[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 51 (Thursday, March 26, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H2101-H2104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PUBLICATION OF COMMITTEE RULES


 AMENDMENT TO THE RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE 
                             114TH CONGRESS

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                   Washington, DC, March 26, 2015.
     Hon. John A. Boehner,
     Speaker, House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to clause 2(a) of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, I submit the Rules of 
     the Committee on Homeland Security for the 114th Congress for 
     publication in the Congressional Record. On January 21, 2015, 
     the Committee on Homeland Security met in open session and 
     adopted these Committee Rules by unanimous consent, a quorum 
     being present; on March 26, 2015, the Committee agreed to 
     modify the Committee Rules, by voice vote, a quorum being 
     present. Attached are the Rules of Committee on Homeland 
     Security for the 114th Congress, as amended.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
                                                         Chairman.
       Enclosure.
                                  ____

       Adopted January 21, 2015
       Modified March 26, 2015


                      Rule I.--general provisions.

       (A) Applicability of the Rules of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives.--The Rules of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives (the ``House'') are the rules of the 
     Committee on Homeland Security (the ``Committee'') and its 
     subcommittees insofar as applicable.
       (B) Applicability to Subcommittees.--Except where the terms 
     ``Full Committee'' and ``subcommittee'' are specifically 
     mentioned, the following rules shall apply to the Committee's 
     subcommittees and their respective Chairmen and Ranking 
     Minority Members to the same extent as they apply to the Full 
     Committee and its Chairman and Ranking Minority Member.
       (C) Appointments by the Chairman.--Clause 2(d) of Rule XI 
     of the House shall govern the designation of a Vice Chairman 
     of the Full Committee.
       (D) Recommendation of Conferees.--Whenever the Speaker of 
     the House is to appoint a conference committee on a matter 
     within the jurisdiction of the Full Committee, the Chairman 
     shall recommend to the Speaker of the House conferees from 
     the Full Committee. In making recommendations of Minority 
     Members as conferees, the Chairman shall do so with the 
     concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee.
       (E) Motions to Disagree.--The Chairman is authorized to 
     offer a motion under clause 1 of Rule XXII of the Rules of 
     the House whenever the Chairman considers it appropriate.
       (F) Committee Website.--The Chairman shall maintain an 
     official Committee web site for the purposes of furthering 
     the Committee's legislative and oversight responsibilities, 
     including communicating information about the Committee's 
     activities to Committee Members, other Members, and the 
     public at large. The Ranking Minority Member may maintain a 
     similar web site for the same purposes. The official 
     Committee web site shall display a link on its home page to 
     the web site maintained by the Ranking Minority Member.
       (G) Activity Report.--Not later than January 2 of each odd 
     numbered year, the Committee shall submit to the House a 
     report on the activities of the Committee. After adjournment 
     sine die of the last regular session of a Congress, or after 
     December 15 of an even-numbered year, whichever occurs first, 
     the Chair may file the report with the Clerk at any time and 
     without 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, additional, or dissenting views 
     submitted by a Member of the Committee.


                       Rule II.--committee panels

       (A) Designation.--The Chairman of the Full Committee, with 
     the concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member, 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 warrant enhanced consideration and to report to 
     the Committee.
       (B) Duration.--No panel appointed by the Chairman shall 
     continue in existence for more than six months after the 
     appointment.
       (C) Party Ratios and Appointment--The ratio of Majority to 
     Minority Members shall be comparable to the Full Committee, 
     consistent with the party ratios established by the Majority 
     party, with all Majority members of the panels appointed by 
     the Chairman of the Committee and all Minority members 
     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.
       (D) Ex Officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Full Committee may serve as ex-officio Members 
     of each committee panel but are not authorized to vote on 
     matters that arise before a committee panel and shall not be 
     counted to satisfy the quorum requirement for any purpose 
     other than taking testimony.
       (E) Jurisdiction.--No panel shall have legislative 
     jurisdiction.
       (F) Applicability of Committee Rules.--Any designated panel 
     shall be subject to all Committee Rules herein.


                        rule iii--subcommittees.

       (A) Generally.--The Full Committee shall be organized into 
     the following six standing subcommittees and each shall have 
     specific responsibility for such measures or matters as the 
     Chairman refers to it:
       (1) Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence;

[[Page H2102]]

