
     Congress. Each Subcommittee shall review and study any 
     conditions or circumstances indicating the need of enacting 
     new or supplemental legislation within the jurisdiction of 
     the Subcommittee. Each Subcommittee shall have general and 
     continuing oversight and investigative authority over 
     activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of 
     the Subcommittee.
       (e) Referral to Subcommittees; Recall.
       (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and for those 
     measures or matters retained at the Full Committee, every 
     legislative measure or other matter referred to the Committee 
     shall be referred to the Subcommittee of jurisdiction within 
     two weeks of the date of its referral to the Committee. If 
     any measure or matter is within or affects the jurisdiction 
     of one or more Subcommittees, the Chairman may refer that 
     measure or matter simultaneously to two or more Subcommittees 
     for concurrent consideration or for consideration in sequence 
     subject to appropriate time limits, or divide the matter into 
     two or more parts and refer each part to a Subcommittee.
       (2) The Chairman, with the approval of a majority of the 
     Majority Members of the Committee, may refer a legislative 
     measure or other matter to a select or special Subcommittee. 
     A legislative measure or other matter referred by the 
     Chairman to a Subcommittee may be recalled from the 
     Subcommittee for direct consideration by the Full Committee, 
     or for referral to another Subcommittee, provided Members of 
     the Committee receive one week written notice of the recall 
     and a majority of the Members of the Committee do not object. 
     In addition, a legislative measure or other matter referred 
     by the Chairman to a Subcommittee may be recalled from the 
     Subcommittee at any time by majority vote of the Committee 
     for direct consideration by the Full Committee or for 
     referral to another Subcommittee.
       Consultation.--Each Subcommittee Chairman shall consult 
     with the Chairman of the Full Committee prior to setting 
     dates for Subcommittee meetings with a view towards avoiding 
     whenever possible conflicting Committee and Subcommittee 
     meetings.
       (g) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the membership of a Subcommittee 
     shall not affect the power of the remaining Members to 
     execute the functions of the Subcommittee.


          RULE 7. TASK FORCES, SPECIAL OR SELECT SUBCOMMITTEES

       (a) Appointment.--The Chairman of the Committee is 
     authorized, after consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, to appoint Task Forces, or special or select 
     Subcommittees, to carry out the duties and functions of the 
     Committee.
       (b) Ex-Officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio Members of 
     each Task Force, or special or select Subcommittee if they 
     are not otherwise members. Ex-officio Members shall have the 
     right to fully participate in activities but may not vote and 
     may not be counted in establishing a quorum.
       (c) Party Ratios.--The ratio of Majority Members to 
     Minority Members, excluding ex-officio Members, on each Task 
     Force, special or select Subcommittee shall be as close as 
     practicable to the ratio on the Full Committee.
       (d) Temporary Resignation.--A Member can temporarily resign 
     his or her position on a Subcommittee to serve on a Task 
     Force, special or select Subcommittee without prejudice to 
     the Member's seniority on the Subcommittee.
       (e) Chairman and Ranking Minority Member.--The Chairman of 
     any Task Force, or special or select Subcommittee shall be 
     appointed by the Chairman of the Committee. The Ranking 
     Minority Member shall select a Ranking Minority Member for 
     each Task Force, or standing, special or select Subcommittee.


                  RULE 8. RECOMMENDATION OF CONFEREES

       Whenever it becomes necessary to appoint conferees on a 
     particular measure, the Chairman shall recommend to the 
     Speaker as conferees those Majority Members, as well as those 
     Minority Members recommended to the Chairman by the Ranking 
     Minority Member, primarily responsible for the measure. The 
     ratio of Majority Members to Minority Members recommended for 
     conferences shall be no greater than the ratio on the 
     Committee.


                       RULE 9. COMMITTEE RECORDS

       (a) Segregation of Records.--All Committee records shall be 
     kept separate and distinct from the office records of 
     individual Committee Members serving as Chairmen or Ranking 
     Minority Members. These records shall be the property of the 
     House and all Members shall have access to them in accordance 
     with clause 2(e)(2) of House Rule XI.
       (b) Availability.--The Committee shall make available to 
     the public for review at reasonable times in the Committee 
     office transcripts of public meetings and hearings, except 
     those that are unrevised or unedited and intended solely for 
     the use of the Committee.
       (c) Archived Records.--Records of the Committee which are 
     deposited with the National Archives shall be made available 
     for public use pursuant to House Rule VII. The Chairman of 
     the Committee shall notify the Ranking Minority Member of any 
     decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of House 
     Rule VII, to withhold, or to provide a time, schedule or 
     condition for availability of any record otherwise available. 
     At the written request of any Member of the Committee, the 
     matter shall be presented to the Committee for a 
     determination and shall be subject to the same notice and 
     quorum requirements for the conduct of business under 
     Committee Rule 3.
       (d) Records of Closed Meetings.--Notwithstanding the other 
     provisions of this rule, no records of Committee meetings or 
     hearings which were closed to the public pursuant to the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives shall be released to 
     the public unless the Committee votes to release those 
     records in accordance with the procedure used to close the 
     Committee meeting.
       (e) Classified Materials.--All classified materials shall 
     be maintained in an appropriately secured location and shall 
     be released only to authorized persons for review, who shall 
     not remove the material from the Committee offices without 
     the written permission of the Chairman.
       (I) Committee Information Available for the Public.--In 
     addition to any other requirement of these rules or the Rules 
     of the House of Representatives, the Chairman shall cause to 
     be made available publicly in electronic form the following:
       (1) a record of the votes on any question on which a 
     recorded vote is taken which shall be posted no later than 24 
     hours after the vote is taken that shall include:

[[Page H265]]

       (i) a copy of the amendment or a detailed description of 
     the motion, order or other proposition; and
       (ii) the name of each Member voting for and each Member 
     voting against such amendment, motion, order, or proposition, 
     the names of those Members voting present, and the names of 
     any Member not present.
       (2) copies of all amendments adopted in Committee by voice 
     vote or unanimous consent within 24 hours of the adoption of 
     the amendment.
       (3) the rules of the Committee, once adopted, and any 
     amendments thereto, in accordance with clause 2(a)(2) of 
     House Rule XI.
       (4) the statements required under the second sentence of 
     clause 2(g)(5) of House Rule XI, with appropriate redactions 
     to protect the privacy of the witness, which shall be posted 
     no later than one day after the witness appears before the 
     Committee.


                 RULE 10. COMMITTEE BUDGET AND EXPENSES

       (a) Budget.--At the beginning of each Congress, after 
     consultation with the Chairman of each Subcommittee and the 
     Ranking Minority Member, the Chairman shall present to the 
     Committee for its approval a budget covering the funding 
     required for staff, travel, and miscellaneous expenses.
       (b) Expense Resolution.---Upon approval by the Committee of 
     each budget, the Chairman, acting pursuant to clause 6 of 
     House Rule X, shall prepare and introduce in the House a 
     supporting expense resolution, and take all action necessary 
     to bring about its approval by the Committee on House 
     Administration and by the House of Representatives.
       (c) Amendments.--The Chairman shall report to the Committee 
     any amendments to each expense resolution and any related 
     changes in the budget.
       (d) Additional Expenses.--Authorization for the payment of 
     additional or unforeseen Committee expenses may be procured 
     by one or more additional expense resolutions processed in 
     the same manner as set out under this rule.
       (e) Month Reports.--Copies of each monthly report, prepared 
     by the Chairman for the Committee on House Administration, 
     which shows expenditures made during the reporting period and 
     cumulative for the year, anticipated expenditures for the 
     projected Committee program, and detailed information on 
     travel, shall be available to each Member.


                        RULE 11. COMMITTEE STAFF

       (a) Rules and Policies.--Committee staff members are 
     subject to the provisions of clause 9 of House Rule X, as 
     well as any written personnel policies the Committee may from 
     time to time adopt.
       (b) Majority and Nonpartisan Staff.--The Chairman shall 
     appoint, determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the 
     legislative and administrative employees of the Committee not 
     assigned to the Minority. The legislative and administrative 
     staff of the Committee not assigned to the Minority shall be 
     under the general supervision and direction of the Chairman, 
     who shall establish and assign the duties and 
     responsibilities of these staff members and delegate any 
     authority he determines appropriate.
       (c) Minority Staff.--The Ranking Minority Member of the 
     Committee shall appoint, determine the remuneration of, and 
     may remove, the legislative and administrative staff assigned 
     to the Minority within the budget approved for those 
     purposes. The legislative and administrative staff assigned 
     to the Minority shall be under the general supervision and 
     direction of the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee who 
     may delegate any authority he determines appropriate.
       (d) Availability.--The skills and services of all Committee 
     staff shall be available to all Members of the Committee.


                       RULE 12. COMMITTEE TRAVEL

       In addition to any written travel policies the Committee 
     may from time to time adopt, all travel of Members and staff 
     of the Committee or its Subcommittees, to hearings, meetings, 
     conferences and investigations, including all foreign travel, 
     must be authorized by the Full Committee Chairman prior to 
     any public notice of the travel and prior to the actual 
     travel. In the case of Minority staff, all travel shall first 
     be approved by the Ranking Minority Member. Funds authorized 
     for the Committee under clauses 6 and 7 of House Rule X are 
     for expenses incurred in the Committee's activities within 
     the United States.


                  RULE 13. CHANGES TO COMMITTEE RULES

       The rules of the Committee may be modified, amended, or 
     repealed, by a majority vote of the Committee, provided that 
     written notice of the proposed change has been provided each 
     Member of the Committee prior to the meeting date on which 
     the changes are to be discussed and voted on consistent with 
     Committee Rule 3(a). A change to the rules of the Committee 
     shall be published in the Congressional Record no later than 
     30 days after its approval and made publicly available in 
     electronic form.


                       RULE 14. OTHER PROCEDURES

       The Chairman may establish procedures and take actions as 
     may be necessary to carry out the rules of the Committee or 
     to facilitate the effective administration of the Committee, 
     in accordance with the rules of the Committee and the Rules 
     of the House of Representatives.
                                  ____


      Rules of the Committee on Agriculture for the 113th Congress

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit for printing, pursuant 
to rule XI, clause 2(a) of the Rules of the House, a copy of the Rules 
of the Committee on Agriculture, which were adopted at the 
organizational meeting of the Committee on January 23, 2013.
  Apendix A of the Committee Rules will include excerpts from the Rules 
of the House relevant to the operation of the Committee. Appendix B 
will include relevant excerpts from the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974. In the interests of minimizing printing costs, Appendices A and B 
are omitted from this submission.


                      RULE I.--GENERAL PROVISIONS

       (a) Applicability of House Rules.--(1) The Rules of the 
     House shall govern the procedure of the Committee and its 
     subcommittees, and the rules of the Committee on Agriculture 
     so far as applicable shall be interpreted in accordance with 
     the Rules of the House, 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 non-debatable privileged motions in the 
     Committee and its subcommittees. (See Appendix A for the 
     applicable Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives.)
       (2) As provided in clause 1(a)(2) of House Rule XI, each 
     subcommittee is part of the Committee and is subject to the 
     authority and direction of the Committee and its rules so far 
     as applicable. (See also Committee rules III, IV, V, VI, VII 
     and X, infra.)
       (b) Authority to Conduct Investigations.--The Committee and 
     its subcommittees, after consultation with the Chairman of 
     the Committee, may conduct such investigations and studies as 
     they may consider necessary or appropriate in the exercise of 
     their responsibilities under Rule X of the Rules of the House 
     and in accordance with clause 2(m) of House Rule XI.
       (c) Authority to Print.--The Committee is authorized by the 
     Rules of the House to have printed and bound testimony and 
     other data presented at hearings held by the Committee and 
     its subcommittees. All costs of stenographic services and 
     transcripts in connection with any meeting or hearing of the 
     Committee and its subcommittees shall be paid from applicable 
     accounts of the House described in clause 1(i)(1) of House 
     Rule X in accordance with clause 1(c) of House Rule XI. (See 
     also paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of Committee rule VIII.)
       (d) Vice Chairman.--The Member of the majority party on the 
     Committee or subcommittee designated by the Chairman of the 
     full Committee shall be the vice chairman of the Committee or 
     subcommittee in accordance with clause 2(d) of House Rule XI.
       (e) Presiding Member.--If the Chairman of the Committee or 
     subcommittee is not present at any Committee or subcommittee 
     meeting or hearing, the vice chairman shall preside. If the 
     Chairman and vice chairman of the Committee or subcommittee 
     are not present at a Committee or subcommittee meeting or 
     hearing the ranking Member of the majority party who is 
     present shall preside in accordance with clause 2(d), House 
     Rule XI.
       (f) Publication of Rules.--The Committee's rules shall be 
     publicly available in electronic form and published in the 
     Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the Chair 
     is elected in each odd-numbered year as provided in clause 
     2(a) of House Rule XI.
       (g) Joint Committee Reports of Investigation or Study.--A 
     report of an investigation or study conducted jointly by more 
     than one committee may be filed jointly, provided that each 
     of the committees complies independently with all 
     requirements for approval and filing of the report.