       (2) Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security;
       (3) Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure 
     Protection and Security Technologies;
       (4) Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency;
       (5) Subcommittee on Transportation Security; and
       (6) Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and 
     Communications.
       (B) Selection and Ratio of Subcommittee Members.--The 
     Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Full Committee 
     shall select their respective Members of each subcommittee. 
     The ratio of Majority to Minority Members shall be comparable 
     to the Full Committee, consistent with the party ratios 
     established by the Majority party, except that each 
     subcommittee shall have at least two more Majority Members 
     than Minority Members.
       (C) Ex Officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Full Committee shall be ex officio members of 
     each subcommittee but are not authorized to vote on matters 
     that arise before each subcommittee. The Chairman and Ranking 
     Minority Member of the Full Committee shall only be counted 
     to satisfy the quorum requirement for the purpose of taking 
     testimony and receiving evidence.
       (D) Powers and Duties of Subcommittees.--Except as 
     otherwise directed by the Chairman of the Full Committee, 
     each subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, 
     receive testimony, mark up legislation, and report to the 
     Full Committee on all matters within its purview. 
     Subcommittee Chairmen shall set hearing and meeting dates 
     only with the approval of the Chairman of the Full Committee. 
     To the greatest extent practicable, no more than one meeting 
     and hearing should be scheduled for a given time.
       (E) Special Voting Provision.--If a tie vote occurs in a 
     Subcommittee on the question of forwarding any measure to the 
     Full Committee, the measure shall be placed on the agenda for 
     Full Committee consideration as if it had been ordered 
     reported by the Subcommittee without recommendation.


                      rule iv.--time of meetings.

       (A) Regular Meeting Date.--The regular meeting date and 
     time for the transaction of business of the Full Committee 
     shall be at 10:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday that the House 
     is in Session each month, unless otherwise directed by the 
     Chairman.
       (B) Additional Meetings.--At the discretion of the 
     Chairman, additional meetings of the Committee may be 
     scheduled for the consideration of any legislation or other 
     matters pending before the Committee or to conduct other 
     Committee business. The Committee shall meet for such 
     purposes pursuant to the call of the Chairman.
       (C) Consideration--Except in the case of a special meeting 
     held under clause 2(c)(2) of House Rule XI, the determination 
     of the business to be considered at each meeting of the 
     Committee shall be made by the Chairman.


                    rule v.--notice and publication.

       (A) Notice.--
       (1) Hearings.--Pursuant to clause 2(g)(3) of rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the 
     Committee shall make public announcement of the date, place, 
     and subject matter of any hearing before the Full Committee 
     or subcommittee, which may not commence earlier than one week 
     after such notice. However, if the Chairman of the Committee, 
     with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member, 
     determines that there is good cause to begin the hearing 
     sooner, or if the Committee so determines by majority vote, a 
     quorum being present for the transaction of business, the 
     Chairman shall make the announcement at the earliest possible 
     date. The names of all witnesses scheduled to appear at such 
     hearing shall be provided to Members no later than 48 hours 
     prior to the commencement of such hearing.
       (2) Meetings.--The date, time, place and subject matter of 
     any meeting, which could be a briefing, other than a hearing 
     or a regularly scheduled meeting, may not commence earlier 
     than the third day on which Members have notice thereof 
     except in the case of a special meeting called under 
     clause 2(c)(2) of House Rule XI. These notice requirements 
     may be waived if the Chairman with the concurrence of the 
     Ranking Minority Member, determines that there is good 
     cause to begin the meeting sooner or if the Committee so 
     determines by majority vote, a quorum being present for 
     the transaction of business.
       (a) At least 48 hours prior to the commencement of a 
     meeting for the markup of legislation, or at the time of 
     announcement of the meeting, if less than 48 hours under Rule 
     V(A)(2), the text of such legislation to be marked up shall 
     be provided to the Members, made publicly available in 
     electronic form, and posted on the official Committee web 
     site.
       (b) Not later than 24 hours after concluding a meeting to 
     consider legislation, the text of such legislation as ordered 
     forwarded or reported, including any amendments adopted or 
     defeated, shall be made publicly available in electronic form 
     and posted on the official Committee web site.
       (3) Publication--The meeting or hearing announcement shall 
     be promptly published in the Daily Digest portion of the 
     Congressional Record. To the greatest extent practicable, 
     meeting announcements shall be entered into the Committee 
     scheduling service of the House Information Resources.


          Rule VI.--Open Meetings and Hearings; Broadcasting.

       (A) Open Meetings.--All meetings and hearings of the 
     Committee shall be open to the public including to radio, 
     television, and still photography coverage, except as 
     provided by Rule XI of the Rules of the House or when the 
     Committee, in open session and with a majority present, 
     determines by recorded vote that all or part of the remainder 
     of that hearing on that day shall be closed to the public 
     because disclosure of testimony, evidence, or other matters 
     to be considered would endanger the national security, 
     compromise sensitive law enforcement information, tend to 
     defame, degrade or incriminate a witness, or violate any law 
     or rule of the House of Representatives.
       (B) Broadcasting.--Whenever any hearing or meeting 
     conducted by the Committee is open to the public, the 
     Committee shall permit that hearing or meeting to be covered 
     by television broadcast, intemet broadcast, print media, and 
     still photography, or by any of such methods of coverage, in 
     accordance with the provisions of clause 4 of Rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House. Operation and use of any Committee 
     operated broadcast system shall be fair and nonpartisan and 
     in accordance with clause 4(b) of Rule XI and all other 
     applicable rules of the Committee and the House. Priority 
     shall be given by the Committee to members of the Press 
     Galleries. Pursuant to clause 2(e) of rule XI of the Rules of 
     the House of Representatives, the Committee shall, to the 
     greatest extent practicable, provide audio and video coverage 
     of each hearing or meeting 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.
       (C) Transcripts.--A transcript shall be made of the 
     testimony of each witness appearing before the Committee 
     during a Committee hearing. All transcripts of meetings or 
     hearings that are open to the public shall be made available.