 RULE II.--COMMITTEE BUSINESS MEETINGS--REGULAR, ADDITIONAL AND SPECIAL

       (a) Regular Meetings.--(1) Regular meetings of the 
     Committee, in accordance with clause 2(b) of House Rule XI, 
     shall be held on the first Wednesday of every month to 
     transact its business if notice is given pursuant to clause 
     2(g)(3) of House Rule XI. The Chairman shall provide each 
     member of the Committee, as far in advance of the day of the 
     regular meeting as practicable, a written agenda of such 
     meeting. Items may be placed on the agenda by the Chairman or 
     a majority of the Committee. This paragraph shall not apply 
     to meetings of any subcommittee. (See paragraph (f) of 
     Committee rule X for provisions that apply to meetings of 
     subcommittees.)
       (b) Additional Meetings.--(1) The Chairman may call and 
     convene, as he or she considers necessary, which may not 
     commence earlier than the third day on which members have 
     notice thereof after consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Committee or after concurrence with the Ranking 
     Minority Member, 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 additional meetings pursuant to 
     the notice from the Chairman.
       (2) A hearing or meeting may begin sooner than specified in 
     clause (1) (in which case the chair shall make the 
     announcement specified at the earliest possible time) if the 
     committee so determines by majority vote in the presence of 
     the number of members required under the rules of the 
     committee for the transaction of business.

[[Page H266]]

       (3) At least 24 hours prior to the commencement of a 
     meeting for the markup of a measure or matter the Chair shall 
     cause the text of such measure or matter to be made publicly 
     available in electronic form.
       (c) Special Meetings.--If at least three members of the 
     Committee desire that a special meeting of the Committee be 
     called by the Chairman, those members may file in the offices 
     of the Committee their written request to the Chairman for 
     such special meeting. Such request shall specify the measure 
     or matters to be considered. Immediately upon the filing of 
     the request, the Majority Staff Director (serving as the 
     clerk of the Committee for such purpose) shall notify the 
     Chairman of the filing of the request. If, within three 
     calendar days after the filing of the request, the Chairman 
     does not call the requested special meeting to be held within 
     7 calendar days after the filing of the request, a majority 
     of the members of the Committee may file in the offices of 
     the Committee their written notice that a special meeting of 
     the Committee will be held, specifying the date and hour 
     thereof, and the measures or matter to be considered at that 
     special meeting in accordance with clause 2(c)(2) of House 
     Rule XI. The Committee shall meet on that date and hour. 
     Immediately upon the filing of the notice, the Majority Staff 
     Director (serving as the clerk) of the Committee shall notify 
     all members of the Committee that such meeting will be held 
     and inform them of its date and hour and the measure or 
     matter to be considered, and only the measure or matter 
     specified in that notice may be considered at that special 
     meeting.


          RULE III.--OPEN MEETINGS AND HEARINGS; BROADCASTING

       (a) Open Meetings and Hearings.--Each meeting for the 
     transaction of business, including the markup of legislation, 
     and each hearing by the Committee or a subcommittee shall be 
     open to the public unless closed in accordance with clause 
     2(g) of House Rule XI. (See Appendix A.)
       (b) Broadcasting and Photography.--Whenever a Committee or 
     subcommittee meeting for the transaction of business, 
     including the markup of legislation, or a hearing is open to 
     the public, that meeting or hearing shall:
       (1) To the maximum extent practicable the Committee shall 
     provide audio and video coverage of each hearing or meeting 
     for the transaction of business in a manner that allows the 
     public to easily listen to and view the proceedings and shall 
     maintain the recordings of such coverage in a manner that is 
     easily accessible to the public.
       (2) Be open to coverage by television, radio, and still 
     photography in accordance with clause 4 of House Rule XI (See 
     Appendix A). When such radio coverage is conducted in the 
     Committee or subcommittee, written notice to that effect 
     shall be placed on the desk of each Member. The Chairman of 
     the Committee or subcommittee, shall not limit the number of 
     television or still cameras permitted in a hearing or meeting 
     room to fewer than two representatives from each medium 
     (except for legitimate space or safety considerations, in 
     which case pool coverage shall be authorized).
       (c) Closed Meetings--Attendees.--No person other than 
     Members of the Committee or subcommittee and such 
     congressional staff and departmental representatives as the 
     Committee or subcommittee may authorize shall be present at 
     any business or markup session that has been closed to the 
     public as provided in clause 2(g)(1) of House Rule XI.
       (d) Addressing the Committee.--A Committee member may 
     address the Committee or a subcommittee on any bill, motion, 
     or other matter under consideration (See Committee rule VII 
     (e) relating to questioning a witness at a hearing). The time 
     a member may address the Committee or subcommittee for any 
     such purpose shall be limited to five minutes, except that 
     this time limit may be waived by unanimous consent. A member 
     shall also be limited in his or her remarks to the subject 
     matter under consideration, unless the Member receives 
     unanimous consent to extend his or her remarks beyond such 
     subject.
       (e) Meetings to Begin Promptly.--Subject to the presence of 
     a quorum, each meeting or hearing of the Committee and its 
     subcommittees shall begin promptly at the time so stipulated 
     in the public announcement of the meeting or hearing.
       (f) Prohibition on Proxy Voting.--No vote by any Member of 
     the Committee or subcommittee with respect to any measure or 
     matter may be cast by proxy.
       (g) Location of Persons at Meetings.--No person other than 
     the Committee or subcommittee Members and Committee or 
     subcommittee staff may be seated in the rostrum area during a 
     meeting of the Committee or subcommittee unless by unanimous 
     consent of Committee or subcommittee.
       (h) Consideration of Amendments and Motions.--A Member, 
     upon request, shall be recognized by the Chairman to address 
     the Committee or subcommittee at a meeting for a period 
     limited to five minutes on behalf of an amendment or motion 
     offered by the Member or another Member, or upon any other 
     matter under consideration, unless the Member receives 
     unanimous consent to extend the time limit. Every amendment 
     or motion made in Committee or subcommittee shall, upon the 
     demand of any Member present, be reduced to writing, and a 
     copy thereof shall be made available to all Members present. 
     Such amendment or motion shall not be pending before the 
     Committee or subcommittee or voted on until the requirements 
     of this paragraph have been met.
       (i) Demanding Record Vote.--
       (1) A record vote of the Committee or subcommittee on a 
     question or action shall be ordered on a demand by one-fifth 
     of the Members present.
       (2) The Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee may 
     postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on 
     the question of approving a measure or matter or on adopting 
     an amendment. If the Chairman postpones further proceedings:
       (A) the Chairman may resume such postponed proceedings, 
     after giving Members adequate notice, at a time chosen in 
     consultation with the Ranking Minority Member; and
       (B) notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous 
     question, the underlying proposition on which proceedings 
     were postponed shall remain subject to further debate or 
     amendment to the same extent as when the question was 
     postponed.
       (j) Submission of Motions or Amendments In Advance of 
     Business Meetings.--The Committee and subcommittee-Chairman 
     may request and Committee and subcommittee Members should, 
     insofar as practicable, cooperate in providing copies of 
     proposed amendments or motions to the Chairman and the 
     Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or the subcommittee 
     twenty-four hours before a Committee or subcommittee business 
     meeting.
       (k) Points of Order.-- No point of order against the 
     hearing or meeting procedures of the Committee or 
     subcommittee shall be entertained unless it is made in a 
     timely fashion.
       (l) Limitation on Committee Sittings.--The Committee or 
     subcommittees may not sit during a joint session of the House 
     and Senate or during a recess when a joint meeting of the 
     House and Senate is in progress.
       (m) Prohibition of Wireless Telephones.--Use of wireless 
     phones during a committee or subcommittee hearing or meeting 
     is prohibited.


                           RULE IV.--QUORUMS.

       (a) Working Quorum.--One-third of the members of the 
     Committee or a subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for 
     taking any action, other than as noted in paragraphs (b) and 
     (c).
       (b) Majority Quorum.--A majority of the members of the 
     Committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for:
       (1) the reporting of a bill, resolution or other measure 
     (See clause 2(h)(1) of House Rules XI, and Committee rule 
     VIII);
       (2) the closing of a meeting or hearing to the public 
     pursuant to clauses 2(g), 2(k)(5) and 2(k)(7) of the Rule XI 
     of the Rules of the House;
       (3) the authorizing of a subpoena as provided in clause 
     2(m)(3), of House Rule XI (See also Committee rule VI.); and
       (4) as where required by a rule of the House.
       (c) Quorum for Taking Testimony.--Two members of the 
     Committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for the 
     purpose of taking testimony and receiving evidence.


                           RULE V.--RECORDS.

       (a) Maintenance of Records.--The Committee shall keep a 
     complete record of all Committee and subcommittee action 
     which shall include--
       (1) in the case of any meeting or hearing transcripts, a 
     substantially verbatim account of remarks actually made 
     during the proceedings, subject only to technical, 
     grammatical and typographical corrections authorized by the 
     person making the remarks involved, and
       (2) written minutes shall include a record of all Committee 
     and subcommittee action and a record of all votes on any 
     question and a tally on all record votes.
       The result of each such record vote shall be made available 
     by the Committee for inspection by the public at reasonable 
     times in the offices of the Committee and by telephone 
     request and also made publicly available in electronic form 
     within 48 hours of such record vote. Not later than 24 hours 
     after adoption of an amendment to a measure or matter, the 
     chair of the Committee shall cause the text of such amendment 
     adopted thereto to be made publicly available in electronic 
     form. Information so available for public inspection shall 
     include a description of the amendment, motion, order or 
     other proposition and the name of each member voting for and 
     each member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or 
     proposition, and the names of those members present but not 
     voting.
       (b) Access to and Correction of Records.--Any public 
     witness, or person authorized by such witness, during 
     Committee office hours in the Committee offices and within 
     two weeks of the close of hearings, may obtain a transcript 
     copy of that public witness's testimony and make such 
     technical, grammatical and typographical corrections as 
     authorized by the person making the remarks involved as will 
     not alter the nature of testimony given. There shall be 
     prompt return of such corrected copy of the transcript to the 
     Committee. Members of the Committee or subcommittee shall 
     receive copies of transcripts for their prompt review and 
     correction and prompt return to the Committee. The 
     Committee or subcommittee may order the printing of a 
     hearing record without the corrections of any Member or 
     witness if it determines that such Member or witness has 
     been afforded a reasonable time in which to make such 
     corrections and further delay would seriously impede the 
     consideration of the legislative action that is subject of 
     the hearing.

[[Page H267]]

     The record of a hearing shall be closed ten calendar days 
     after the last oral testimony, unless the Committee or 
     subcommittee determines otherwise. Any person requesting 
     to file a statement for the record of a hearing must so 
     request before the hearing concludes and must file the 
     statement before the record is closed unless the Committee 
     or subcommittee determines otherwise. The Committee or 
     subcommittee may reject any statement in light of its 
     length or its tendency to defame, degrade, or incriminate 
     any person.
       (c) Property of the House.--All Committee and subcommittee 
     records (including hearings data, charts, and files) shall be 
     kept separate and distinct from the congressional office 
     records of the Members serving as Chairman and such records 
     shall be the property of the House and all Members of the 
     House shall have access thereto. The Majority Staff Director 
     shall promptly notify the Chairman and the Ranking Minority 
     Member of any request for access to such records.
       (d) Availability of Archived Records.--The records of the 
     Committee at the National Archives and Records Administration 
     shall be made available for public use in accordance with 
     House Rule VII. The Chairman shall notify the Ranking 
     Minority Member of the Committee of the need for a Committee 
     order pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of such House 
     Rule, to withhold a record otherwise available.
       (e) Special Rules for Certain Records and Proceedings.--A 
     stenographic record of a business meeting of the Committee or 
     subcommittee may be kept and thereafter may be published if 
     the Chairman of the Committee, after consultation with the 
     Ranking Minority Member, determines there is need for such a 
     record. The proceedings of the Committee or subcommittee in a 
     closed meeting, evidence or testimony in such meeting, shall 
     not be divulged unless otherwise determined by a majority of 
     the Committee or subcommittee.
       (f) Electronic Availability of Committee Publications.--To 
     the maximum extent feasible, the Committee shall make its 
     publications available in electronic form.


            RULE VI.--POWER TO SIT AND ACT; SUBPOENA POWER.

       (a) Authority to Sit and Act.--For the purpose of carrying 
     out any of its function and duties under House Rules X and 
     XI, the Committee and each of its subcommittees is authorized 
     (subject to paragraph (b)(1) of this rule)--
       (1) to sit and act at such times and places within the 
     United States whether the House is in session, has recessed, 
     or has adjourned and to hold such hearings, and
       (2) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance 
     and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such 
     books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers and 
     documents, as it deems necessary. The Chairman of the 
     Committee or subcommittee, or any member designated by the 
     Chairman, may administer oaths to any witness.
       (b) Issuance of Subpoenas.--(1) A subpoena may be 
     authorized and issued by the Committee or subcommittee under 
     paragraph (a)(2) in the conduct of any investigation or 
     series of investigations or activities, only when authorized 
     by a majority of the members voting, a majority being 
     present, as provided in clause 2(m)(3)(A) of House Rule XI. 
     Such authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the Chairman of 
     the Committee or by any member designated by the Committee. 
     As soon as practicable after a subpoena is issued under this 
     rule, the Chairman shall notify all members of the Committee 
     of such action.
       (2) Notice of a meeting to consider a motion to authorize 
     and issue a subpoena should be given to all Members of the 
     Committee by 5 p.m. of the day preceding such meeting.
       (3) Compliance with any subpoena issued by the Committee or 
     subcommittee under paragraph (a)(2) may be enforced only as 
     authorized or directed by the House.
       (4) A subpoena duces tecum may specify terms of return 
     other than at a meeting or hearing of the committee or 
     subcommittee authorizing the subpoena.
       (c) Expenses of Subpoenaed Witnesses.--Each witness who has 
     been subpoenaed, upon the completion of his or her testimony 
     before the Committee or any subcommittee, may report to the 
     offices of the Committee, and there sign appropriate vouchers 
     for travel allowances and attendance fees to which he or she 
     is entitled. If hearings are held in cities other than 
     Washington D.C., the subpoenaed witness may contact the 
     Majority Staff Director of the Committee, or his or her 
     representative, before leaving the hearing room.


                     RULE VII.--HEARING PROCEDURES.

       (a) Power to Hear.--For the purpose of carrying out any of 
     its functions and duties under House Rule X and XI, the 
     Committee and its subcommittees are authorized to sit 
     and hold hearings at any time or place within the United 
     States whether the House is in session, has recessed, or 
     has adjourned. (See paragraph (a) of Committee rule VI and 
     paragraph (f) of Committee rule X for provisions relating 
     to subcommittee hearings and meetings.)
       (b) Announcement.--The Chairman of the Committee shall 
     after consultation with the Ranking Minority Member of the 
     Committee, make a public announcement of the date, place and 
     subject matter of any Committee hearing at least one week 
     before the commencement of the hearing. The Chairman of a 
     subcommittee shall schedule a hearing only after consultation 
     with the Chairman of the Committee and after consultation 
     with the Ranking Minority Member of the subcommittee, and the 
     Chairmen of the other subcommittees after such consultation 
     with the Committee Chairman, and shall request the Majority 
     Staff Director to make a public announcement of the date, 
     place, and subject matter of such hearing at least one week 
     before the hearing. If the Chairman of the Committee or the 
     subcommittee, with concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member 
     of the Committee or subcommittee, 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 of the 
     Committee or subcommittee, as appropriate, shall request the 
     Majority Staff Director to make such public announcement at 
     the earliest possible date. The clerk of the Committee shall 
     promptly notify the Daily Digest Clerk of the Congressional 
     Record, and shall promptly enter the appropriate information 
     into the Committee scheduling service of the House 
     Information Systems as soon as possible after such public 
     announcement is made.
       (c) Scheduling of Witnesses.--Except as otherwise provided 
     in this rule, the scheduling of witnesses and determination 
     of the time allowed for the presentation of testimony at 
     hearings shall be at the discretion of the Chairman of the 
     Committee or subcommittee, unless a majority of the Committee 
     or subcommittee determines otherwise.
       (d) Written Statement; Oral Testimony.--(1) Each witness 
     who is to appear before the Committee or a subcommittee, 
     shall insofar as practicable file with the Majority Staff 
     Director of the Committee, at least two working days before 
     day of his or her appearance, a written statement of proposed 
     testimony. Witnesses shall provide sufficient copies of their 
     statement for distribution to Committee or subcommittee 
     Members, staff, and the news media. Insofar as practicable, 
     the Committee or subcommittee staff shall distribute such 
     written statements to all Members of the Committee or 
     subcommittee as soon as they are received as well as any 
     official reports from departments and agencies on such 
     subject matter. All witnesses may be limited in their oral 
     presentations to brief summaries of their statements within 
     the time allotted to them, at the discretion of the Chairman 
     of the Committee or subcommittee, in light of the nature of 
     the testimony and the length of time available.
       (2) As noted in paragraph (a) of Committee rule VI, the 
     Chairman of the Committee or one of its subcommittees, or any 
     Member designated by the Chairman, may administer an oath to 
     any witness.
       (3) To the greatest extent practicable, each witness 
     appearing in a non-governmental capacity shall include with 
     the written statement of proposed testimony a curriculum 
     vitae and disclosure of the amount and source (by agency and 
     program) of any Federal grant (or subgrant thereof) or 
     contract (or subcontract thereof) received during the current 
     fiscal year or either of the two preceding fiscal years. Such 
     statements, with appropriate redactions to protect the 
     privacy of witnesses, shall be made publicly available in 
     electronic form not later than one day after the witness 
     appears.
       (e) Questioning of Witnesses.--Committee or subcommittee 
     Members may question witnesses only when they have been 
     recognized by the Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee 
     for that purpose. Each Member so recognized shall be limited 
     to questioning a witness for five minutes until such time as 
     each Member of the Committee or subcommittee who so desires 
     has had an opportunity to question the witness for five 
     minutes; and thereafter the Chairman of the Committee or 
     subcommittee may limit the time of a further round of 
     questioning after giving due consideration to the importance 
     of the subject matter and the length of time available. All 
     questions put to witnesses shall be germane to the measure or 
     matter under consideration. Unless a majority of the 
     Committee or subcommittee determines otherwise, no committee 
     or subcommittee staff shall interrogate witnesses.
       (f) Extended Questioning for Designated Members.--
     Notwithstanding paragraph (e), the Chairman and Ranking 
     Minority member may designate an equal number of Members from 
     each party to question a witness for a period not longer than 
     60 minutes.
       (g) Witnesses for the Minority.--When any hearing is 
     conducted by the Committee or any subcommittee upon any 
     measure or matter, the minority party members on the 
     Committee or subcommittee shall be entitled, upon request to 
     the Chairman by a majority of those minority members before 
     the completion of such hearing, to call witnesses selected by 
     the minority to testify with respect to that measure or 
     matter during at least one day of hearing thereon as 
     provided in clause 2(j)(1) of House Rule XI.
       (h) Summary of Subject Matter.--Upon announcement of a 
     hearing, to the extent practicable, the Committee shall make 
     available immediately to all members of the Committee a 
     concise summary of the subject matter (including legislative 
     reports and other material) under consideration. In addition, 
     upon announcement of a hearing and subsequently as they are 
     received, the Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee 
     shall, to the extent practicable, make available to the 
     members of the Committee any

[[Page H268]]

     official reports from departments and agencies on such 
     matter. (See Committee rule X(f).)
       (i) Open Hearings.--Each hearing conducted by the Committee 
     or subcommittee shall be open to the public, including radio, 
     television and still photography coverage, except as provided 
     in clause 4 of House Rule XI (see also Committee rule III 
     (b).). In any event, no Member of the House may be excluded 
     from nonparticipatory attendance at any hearing unless the 
     House by majority vote shall authorize the Committee or 
     subcommittee, for purposes of a particular series of hearings 
     on a particular bill or resolution or on a particular subject 
     of investigation, to close its hearings to Members by means 
     of the above procedure.
       (j) Hearings and Reports.--(1)(i) The Chairman of the 
     Committee or subcommittee at a hearing shall announce in an 
     opening statement the subject of the investigation. A copy of 
     the Committee rules (and the applicable provisions of clause 
     2 of House Rule XI, regarding hearing procedures, an excerpt 
     of which appears in Appendix A thereto) shall be made 
     available to each witness upon request. Witnesses at hearings 
     may be accompanied by their own counsel for the purpose of 
     advising them concerning their constitutional rights. The 
     Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee may punish breaches 
     of order and decorum, and of professional ethics on the part 
     of counsel, by censure and exclusion from the hearings; but 
     only the full Committee may cite the offender to the House 
     for contempt.
       (ii) Whenever it is asserted by a member of the committee 
     that the evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to 
     defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or it is asserted 
     by a witness that the evidence or testimony that the witness 
     would give at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or 
     incriminate the witness, such testimony or evidence shall be 
     presented in executive session, notwithstanding the 
     provisions of paragraph (i) of this rule, if by a majority of 
     those present, there being in attendance the requisite number 
     required under the rules of the Committee to be present for 
     the purpose of taking testimony, the Committee or 
     subcommittee determines that such evidence or testimony may 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person. The 
     Committee or subcommittee shall afford a person an 
     opportunity voluntarily to appear as a witness; and the 
     Committee or subcommittee shall receive and shall dispose of 
     requests from such person to subpoena additional witnesses.
       (iii) No evidence or testimony taken in executive session 
     may be released or used in public sessions without the 
     consent of the Committee or subcommittee. In the discretion 
     of the Committee or subcommittee, witnesses may submit brief 
     and pertinent statements in writing for inclusion in the 
     record. The Committee or subcommittee is the sole judge of 
     the pertinency of testimony and evidence adduced at its 
     hearings. A witness may obtain a transcript copy of his or 
     her testimony given at a public session or, if given at an 
     executive session, when authorized by the Committee or 
     subcommittee. (See paragraph (c) of Committee rule V.)
       (2) A proposed investigative or oversight report shall be 
     considered as read if it has been available to the members of 
     the Committee for at least 24 hours (excluding Saturdays, 
     Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in 
     session on such day) in advance of their consideration.


           RULE VIII.--THE REPORTING OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

       (a) Filing of Reports.--The Chairman shall report or cause 
     to be reported promptly to the House any bill, resolution, or 
     other measure approved by the Committee and shall take or 
     cause to be taken all necessary steps to bring such bill, 
     resolution, or other measure to a vote. No bill, resolution, 
     or measure shall be reported from the Committee unless a 
     majority of Committee is actually present. A Committee report 
     on any bill, resolution, or other measure approved by the 
     Committee shall be filed within seven calendar days (not 
     counting days on which the House is not in session) after the 
     day on which there has been filed with the Majority Staff 
     Director of the Committee a written request, signed by a 
     majority of the Committee, for the reporting of that bill or 
     resolution. The Majority Staff Director of the Committee 
     shall notify the Chairman immediately when such a request is 
     filed.
       (b) Content of Reports.--Each Committee report on any bill 
     or resolution approved by the Committee shall include as 
     separately identified sections:
       (1) a statement of the intent or purpose of the bill or 
     resolution;
       (2) a statement describing the need for such bill or 
     resolution;
       (3) a statement of Committee and subcommittee consideration 
     of the measure including a summary of amendments and motions 
     offered and the actions taken thereon;
       (4) the results of the each record vote on any amendment in 
     the Committee and subcommittee and on the motion to report 
     the measure or matter, including the names of those Members 
     and the total voting for and the names of those Members and 
     the total voting against such amendment or motion (See clause 
     3(b) of House rule XIII);
       (5) the oversight findings and recommendations of the 
     Committee with respect to the subject matter of the bill or 
     resolution as required pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of House 
     Rule XIII and clause 2(b)(1) of House Rule X;
       (6) the detailed statement described in House Rule XIII 
     clause 3(c)(2) and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget 
     Act of 1974 if the bill or resolution provides new budget 
     authority (other than continuing appropriations), new 
     spending authority described in section 401(c)(2) of such 
     Act, new credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
     revenues or tax expenditures, except that the estimates with 
     respect to new budget authority shall include, when 
     practicable, a comparison of the total estimated funding 
     level for the relevant program (or programs) to the 
     appropriate levels under current law;
       (7) the estimate of costs and comparison of such estimates, 
     if any, prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
     Office in connection with such bill or resolution pursuant to 
     section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if 
     submitted in timely fashion to the Committee;
       (8) a statement of general performance goals and 
     objectives, including outcome-related goals and objectives, 
     for which the measure authorizes funding;
       (9) an estimate by the committee of the costs that would be 
     incurred in carrying out such bill or joint resolution in the 
     fiscal year in which it is reported and for its authorized 
     duration or for each of the five fiscal years following the 
     fiscal year of reporting, whichever period is less (see Rule 
     XIII, clause 3(d)(2), (3) and (h)(2), (3)), together with--
     (i) a comparison of these estimates with those made and 
     submitted to the Committee by any Government agency when 
     practicable, and (ii) a comparison of the total estimated 
     funding level for the relevant program (or programs) with 
     appropriate levels under current law (The provisions of this 
     clause do not apply if a cost estimate and comparison 
     prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
     under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has 
     been timely submitted prior to the filing of the report and 
     included in the report);
       (10) a list of congressional earmarks, limited tax 
     benefits, and limited tariff benefits in the bill or in the 
     report (and the name of any Member, Delegate, or Resident 
     Commissioner who submitted a request to the committee for 
     each respective item included in such list) or a statement 
     that the proposition contains no congressional earmarks, 
     limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits;
       (11) the changes in existing law (if any) shown in 
     accordance with clause 3 of House Rule XIII;
       (12) the determination required pursuant to section 5(b) of 
     Public Law 92-463, if the legislation reported establishes or 
     authorizes the establishment of an advisory committee; and
       (13) the information on Federal and intergovernmental 
     mandates required by section 423(c) and (d) of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as added by the Unfunded 
     Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-4).
       (14) a statement regarding the applicability of section 
     102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act, Public Law 
     104-1.
       ``(15) a statement indicating whether any provision of the 
     measure establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal 
     Government known to be duplicative of another Federal 
     program. The Statement shall at a minimum explain whether--
       ``(A) any such program was included in any report from the 
     Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
     section 21 of Public Law 111-139; or
       ``(B) the most recent catalog of Federal Domestic 
     Assistance, published pursuant to the Federal Program 
     Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 
     98-169), identified other programs related to the program 
     established or reauthorized by the measure''.
       ``(16) a statement estimating the number of directed rule 
     makings required by the measure.''
       (c) Supplemental, Minority, or Additional Views.--If, at 
     the time of approval of any measure or matter by the 
     Committee, any Member of the Committee gives notice of 
     intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional 
     views, all Members shall be entitled to not less than two 
     subsequent calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and 
     legal holidays except when the House is in session on such 
     date) in which toto file such writing and signed views, with 
     the Majority Staff Director of the Committee. When time 
     guaranteed by this paragraph has expired (or if sooner, 
     when all separate views have been received), the Committee 
     may arrange to file its report with the Clerk of the House 
     not later than one hour after the expiration of such time. 
     All such views (in accordance with House rule XI, clause 
     2(1) and House rule XIII, clause 3(a)(1)), as filed by one 
     or more Members of the Committee, shall be included within 
     and made a part of the report filed by the Committee with 
     respect to that bill or resolution.
       (d) Printing of Reports.--The report of the Committee on 
     the measure or matter noted in paragraph (a) above shall be 
     printed in a single volume, which shall:
       (1) include all supplemental, minority or additional views 
     that have been submitted by the time of the filing of the 
     report; and
       (2) bear on its cover a recital that any such supplemental, 
     minority, or additional views (and any material submitted 
     under House rule XII, clause 3(a)(1)) are included as part of 
     the report.
       (e) Immediate Printing; Supplemental Reports.-- Nothing in 
     this rule shall preclude (1) the immediate filing or printing 
     of a Committee report unless timely request for

[[Page H269]]

     the opportunity to file supplemental, minority, or additional 
     views has been made as provided by paragraph (c), or (2) the 
     filing by the Committee of any supplemental report on any 
     bill or resolution that may be required for the correction of 
     any technical error in a previous report made by the 
     Committee on that bill or resolution.
       (f) Availability of Printed Hearing Records.--If hearings 
     have been held on any reported bill or resolution, the 
     Committee shall make every reasonable effort to have the 
     record of such hearings printed and available for 
     distribution to the Members of the House prior to the 
     consideration of such bill or resolution by the House. Each 
     printed hearing of the Committee or any of its subcommittees 
     shall include a record of the attendance of the Members.
       (g) Committee Prints.--All Committee or subcommittee prints 
     or other Committee or subcommittee documents, other than 
     reports or prints of bills, that are prepared for public 
     distribution shall be approved by the Chairman of the 
     Committee or the Committee prior to public distribution.
       (h) Post Adjournment Filing of Committee Reports.--(1) 
     After an adjournment of the last regular session of a 
     Congress sine die, an investigative or oversight report 
     approved by the Committee may be filed with the Clerk at any 
     time, provided that if a member gives notice at the time of 
     approval 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.
       (2) After an adjournment of the last regular session of a 
     Congress sine die, the Chairman of the Committee may file at 
     any time with the Clerk the Committee's activity report for 
     that Congress pursuant to clause 1(d)(1) of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House without the approval of the Committee, 
     provided that a copy of the report has been available to each 
     member of the Committee for at least seven calendar days and 
     the report includes any supplemental, minority, or additional 
     views submitted by a member of the Committee.
       (i) The Chairman is directed to offer a motion under clause 
     1 of rule XXII of the Rules of the House whenever the 
     Chairman considers it appropriate.


                  RULE IX.--OTHER COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

       (a) Oversight Plan.--Not later than February 15 of the 
     first session of a Congress, the Chairman shall convene the 
     Committee in a meeting that is open to the public and with a 
     quorum present to adopt its oversight plans for that 
     Congress. Such plans shall be submitted simultaneously to the 
     Committee on Government Reform and to the Committee on House 
     Administration. In developing such plans the Committee shall, 
     to the maximum extent feasible--
       (1) consult with other committees of the House that have 
     jurisdiction over the same or related laws, programs, or 
     agencies within its jurisdiction, with the objective of 
     ensuring that such laws, programs, or agencies are reviewed 
     in the same Congress and that there is a maximum of 
     coordination between such committees in the conduct of such 
     reviews; and such plans shall include an explanation of what 
     steps have been and will be taken to ensure such coordination 
     and cooperation;
       (2) review specific problems with federal rules, 
     regulations, statutes, and court decisions that are 
     ambiguous, arbitrary, or nonsensical, or that impose severe 
     financial burdens on individuals;
       (3) give priority consideration to including in its plans 
     the review of those laws, programs, or agencies operating 
     under permanent budget authority or permanent statutory 
     authority;
       (4) have a view toward ensuring that all significant laws, 
     programs, or agencies within its jurisdiction are subject to 
     review at least once every ten years; and
       (5) include proposals to cut or eliminate programs, 
     including mandatory spending programs, that are inefficient, 
     duplicative, outdated, or more appropriately administered 
     by State or local governments.
       The Committee and its appropriate subcommittees shall 
     review and study, on a continuing basis, the impact or 
     probable impact of tax policies affecting subjects within its 
     jurisdiction as provided in clause 2(d) of House Rule X. The 
     Committee shall include in the report filed pursuant to 
     clause 1(d) of House Rule XI a summary of the oversight plans 
     submitted by the Committee under clause 2(d) of House Rule X, 
     a summary of actions taken and recommendations made with 
     respect to each such plan, and a summary of any additional 
     oversight activities undertaken by the Committee and any 
     recommendations made or actions taken thereon.
       (b) Annual Appropriations.--The Committee shall, in its 
     consideration of all bills and joint resolutions of a public 
     character within its jurisdiction, ensure that appropriations 
     for continuing programs and activities of the Federal 
     government and the District of Columbia government will be 
     made annually to the maximum extent feasible and consistent 
     with the nature, requirements, and objectives of the programs 
     and activities involved. The Committee shall review, from 
     time to time, each continuing program within its jurisdiction 
     for which appropriations are not made annually in order to 
     ascertain whether such program could be modified so that 
     appropriations therefor would be made annually.
       (c) Budget Act Compliance: Views and Estimates (See 
     Appendix B).--Not later than six weeks after the President 
     submits his budget under section 1105(a) of title 31, United 
     States Code, or at such time as the Committee on the Budget 
     may request, the Committee shall, submit to the Committee on 
     the Budget (1) its views and estimates with respect to all 
     matters to be set forth in the concurrent resolution on the 
     budget for the ensuing fiscal year (under section 301 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974--see Appendix B) that are 
     within its jurisdiction or functions; and (2) an estimate of 
     the total amounts of new budget authority, and budget outlays 
     resulting therefrom, to be provided or authorized in all 
     bills and resolutions within its jurisdiction that it intends 
     to be effective during that fiscal year.
       (d) Budget Act Compliance: Recommended Changes.--Whenever 
     the Committee is directed in a concurrent resolution on the 
     budget to determine and recommend changes in laws, bills, or 
     resolutions under the reconciliation process, it shall 
     promptly make such determination and recommendations, and 
     report a reconciliation bill or resolution (or both) to the 
     House or submit such recommendations to the Committee on the 
     Budget, in accordance with the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974 (See Appendix B).
       (e) Conference Committees.--Whenever in the legislative 
     process it becomes necessary to appoint conferees, the 
     Chairman shall, after consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, determine the number of conferees the Chairman deems 
     most suitable and then recommend to the Speaker as conferees, 
     in keeping with the number to be appointed by the Speaker as 
     provided in House Rule I, clause 11, the names of those 
     Members of the Committee of not less than a majority who 
     generally supported the House position and who were primarily 
     responsible for the legislation. The Chairman shall, to the 
     fullest extent feasible, include those Members of the 
     Committee who were the principal proponents of the major 
     provisions of the bill as it passed the House and such other 
     Committee Members of the majority party as the Chairman may 
     designate in consultation with the Members of the majority 
     party. Such recommendations shall provide a ratio of majority 
     party Members to minority party Members no less favorable to 
     the majority party than the ratio of majority party Members 
     to minority party Members on the Committee. In making 
     recommendations of Minority Party Members as conferees, the 
     Chairman shall consult with the Ranking Minority Member of 
     the Committee.
       (f)(1) The Committee, or a subcommittee, shall hold at 
     least one hearing during each 120-day period following the 
     establishment of the committee on the topic of waste, fraud, 
     abuse, or mismanagement in Government programs which the 
     committee may authorize.
       (2) A hearing described in subparagraph (1) shall include a 
     focus on the most egregious instances of waste, fraud, abuse, 
     or mismanagement as documented by any report the committee 
     has received from a Federal Office of the Inspector General 
     or the Comptroller General of the United States.
       (g) The Committee or a subcommittee, shall hold at least 
     one hearing in any session in which the committee has 
     received disclaimers of agency financial statements from 
     auditors of any Federal agency that the committee may 
     authorize to hear testimony on such disclaimers from 
     representatives of any such agency.
       (h) The Committee or a subcommittee, shall hold at least 
     one hearing on issues raised by reports issued by the 
     Comptroller General of the United States indicating that 
     Federal programs or operations that the committee may 
     authorize are at high risk for waste, fraud, and 
     mismanagement, known as the `high-risk-list' or the `high-
     risk series'.
       (i)(1) Not later than January 2 of each year, the Committee 
     shall submit to the House a report on the activities of the 
     committee. After adjournment sine die of a regular session 
     of Congress, or after December 15, whichever occurs first, 
     the Chair may file the report, a copy of which shall be 
     made available to each member of the committee for at 
     least seven calendar days, with the Clerk at any time.
       (2) Such report shall include separate sections summarizing 
     the legislative and oversight activities of the Committee 
     during that Congress.
       (3) The oversight section of such report shall include a 
     summary of the oversight plans submitted by the Committee 
     pursuant to clause 2(d) of House Rule X, a summary of the 
     actions taken and recommendations made with respect to each 
     such plan, and a summary of any additional oversight 
     activities undertaken by the Committee, and any 
     recommendations made or actions taken with respect thereto.


                         RULE X.--SUBCOMMITTEES

       (a) Number and Composition.--There shall be such 
     subcommittees as specified in paragraph (c) of this rule. 
     Each of such subcommittees shall be composed of the number of 
     members set forth in paragraph (c) of this rule, including ex 
     officio members. The Chairman may create additional 
     subcommittees of an ad hoc nature as the Chairman determines 
     to be appropriate subject to any limitations provided for in 
     the House Rules.
       (b) Ratios.--On each subcommittee, there shall be a ratio 
     of majority party members to minority party members which 
     shall be consistent with the ratio on the full Committee. In 
     calculating the ratio of majority

[[Page H270]]

     party members to minority party members, there shall be 
     included the ex officio members of the subcommittees and 
     ratios below reflect that fact.
       (c) Jurisdiction.--Each subcommittee shall have the 
     following general jurisdiction and number of members:
       General Farm Commodities and Risk Management (__ members, 
     __ majority and __ minority)--Program and markets related to 
     cotton, cottonseed, wheat, feed grains, soybeans, oilseeds, 
     rice, dry beans, peas, lentils, the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation, risk management, including crop insurance, 
     commodity exchanges, and specialty crops.
       Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit (__members, 
     __majority and __minority)--Livestock, dairy, poultry, meat, 
     seafood and seafood products, inspection, marketing, and 
     promotion of such commodities, aquaculture, animal welfare 
     and grazing, rural development, farm security and family 
     farming matters, and agricultural credit.
       Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition ( __ 
     members, __majority and __minority)--Agency oversight, review 
     and analysis, special investigations, food stamps, nutrition 
     and consumer programs.
       Conservation, Energy, and Forestry(__members, __majority 
     and __minority)--Soil, water, and resource conservation, 
     small watershed program, energy and biobased energy 
     production, rural electrification, forestry in general and 
     forest reserves other than those created in public domain.
       Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign 
     Agriculture (__members, __majority and __minority)--Fruits 
     and vegetables, honey and bees, marketing and promotion 
     orders, plant pesticides, quarantine, adulteration of seeds 
     and insect pests, and organic agriculture, research, 
     education and extension, biotechnology and foreign 
     agriculture assistance, and trade promotion programs, 
     generally.
       (d) Referral of Legislation.--(1)(a) In General.--All 
     bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to the 
     Committee shall be referred to all subcommittees of 
     appropriate jurisdiction within 2 weeks after being referred 
     to the Committee. After consultation with the Ranking 
     Minority Member, the Chairman may determine that the 
     Committee will consider certain bills, resolutions, or other 
     matters.
       (b) Trade Matters.--Unless action is otherwise taken under 
     subparagraph (3), bills, resolutions, and other matters 
     referred to the Committee relating to foreign agriculture, 
     foreign food or commodity assistance, and foreign trade and 
     marketing issues will be considered by the Committee.
       (2) The Chairman, by a majority vote of the Committee, may 
     discharge a subcommittee from further consideration of any 
     bill, resolution, or other matter referred to the 
     subcommittee and have such bill, resolution or other matter 
     considered by the Committee. The Committee having referred a 
     bill, resolution, or other matter to a subcommittee in 
     accordance with this rule may discharge such subcommittee 
     from further consideration thereof at any time by a vote 
     of the majority members of the Committee for the 
     Committee's direct consideration or for reference to 
     another subcommittee.
       (3) Unless the Committee, a quorum being present, decides 
     otherwise by a majority vote, the Chairman may refer bills, 
     resolutions, legislation or other matters not specifically 
     within the jurisdiction of a subcommittee, or that is within 
     the jurisdiction of more than one subcommittee, jointly or 
     exclusively as the Chairman deems appropriate, including 
     concurrently to the subcommittees with jurisdiction, 
     sequentially to the subcommittees with jurisdiction (subject 
     to any time limits deemed appropriate), divided by subject 
     matter among the subcommittees with jurisdiction, or to an ad 
     hoc subcommittee appointed by the Chairman for the purpose of 
     considering the matter and reporting to the Committee 
     thereon, or make such other provisions deemed appropriate.
       (e) Participation and Service of Committee Members on 
     Subcommittees.--(1) The Chairman and the Ranking Minority 
     Member shall serve as ex officio members of all subcommittees 
     and shall have the right to vote on all matters before the 
     subcommittees. The Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member 
     may not be counted for the purpose of establishing a quorum.
       (2) Any member of the Committee who is not a member of the 
     subcommittee may have the privilege of sitting and 
     nonparticipatory attendance at subcommittee hearings or 
     meetings in accordance with clause 2(g)(2) of House Rule XI. 
     Such member may not:
       (i) vote on any matter;
       (ii) be counted for the purpose of a establishing a quorum;
       (iii) participate in questioning a witness under the five 
     minute rule, unless permitted to do so by the subcommittee 
     Chairman in consultation with the Ranking Minority Member or 
     a majority of the subcommittee, a quorum being present;
       (iv) raise points of order; or
       (v) offer amendments or motions.
       (f) Subcommittee Hearings and Meetings.--(1) Each 
     subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, receive 
     evidence, and make recommendations to the Committee on all 
     matters referred to it or under its jurisdiction after 
     consultation by the subcommittee Chairmen with the Committee 
     Chairman. (See Committee rule VII.)
       (2) After consultation with the Committee Chairman, 
     subcommittee Chairmen shall set dates for hearings and 
     meetings of their subcommittees and shall request the 
     Majority Staff Director to make any announcement relating 
     thereto. (See Committee rule VII(b).) In setting the dates, 
     the Committee Chairman and subcommittee Chairman shall 
     consult with other subcommittee Chairmen and relevant 
     Committee and Subcommittee Ranking Minority Members in an 
     effort to avoid simultaneously scheduling Committee and 
     subcommittee meetings or hearings to the extent practicable.
       (3) Notice of all subcommittee meetings shall be provided 
     to the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member of the 
     Committee by the Majority Staff Director.
       (4) Subcommittees may hold meetings or hearings outside of 
     the House if the Chairman of the Committee and other 
     subcommittee Chairmen and the Ranking Minority Member of the 
     subcommittee is consulted in advance to ensure that there is 
     no scheduling problem. However, the majority of the Committee 
     may authorize such meeting or hearing.
       (5) The provisions regarding notice and the agenda of 
     Committee meetings under Committee rule II(a) and special or 
     additional meetings under Committee rule II(b) shall apply to 
     subcommittee meetings.
       (6) If a vacancy occurs in a subcommittee chairmanship, the 
     Chairman may set the dates for hearings and meetings of the 
     subcommittee during the period of vacancy. The Chairman may 
     also appoint an acting subcommittee Chairman until the 
     vacancy is filled.
       (g) Subcommittee Action.--(1) Any bill, resolution, 
     recommendation, or other matter forwarded to the Committee by 
     a subcommittee shall be promptly forwarded by the 
     subcommittee Chairman or any subcommittee member authorized 
     to do so by the subcommittee.
       (2) Upon receipt of such recommendation, the Majority Staff 
     Director of the Committee shall promptly advise all members 
     of the Committee of the subcommittee action.
       (3) The Committee shall not consider any matters 
     recommended by subcommittees until two calendar days have 
     elapsed from the date of action, unless the Chairman or a 
     majority of the Committee determines otherwise.
       (h) Subcommittee Investigations.--No investigation shall be 
     initiated by a subcommittee without the prior consultation 
     with the Chairman of the Committee or a majority of the 
     Committee.


             RULE XI.--COMMITTEE BUDGET, STAFF, AND TRAVEL

       (a) Committee Budget.--The Chairman, in consultation with 
     the majority members of the Committee, and the minority 
     members of the Committee, shall prepare a preliminary budget 
     for each session of the Congress. Such budget shall include 
     necessary amounts for staff personnel, travel, investigation, 
     and other expenses of the Committee and subcommittees. After 
     consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, the Chairman 
     shall include an amount budgeted to minority members for 
     staff under their direction and supervision. Thereafter, the 
     Chairman shall combine such proposals into a consolidated 
     Committee budget, and shall take whatever action is necessary 
     to have such budget duly authorized by the House.
       (b) Committee Staff.--(1) The Chairman shall appoint and 
     determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the 
     professional and clerical employees of the Committee not 
     assigned to the minority. The professional and clerical staff 
     of the Committee not assigned to the minority shall be under 
     the general supervision and direction of the Chairman, who 
     shall establish and assign the duties and responsibilities of 
     such staff members and delegate such authority as he or she 
     determines appropriate. (See House Rule X, clause 9)
       (2) The Ranking Minority Member of the Committee shall 
     appoint and determine the remuneration of, and may remove, 
     the professional and clerical staff assigned to the minority 
     within the budget approved for such purposes. The 
     professional and clerical staff assigned to the minority 
     shall be under the general supervision and direction of the 
     Ranking Minority Member of the Committee who may delegate 
     such authority as he or she determines appropriate.
       (3) From the funds made available for the appointment of 
     Committee staff pursuant to any primary or additional expense 
     resolution, the Chairman shall ensure that each subcommittee 
     is adequately funded and staffed to discharge its 
     responsibilities and that the minority party is fairly 
     treated in the appointment of such staff (See House Rule X, 
     clause 6(d)).
       (c) Committee Travel.--(1) Consistent with the primary 
     expense resolution and such additional expense resolution as 
     may have been approved, the provisions of this rule shall 
     govern official travel of Committee members and Committee 
     staff regarding domestic and foreign travel (See House rule 
     XI, clause 2(n) and House Rule X, clause 8 (reprinted in 
     Appendix A)). Official travel for any member or any Committee 
     staff member shall be paid only upon the prior authorization 
     of the Chairman. Official travel may be authorized by the 
     Chairman for any Committee Member and any Committee staff 
     member in connection with the attendance of hearings 
     conducted by the Committee and its subcommittees and 
     meetings, conferences, facility inspections, and 
     investigations which involve

[[Page H271]]

     activities or subject matter relevant to the general 
     jurisdiction of the Committee. Before such authorization is 
     given there shall be submitted to the Chairman in writing the 
     following:
       (i) The purpose of the official travel;
       (ii) The dates during which the official travel is to be 
     made and the date or dates of the event for which the 
     official travel is being made;
       (iii) The location of the event for which the official 
     travel is to be made; and
       (iv) The names of members and Committee staff seeking 
     authorization.
       (2) In the case of official travel of members and staff of 
     a subcommittee to hearings, meetings, conferences, facility 
     inspections and investigations involving activities or 
     subject matter under the jurisdiction of such subcommittee to 
     be paid for out of funds allocated to the Committee, prior 
     authorization must be obtained from the subcommittee Chairman 
     and the full Committee Chairman. Such prior authorization 
     shall be given by the Chairman only upon the representation 
     by the applicable subcommittee Chairman in writing setting 
     forth those items enumerated in clause (1).
       (3) Within 60 days of the conclusion of any official travel 
     authorized under this rule, there shall be submitted to the 
     Committee Chairman a written report covering the information 
     gained as a result of the hearing, meeting, conference, 
     facility inspection or investigation attended pursuant to 
     such official travel.
       (4) Local currencies owned by the United States shall be 
     made available to the Committee and its employees engaged in 
     carrying out their official duties outside the United States, 
     its territories or possessions. No appropriated funds shall 
     be expended for the purpose of defraying expenses of Members 
     of the Committee or its employees in any country where local 
     currencies are available for this purpose; and the following 
     conditions shall apply with respect to their use of such 
     currencies;
       (i) No Member or employee of the Committee shall receive or 
     expend local currencies for subsistence in any country at a 
     rate in excess of the maximum per diem rate set forth in 
     applicable Federal law; and
       (ii) Each Member or employee of the Committee shall make an 
     itemized report to the Chairman within 60 days following the 
     completion of travel showing the dates each country was 
     visited, the amount of per diem furnished, the cost of 
     transportation furnished, and any funds expended for any 
     other official purpose, and shall summarize in these 
     categories the total foreign currencies and appropriated 
     funds expended. All such individual reports shall be filed by 
     the Chairman with the Committee on House Administration and 
     shall be open to public inspection.


                     RULE XII.--AMENDMENT OF RULES

       These rules may be amended by a majority vote of the 
     Committee. A proposed change in these rules shall not be 
     considered by the Committee as provided in clause 2 of House 
     Rule XI, unless written notice of the proposed change has 
     been provided to each Committee member two legislative days 
     in advance of the date on which the matter is to be 
     considered. Any such change in the rules of the Committee 
     shall be published in the Congressional Record within 30 
     calendar days after its approval.

    Rules of the Committee on Armed Services for the 113th Congress

  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I submit for publication the attached copy 
of the rules of the Committee on Armed Services for the U.S. House of 
Representatives for the 113th Congress, as adopted by the committee on 
January 15, 2013.


                       RULE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

       (a) The Rules of the House of Representatives are the rules 
     of the Committee on Armed Services (hereinafter referred to 
     in these rules as the ``Committee'') and its subcommittees so 
     far as applicable.
       (b) Pursuant to clause 2(a)(2) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, the Committee's rules shall be 
     publicly available in electronic form and published in the 
     Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the chair 
     of the committee is elected in each odd-numbered year.


                  RULE 2. FULL COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

       (a) The Committee shall meet every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., 
     when the House of Representatives is in session, and at such 
     other times as may be fixed by the Chairman of the Committee 
     (hereinafter referred to as the ``Chairman''), or by written 
     request of members of the Committee pursuant to clause 2(c) 
     of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
       (b) A Wednesday meeting of the Committee may be dispensed 
     with by the Chairman, but such action may be reversed by a 
     written request of a majority of the members of the 
     Committee.


                   RULE 3. SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING DATES

       Each subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, 
     receive evidence, and report to the Committee on all matters 
     referred to it. Insofar as possible, meetings of the 
     Committee and its subcommittees shall not conflict. A 
     subcommittee Chairman shall set meeting dates after 
     consultation with the Chairman, other subcommittee Chairmen, 
     and the Ranking Minority Member of the subcommittee with a 
     view toward avoiding, whenever possible, simultaneous 
     scheduling of Committee and subcommittee meetings or 
     hearings.


   RULE 4. JURISDICTION AND MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEES

       (a) Jurisdiction
       (1) The Committee retains jurisdiction of all subjects 
     listed in clause 1(c) and clause 3(b) of rule X of the Rules 
     of the House of Representatives and retains exclusive 
     jurisdiction for: defense policy generally, ongoing military 
     operations, the organization and reform of the Department of 
     Defense and Department of Energy, counter-drug programs, 
     security and humanitarian assistance (except special 
     operations-related activities) of the Department of Defense, 
     acquisition and industrial base policy, technology transfer 
     and export controls, joint interoperability, the Cooperative 
     Threat Reduction program, Department of Energy 
     nonproliferation programs, detainee affairs and policy, force 
     protection policy and inter-agency reform as it pertains to 
     the Department of Defense and the nuclear weapons programs of 
     the Department of Energy. While subcommittees are provided 
     jurisdictional responsibilities in subparagraph (2), the 
     Committee retains the right to exercise oversight and 
     legislative jurisdiction over all subjects within its purview 
     under rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
       (2) The Committee shall be organized to consist of seven 
     standing subcommittees with the following jurisdictions:
       Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces: All Army, Air 
     Force and Marine Corps acquisition programs (except Marine 
     Corps amphibious assault vehicle programs, strategic 
     missiles, space, lift programs, special operations, science 
     and technology programs, and information technology accounts) 
     and the associated weapons systems sustainment. In addition, 
     the subcommittee will be responsible for Navy and Marine 
     Corps aviation programs and the associated weapons systems 
     sustainment, National Guard and Army, Air Force and Marine 
     Corps Reserve modernization, and ammunition programs.
       Subcommittee on Military Personnel: Military personnel 
     policy, Reserve Component integration and employment issues, 
     military health care, military education, and POW/MIA issues. 
     In addition, the subcommittee will be responsible for Morale, 
     Welfare and Recreation issues and programs.
       Subcommittee on Readiness: Military readiness, training, 
     logistics and maintenance issues and programs. In addition, 
     the subcommittee will be responsible for all military 
     construction, depot policy, civilian personnel policy, 
     environmental policy, installations and family housing 
     issues, including the base closure process, and energy policy 
     and programs of the Department of Defense.
       Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces: Navy 
     acquisition programs, Naval Reserve equipment, and Marine 
     Corps amphibious assault vehicle programs (except strategic 
     weapons, space, special operations, science and technology 
     programs, and information technology programs), deep strike 
     bombers and related systems, lift programs, seaborne unmanned 
     aerial systems and the associated weapons systems 
     sustainment. In addition, the subcommittee will be 
     responsible for Maritime programs under the jurisdiction of 
     the Committee as delineated in paragraphs 5, 6, and 9 of 
     clause 1(c) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives.
       Subcommittee on Strategic Forces: Strategic weapons (except 
     deep strike bombers and related systems), space programs 
     (including national intelligence space programs), ballistic 
     missile defense, the associated weapons systems sustainment, 
     and Department of Energy national security programs (except 
     non-proliferation programs).
       Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and 
     Capabilities: Defense-wide and joint enabling activities and 
     programs to include: Special Operations Forces; counter-
     proliferation and counter-terrorism programs and initiatives; 
     science and technology policy and programs; information 
     technology programs; homeland defense and Department of 
     Defense related consequence management programs; related 
     intelligence support; and other enabling programs and 
     activities to include cyber operations, strategic 
     communications, and information operations. In addition the 
     subcommittee will be responsible for intelligence policy 
     (including coordination of military intelligence programs), 
     national-intelligence programs (excluding national 
     intelligence space programs), and DoD elements that are part 
     of the Intelligence Community.
       Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: Any matter 
     within the jurisdiction of the Committee, subject to the 
     concurrence of the Chairman of the Committee and, as 
     appropriate, affected subcommittee chairmen. The subcommittee 
     shall have no legislative jurisdiction.
       (b) Membership of the Subcommittees
       (1) Subcommittee memberships, with the exception of 
     membership on the Subcommittee on Oversight and 
     Investigations, shall be filled in accordance with the rules 
     of the Majority party's conference and the Minority party's 
     caucus, respectively.
       (2) The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the 
     Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations shall be filled 
     in accordance with the rules of the Majority party's 
     conference and the Minority party's caucus, respectively. 
     Consistent with the party ratios established by the Majority 
     party, all

[[Page H272]]

     other Majority members of the subcommittee shall be appointed 
     by the Chairman of the Committee, and all other Minority 
     members shall be appointed by the Ranking Minority Member of 
     the Committee.
       (3) The Chairman of the Committee and Ranking Minority 
     Member thereof may sit as ex officio members of all 
     subcommittees. Ex officio members shall not vote in 
     subcommittee hearings or meetings or be taken into 
     consideration for the purpose of determining the ratio of the 
     subcommittees or establishing a quorum at subcommittee 
     hearings or meetings.
       (4) A member of the Committee who is not a member of a 
     particular subcommittee may sit with the subcommittee and 
     participate during any of its hearings but shall not have 
     authority to vote, cannot be counted for the purpose of 
     achieving a quorum, and cannot raise a point of order at the 
     hearing.


                RULE 5. COMMITTEE PANELS AND TASK FORCES

       (a) Committee Panels
       (1) The Chairman may designate a panel of the Committee 
     consisting of members of the Committee to inquire into and 
     take testimony on a matter or matters that fall within the 
     jurisdiction of more than one subcommittee and to report to 
     the Committee.
       (2) No panel appointed by the Chairman shall continue in 
     existence for more than six months after the appointment. A 
     panel so appointed may, upon the expiration of six months, be 
     reappointed by the Chairman for a period of time which is not 
     to exceed six months.
       (3) Consistent with the party ratios established by the 
     Majority party, all Majority members of the panels shall be 
     appointed by the Chairman of the Committee, and all Minority 
     members shall be appointed by the Ranking Minority Member of 
     the Committee. The Chairman of the Committee shall choose one 
     of the Majority members so appointed who does not currently 
     chair another subcommittee of the Committee to serve as 
     Chairman of the panel. The Ranking Minority Member of the 
     Committee shall similarly choose the Ranking Minority Member 
     of the panel.
       (4) No panel shall have legislative jurisdiction.
       (b) Committee and Subcommittee Task Forces
       (1) The Chairman of the Committee, or a Chairman of a 
     subcommittee with the concurrence of the Chairman of the 
     Committee, may designate a task force to inquire into and 
     take testimony on a matter that falls within the jurisdiction 
     of the Committee or subcommittee, respectively. The Chairman 
     and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or subcommittee 
     shall each appoint an equal number of members to the task 
     force. The Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee shall 
     choose one of the members so appointed, who does not 
     currently chair another subcommittee of the Committee, to 
     serve as Chairman of the task force. The Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Committee or subcommittee shall similarly 
     appoint the Ranking Minority Member of the task force.
       (2) No task force appointed by the Chairman of the 
     Committee or subcommittee shall continue in existence for 
     more than three months. A task force may only be reappointed 
     for an additional three months with the written concurrence 
     of the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee 
     or subcommittee whose Chairman appointed the task force.
       (3) No task force shall have legislative jurisdiction.


           RULE 6. REFERENCE AND CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION

       (a) The Chairman shall refer legislation and other matters 
     to the appropriate subcommittee or to the full Committee.
       (b) Legislation shall be taken up for a hearing or markup 
     only when called by the Chairman of the Committee or 
     subcommittee, as appropriate, or by a majority of the 
     Committee or subcommittee, as appropriate.
       (c) The Chairman, with approval of a majority vote of a 
     quorum of the Committee, shall have authority to discharge a 
     subcommittee from consideration of any measure or matter 
     referred thereto and have such measure or matter considered 
     by the Committee.
       (d) Reports and recommendations of a subcommittee may not 
     be considered by the Committee until after the intervention 
     of three calendar days from the time the report is approved 
     by the subcommittee and available to the members of the 
     Committee, except that this rule may be waived by a majority 
     vote of a quorum of the Committee.
       (e) The Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, shall establish criteria for recommending legislation 
     and other matters to be considered by the House of 
     Representatives, pursuant to clause I of rule XV of the Rules 
     of the House of Representatives. Such criteria shall not 
     conflict with the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
     other applicable rules.


          RULE 7. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF HEARINGS AND MEETINGS

       (a) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(3) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Committee, 
     or of any subcommittee, panel, or task force, shall make a 
     public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of 
     any hearing or meeting before that body at least one week 
     before the commencement of a hearing and at least three days 
     before the commencement of a meeting. However, if the 
     Chairman of the Committee, or of any subcommittee, panel, or 
     task force, with the concurrence of the respective Ranking 
     Minority Member, determines that there is good cause to begin 
     the hearing or meeting sooner, or if the Committee, 
     subcommittee, panel, or task force so determines by majority 
     vote, a quorum being present for the transaction of business, 
     such chairman shall make the announcement at the earliest 
     possible date. Any announcement made under this rule shall be 
     promptly published in the Daily Digest, promptly entered into 
     the committee scheduling service of the House Information 
     Resources, and promptly made publicly available in electronic 
     form.
       (b) At least 24 hours prior to the commencement of a 
     meeting for the markup of legislation, or at the time of an 
     announcement under paragraph (a) made within 24 hours before 
     such meeting, the Chairman of the Committee, or of any 
     subcommittee, panel, or task force shall cause the text of 
     such measure or matter to be made publicly available in 
     electronic form as provided in clause 2(g)(4) of rule XI of 
     the Rules of the House of Representatives.


        RULE 8. BROADCASTING OF COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND MEETINGS

       (a) Pursuant to clause 2(e)(5) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, the Committee shall, to the 
     maximum extent practicable, provide audio and video coverage 
     of each hearing or meeting for the transaction of business in 
     a manner that allows the public to easily listen to and view 
     the proceedings. The Committee shall maintain the recordings 
     of such coverage in a manner that is easily accessible to the 
     public.
       (b) Clause 4 of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives shall apply to the Committee.


            RULE 9. MEETINGS AND HEARINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

       (a) Each hearing and meeting for the transaction of 
     business, including the markup of legislation, conducted by 
     the Committee, or any subcommittee, panel, or task force, to 
     the extent that the respective body is authorized to conduct 
     markups, shall be open to the public except when the 
     Committee, subcommittee, panel, or task force in open session 
     and with a majority being present, determines by record vote 
     that all or part of the remainder of that hearing or meeting 
     on that day shall be in executive session because disclosure 
     of testimony, evidence, or other matters to be considered 
     would endanger the national security, would compromise 
     sensitive law enforcement information, or would violate any 
     law or rule of the House of Representatives. Notwithstanding 
     the requirements of the preceding sentence, a majority of 
     those present, there being in attendance no fewer than two 
     members of the Committee, subcommittee, panel, or task force 
     may vote to close a hearing or meeting for the sole purpose 
     of discussing whether testimony or evidence to be received 
     would endanger the national security, would compromise 
     sensitive law enforcement information, or would violate any 
     law or rule of the House of Representatives. If the decision 
     is to proceed in executive session, the vote must be by 
     record vote and in open session, a majority of the Committee, 
     subcommittee, panel, or task force being present.
       (b) Whenever it is asserted by a member of the Committee or 
     subcommittee that the evidence or testimony at a hearing may 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or it is 
     asserted by a witness that the evidence or testimony that the 
     witness would give at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, 
     or incriminate the witness, notwithstanding the requirements 
     of (a) and the provisions of clause 2(g)(2) of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, such evidence or 
     testimony shall be presented in executive session, if by a 
     majority vote of those present, there being in attendance no 
     fewer than two members of the Committee or subcommittee, the 
     Committee or subcommittee determines that such evidence may 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person. A 
     majority of those present, there being in attendance no fewer 
     than two members of the Committee or subcommittee may also 
     vote to close the hearing or meeting for the sole purpose of 
     discussing whether evidence or testimony to be received would 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person. The 
     Committee or subcommittee shall proceed to receive such 
     testimony in open session only if the Committee or 
     subcommittee, a majority being present, determines that 
     such evidence or testimony will not tend to defame, 
     degrade, or incriminate any person.
       (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and with the approval of 
     the Chairman, each member of the Committee may designate by 
     letter to the Chairman, one member of that member's personal 
     staff, and an alternate, which may include fellows, with Top 
     Secret security clearance to attend hearings of the 
     Committee, or that member's subcommittee(s), panel(s), or 
     task force(s) (excluding briefings or meetings held under the 
     provisions of committee rule 9(a)), which have been closed 
     under the provisions of rule 9(a) above for national security 
     purposes for the taking of testimony. The attendance of such 
     a staff member or fellow at such hearings is subject to the 
     approval of the Committee, subcommittee, panel, or task force 
     as dictated by national security requirements at that time. 
     The attainment of any required security clearances is the 
     responsibility of individual members of the Committee.

[[Page H273]]

       (d) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(2) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, no Member, Delegate, or 
     Resident Commissioner may be excluded from nonparticipatory 
     attendance at any hearing of the Committee or a subcommittee, 
     unless the House of Representatives shall by majority vote 
     authorize the Committee or subcommittee, for purposes of a 
     particular series of hearings on a particular article of 
     legislation or on a particular subject of investigation, to 
     close its hearings to Members, Delegates, and the Resident 
     Commissioner by the same procedures designated in this rule 
     for closing hearings to the public.
       (e) The Committee or the subcommittee may vote, by the same 
     procedure, to meet in executive session for up to five 
     additional consecutive days of hearings.


                            RULE 10. QUORUM

       (a) For purposes of taking testimony and receiving 
     evidence, two members shall constitute a quorum.
       (b) One-third of the members of the Committee or 
     subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for taking any action, 
     with the following exceptions, in which case a majority of 
     the Committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum:
       (1) Reporting a measure or recommendation;
       (2) Closing Committee or subcommittee meetings and hearings 
     to the public;
       (3) Authorizing the issuance of subpoenas;
       (4) Authorizing the use of executive session material; and
       (5) Voting to proceed in open session after voting to close 
     to discuss whether evidence or testimony to be received would 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person.
       (c) No measure or recommendation shall be reported to the 
     House of Representatives unless a majority of the Committee 
     is actually present.


                     RULE 11. THE FIVE-MINUTE RULE

       (a) Subject to rule 15, the time any one member may address 
     the Committee or subcommittee on any measure or matter under 
     consideration shall not exceed five minutes and then only 
     when the member has been recognized by the Chairman or 
     subcommittee chairman, as appropriate, except that this time 
     limit may be exceeded by unanimous consent. Any member, upon 
     request, shall be recognized for not more than five minutes 
     to address the Committee or subcommittee on behalf of an 
     amendment which the member has offered to any pending bill or 
     resolution. The five-minute limitation shall not apply to the 
     Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or 
     subcommittee.
       (b)(1) Members who are present at a hearing of the 
     Committee or subcommittee when a hearing is originally 
     convened shall be recognized by the Chairman or subcommittee 
     chairman, as appropriate, in order of seniority. Those 
     members arriving subsequently shall be recognized in order of 
     their arrival. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Chairman 
     and the Ranking Minority Member will take precedence upon 
     their arrival. In recognizing members to question witnesses 
     in this fashion, the Chairman shall take into consideration 
     the ratio of the Majority to Minority members present and 
     shall establish the order of recognition for questioning in 
     such a manner as not to disadvantage the members of either 
     party.
       (2) Pursuant to rule 4 and subject to rule 15, a member of 
     the Committee who is not a member of a subcommittee may be 
     recognized by a subcommittee chairman in order of their 
     arrival and after all present subcommittee members have been 
     recognized.
       (3) The Chairman of the Committee or a subcommittee, with 
     the concurrence of the respective Ranking Minority Member, 
     may depart with the regular order for questioning which is 
     specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this rule provided 
     that such a decision is announced prior to the hearing or 
     prior to the opening statements of the witnesses and that any 
     such departure applies equally to the Majority and the 
     Minority.
       (c) No person other than a Member, Delegate, or Resident 
     Commissioner of Congress and committee staff may be seated in 
     or behind the dais area during Committee, subcommittee, 
     panel, or task force hearings and meetings.


             RULE 12. POWER TO SIT AND ACT; SUBPOENA POWER

       (a) For the purpose of carrying out any of its functions 
     and duties under rules X and XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives, the Committee and any subcommittee is 
     authorized (subject to subparagraph (b)(1) of this 
     paragraph):
       (1) to sit and act at such times and places within the 
     United States, whether the House is in session, has recessed, 
     or has adjourned, and to hold hearings, and
       (2) to require by subpoena, or otherwise, the attendance 
     and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such 
     books, records, correspondence, memorandums, papers and 
     documents, including, but not limited to, those in electronic 
     form, as it considers necessary.
       (b)(1) A subpoena may be authorized and issued by the 
     Committee, or any subcommittee with the concurrence of the 
     full Committee Chairman and after consultation with the 
     Ranking Minority Member of the Committee, under subparagraph 
     (a)(2) in the conduct of any investigation, or series of 
     investigations or activities, only when authorized by a 
     majority of the members voting, a majority of the Committee 
     or subcommittee being present. Authorized subpoenas shall be 
     signed only by the Chairman, or by any member designated by 
     the Committee.
       (2) Pursuant to clause 2(m) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
     House of Representatives, compliance with any subpoena issued 
     by the Committee or any subcommittee under subparagraph 
     (a)(2) may be enforced only as authorized or directed by the 
     House of Representatives.


                      RULE 13. WITNESS STATEMENTS

       (a) Any prepared statement to be presented by a witness to 
     the Committee or a subcommittee shall be submitted to the 
     Committee or subcommittee at least 48 hours in advance of 
     presentation and shall be distributed to all members of the 
     Committee or subcommittee as soon as practicable but not less 
     than 24 hours in advance of presentation. A copy of any such 
     prepared statement shall also be submitted to the Committee 
     in electronic form. If a prepared statement contains national 
     security information bearing a classification of Secret or 
     higher, the statement shall be made available in the 
     Committee rooms to all members of the Committee or 
     subcommittee as soon as practicable but not less than 24 
     hours in advance of presentation; however, no such statement 
     shall be removed from the Committee offices. The requirement 
     of this rule may be waived by a majority vote of the 
     Committee or subcommittee, a quorum being present. In cases 
     where a witness does not submit a statement by the time 
     required under this rule, the Chairman of the Committee or 
     subcommittee, as appropriate, with the concurrence of the 
     respective Ranking Minority Member, may elect to exclude the 
     witness from the hearing.
       (b) The Committee and each subcommittee shall require each 
     witness who is to appear before it to file with the Committee 
     in advance of his or her appearance a written statement of 
     the proposed testimony and to limit the oral presentation at 
     such appearance to a brief summary of the submitted written 
     statement.
       (c) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(5) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, written witness statements, 
     with appropriate redactions to protect the privacy of the 
     witness, shall be made publicly available in electronic form 
     not later than one day after the witness appears.


               RULE 14. ADMINISTERING OATHS TO WITNESSES

       (a) The Chairman, or any member designated by the Chairman, 
     may administer oaths to any witness.
       (b) Witnesses, when sworn, shall subscribe to the following 
     oath:
       ``Do you solemnly swear (or affirm) that the testimony you 
     will give before this Committee (or subcommittee) in the 
     matters now under consideration will be the truth, the whole 
     truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?''


                   RULE 15. QUESTIONING OF WITNESSES

       (a) When a witness is before the Committee or a 
     subcommittee, members of the Committee or subcommittee may 
     put questions to the witness only when recognized by the 
     Chairman or subcommittee chairman, as appropriate, for that 
     purpose according to rule 11 of the Committee.
       (b) Members of the Committee or subcommittee who so desire 
     shall have not more than five minutes to question each 
     witness or panel of witnesses, the responses of the witness 
     or witnesses being included in the five-minute period, until 
     such time as each member has had an opportunity to question 
     each witness or panel of witnesses. Thereafter, additional 
     rounds for questioning witnesses by members are within the 
     discretion of the Chairman or subcommittee chairman, as 
     appropriate.
       (c) Questions put to witnesses before the Committee or 
     subcommittee shall be pertinent to the measure or matter that 
     may be before the Committee or subcommittee for 
     consideration.


         RULE 16. PUBLICATION OF COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND MARKUPS

       The transcripts of those hearings conducted by the 
     Committee, subcommittee, or panel will be published 
     officially in substantially verbatim form, with the material 
     requested for the record inserted at that place requested, or 
     at the end of the record, as appropriate. The transcripts of 
     markups conducted by the Committee or any subcommittee may be 
     published officially in verbatim form. Any requests to 
     correct any errors, other than those in transcription, will 
     be appended to the record, and the appropriate place where 
     the change is requested will be footnoted. Any transcript 
     published under this rule shall include the results of 
     record votes conducted in the session covered by the 
     transcript and shall also include materials that have been 
     submitted for the record and are covered under rule 19. 
     The handling and safekeeping of these materials shall 
     fully satisfy the requirements of rule 20. No transcript 
     of an executive session conducted under rule 9 shall be 
     published under this rule.


                     RULE 17. VOTING AND ROLLCALLS

       (a) Voting on a measure or matter may be by record vote, 
     division vote, voice vote, or unanimous consent.
       (b) A record vote shall be ordered upon the request of one-
     fifth of those members present.
       (c) No vote by any member of the Committee or a 
     subcommittee with respect to any measure or matter shall be 
     cast by proxy.

[[Page H274]]

       (d) In the event of a vote or votes, when a member is in 
     attendance at any other committee, subcommittee, or 
     conference committee meeting during that time, the necessary 
     absence of that member shall be so noted in the record vote 
     record, upon timely notification to the Chairman by that 
     member.
       (e) The Chairman of the Committee or a subcommittee, as 
     appropriate, with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority 
     Member or the most senior Minority member who is present at 
     the time, may elect to postpone requested record votes until 
     such time or point at a markup as is mutually decided. When 
     proceedings resume on a postponed question, notwithstanding 
     any intervening order for the previous question, the 
     underlying proposition shall remain subject to further debate 
     or amendment to the same extent as when the question was 
     postponed.


                       RULE 18. COMMITTEE REPORTS

       (a) If, at the time of approval of any measure or matter by 
     the Committee, any member of the Committee gives timely 
     notice of intention to file supplemental, Minority, 
     additional or dissenting views, all members shall be entitled 
     to not less than two calendar days (excluding Saturdays, 
     Sundays, and legal holidays except when the House is in 
     session on such days) in which to file such written and 
     signed views with the Staff Director of the Committee, or the 
     Staff Director's designee. All such views so filed by one or 
     more members of the Committee shall be included within, and 
     shall be a part of, the report filed by the Committee with 
     respect to that measure or matter.
       (b) With respect to each record vote on a motion to report 
     any measure or matter, and on any amendment offered to the 
     measure or matter, the total number of votes cast for and 
     against, the names of those voting for and against, and a 
     brief description of the question, shall be included in the 
     Committee report on the measure or matter.
       (c) Not later than 24 hours after the adoption of any 
     amendment to a measure or matter considered by the Committee, 
     the Chairman shall cause the text of each such amendment to 
     be made publicly available in electronic form as provided in 
     clause 2(e)(6) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives.


           RULE 19. PUBLIC INSPECTION OF COMMITTEE ROLLCALLS

       The result of each record vote in any meeting of the 
     Committee shall be made available by the Committee for 
     inspection by the public at reasonable times in the offices 
     of the Committee and also made publicly available in 
     electronic form within 48 hours of such record vote pursuant 
     to clause 2(e)(1)B(i) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives. Information so available shall include a 
     description of the amendment, motion, order, or other 
     proposition and the name of each member voting for and each 
     member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or 
     proposition and the names of those members present but not 
     voting.


     RULE 20. PROTECTION OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND OTHER INFORMATION

       (a) Except as provided in clause 2(g) of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, all national security 
     information bearing a classification of Secret or higher 
     which has been received by the Committee or a subcommittee 
     shall be deemed to have been received in executive session 
     and shall be given appropriate safekeeping.
       (b) The Chairman of the Committee shall, with the approval 
     of a majority of the Committee, establish such procedures as 
     in his judgment may be necessary to prevent the unauthorized 
     disclosure of any national security information that is 
     received which is classified as Secret or higher. Such 
     procedures shall, however, ensure access to this information 
     by any member of the Committee or any other Member, Delegate, 
     or Resident Commissioner of the House of Representatives, 
     staff of the Committee, or staff designated under rule 9(c) 
     who have the appropriate security clearances and the need to 
     know, who has requested the opportunity to review such 
     material.
       (c) The Chairman of the Committee shall, in consultation 
     with the Ranking Minority Member, establish such procedures 
     as in his judgment may be necessary to prevent the 
     unauthorized disclosure of any proprietary information that 
     is received by the Committee, subcommittee, panel, or task 
     force. Such procedures shall be consistent with the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives and applicable law.


                      RULE 21. COMMITTEE STAFFING

       The staffing of the Committee, the standing subcommittees, 
     and any panel or task force designated by the Chairman or 
     chairmen of the subcommittees shall be subject to the Rules 
     of the House of Representatives.


                       RULE 22. COMMITTEE RECORDS

       The records of the Committee at the National Archives and 
     Records Administration shall be made available for public use 
     in accordance with rule VII of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives. The Chairman shall notify the Ranking 
     Minority Member of any decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) 
     or clause 4(b) of rule VII, 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.


                      RULE 23. HEARING PROCEDURES

       Clause 2(k) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives shall apply to the Committee.


                  RULE 24. COMMITTEE ACTIVITY REPORTS

       Not later than January 2nd of each year the Committee shall 
     submit to the House a report on its activities, pursuant to 
     clause 1(d) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives.

     Rules of the Committee on the Judiciary for the 113th Congress

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I submit for publication the attached 
copy of the rules of the Committee on the Judiciary for the U.S. House 
of Representatives for the 113th Congress, as adopted by the Committee 
on January 23, 2013:

       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 
     Wednesday 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) The Chairman shall furnish each Member of the Committee 
     or Subcommittee with the date, place, and a list of bills and 
     subjects to be considered at a Committee or Subcommittee 
     meeting, which may not commence earlier than the third day on 
     which Members have notice thereof (excluding Saturdays, 
     Sundays and legal holidays when the House is not in session).
       (d) At least 48 hours prior to the commencement of a 
     meeting for the markup of legislation, the text of such 
     legislation shall be made publicly available in electronic 
     form.
       (e) In an emergency that does not reasonably allow for the 
     notice requirements in (c) and (d), the Chairman may waive 
     the notice requirements with the concurrence of the Ranking 
     Minority Member.
       (f) To the maximum extent practicable, amendments to a 
     measure or matter shall be submitted in writing or 
     electronically to the designee of both the Chairman and 
     Ranking Member at least 24 hours prior to the consideration 
     of the measure or matter. The Chairman may use his discretion 
     to give priority to amendments submitted in advance.
       (g) 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.
       (h) 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.
       (i) 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.
       (j)(1) Subject to subparagraph (2), the Chairman may 
     postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on 
     the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting 
     an amendment. The Chairman may resume proceedings on a 
     postponed request at any time.
       (2) In exercising postponement authority under subparagraph 
     (1), the Chairman shall take all reasonable steps necessary 
     to notify Members on the resumption of proceedings on any 
     postponed record vote.
       (3) When proceedings resume on a postponed question, 
     notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous 
     question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to 
     further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the 
     question was postponed.
       (k) Transcripts of markups shall be recorded and may be 
     published in the same manner as hearings before the 
     Committee.
       (l) Without further action of the Committee, the Chairman 
     is directed to offer a motion under clause 1 of rule XXII of 
     the Rules of the House of Representatives whenever the 
     Chairman considers it appropriate.


                           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.

[[Page H275]]

       (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 such 
     matters as determined by the Chairman.
       (b) There shall be five standing Subcommittees of the 
     Committee on the Judiciary, with jurisdictions as follows:
       The Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice 
     shall have jurisdiction over the following subject matters: 
     constitutional amendments, constitutional rights, Federal 
     civil rights, ethics in government, tort liability, including 
     medical malpractice and product liability, legal reform 
     generally, other appropriate matters as referred by the 
     Chairman, and relevant oversight.
       The Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the 
     Internet shall have jurisdiction over the following subject 
     matters: Administration of U.S. Courts, Federal Rules of 
     Evidence, Civil and Appellate Procedure, judicial ethics, 
     copyright, patent, trademark law, information technology, 
     other appropriate matters as referred to by the Chairman, and 
     relevant oversight.
       The Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, 
     and Investigations shall have jurisdiction over the following 
     subject matters: Federal Criminal Code, drug enforcement, 
     sentencing, parole and pardons, internal and homeland 
     security, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, prisons, 
     criminal law enforcement, and other appropriate matters as 
     referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
       The Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security shall 
     have jurisdiction over the following subject matters: 
     immigration and naturalization, border security, admission of 
     refugees, treaties, conventions and international agreements, 
     claims against the United States, Federal charters of 
     incorporation, private immigration and claims bills, non-
     border immigration enforcement, other appropriate matters as 
     referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
       The Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and 
     Antitrust Law shall have jurisdiction over the following 
     subject matters: bankruptcy and commercial law, bankruptcy 
     judgeships, administrative law, independent counsel, state 
     taxation affecting interstate commerce, interstate compacts, 
     antitrust matters, 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 
     matters 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.


                  Rule IX. Official Committee Website

       (a) The Chairman shall maintain an official website on 
     behalf of the Committee for the purpose of furthering the 
     Committee's legislative and oversight responsibilities, 
     including communicating information about the Committee's 
     activities to Committee Members and other Members of the 
     House.
       (b) The Chairman shall make the record of the votes on any 
     question on which a record vote is demanded in the full 
     Committee available on the Committee's official website not 
     later than 48 hours after such vote is taken. Such record 
     shall identify or describe the amendment, motion, order, or 
     other proposition, the name of each Member voting for and 
     each Member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or 
     proposition, and the names of the Members voting present.
       (c) Not later than 24 hours after the adoption of any 
     amendment to a measure or matter considered by the Committee 
     or its Subcommittees, the Chairman shall make the text of 
     each such amendment publicly available in electronic form.
       (d) Not later than 3 days after the conclusion of a 
     Committee meeting, the transcript of such meeting and the 
     text of all amendments offered shall be made available on the 
     Committee website.
       (e) The Ranking Member is authorized to maintain a similar 
     official website on behalf of the Committee Minority for the 
     same purpose, including communicating information about the 
     activities of the Minority to Committee Members and other 
     Members of the House.

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