            Rule VII.--Procedures for Meetings and Hearings.

       (A) Opening Statements.--At any meeting of the Committee, 
     the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member shall be entitled to 
     present oral opening statements of five minutes each. Other 
     Members may submit written opening statements for the record. 
     The Chairman presiding over the meeting may permit additional 
     opening statements by other Members of the Full Committee or 
     of that subcommittee, with the concurrence of the Ranking 
     Minority Member.
       (B) The Five-Minute Rule.--The time any one Member may 
     address the Committee on any bill, motion, or other matter 
     under consideration by the Committee shall not exceed five 
     minutes, and then only when the Member has been recognized by 
     the Chairman, except that this time limit may be extended 
     when permitted by unanimous consent.
       (C) Postponement of Vote.--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 
     vote at any time, provided that all reasonable steps have 
     been taken to notify Members of the resumption of such 
     proceedings, including circulation of notice by the Clerk of 
     the Committee, or other designee of the Chair. 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.
       (D) Contempt Procedures.--No recommendation that a person 
     be cited for contempt of Congress shall be forwarded to the 
     House unless and until the Full Committee has, upon notice to 
     all its Members, met and considered the alleged contempt. The 
     person to be cited for contempt shall be afforded, upon 
     notice of at least 72 hours, an opportunity to state why he 
     or she should not be held in contempt prior to a vote of the 
     Full Committee, with a quorum being present, on the question 
     whether to forward such recommendation to the House. Such 
     statement shall be, in the discretion of the Chairman, either 
     in writing or in person before the Full Committee.
       (E) Record.--Members may have 10 business days to submit to 
     the Chief Clerk of the Committee their statements for the 
     record, and, in the case of a hearing, additional questions 
     for the hearing record to be directed towards a witness at 
     the hearing.


                         Rule VIII.--WITNESSES.

       (A) Questioning of Witnesses.--
       (1) Questioning of witnesses by Members will be conducted 
     under the five- minute rule unless the Committee adopts a 
     motion permitted by clause 2(j)(2) of House Rule XI.
       (2) In questioning witnesses under the five-minute rule, 
     the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member shall first be 
     recognized. In a subcommittee meeting or hearing, the 
     Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Full Committee 
     are then recognized. All other Members who are present before 
     the commencement of the meeting or hearing will be recognized 
     in the order of seniority on the Committee, alternating 
     between Majority and Minority Members. Committee Members 
     arriving after the commencement of the hearing shall be 
     recognized in order of appearance, alternating between 
     Majority

[[Page H2103]]

     and Minority Members, after all Members present at the 
     beginning of the hearing have been recognized. Each Member 
     shall be recognized at least once before any Member is given 
     a second opportunity to question a witness.
       (3) The Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, or the Committee by motion, may permit an extension 
     of the period of questioning of a witness beyond five minutes 
     but the time allotted must be equally apportioned to the 
     Majority party and the Minority and may not exceed one hour 
     in the aggregate.
       (4) The Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, or the Committee by motion, may permit Committee 
     staff of the Majority and Minority to question a witness for 
     a specified period of time, but the time allotted must be 
     equally apportioned to the Majority and Minority staff and 
     may not exceed one hour in the aggregate.
       (B) Minority Witnesses.--Whenever a hearing is conducted by 
     the Committee upon any measure or matter, the Minority party 
     Members on the Committee 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.
       (C) Oath or Affirmation.--The Chairman of the Committee or 
     any Member designated by the Chairman, may administer an oath 
     to any witness.
       (D) Statements by Witnesses.--
       (1) Consistent with the notice given, and to the greatest 
     extent practicable, witnesses shall submit a prepared or 
     written statement for the record of the proceedings 
     (including, where practicable, an electronic copy) with the 
     Clerk of the Committee no less than 48 hours in advance of 
     the witness's appearance before the Committee. Unless the 48 
     hour requirement is waived or otherwise modified by the 
     Chairman, after consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, the failure to comply with this requirement may 
     result in the exclusion of the written testimony from the 
     healing record and/or the barring of an oral presentation of 
     the testimony. The Clerk of the Committee shall provide any 
     such prepared or written statement submitted to the Clerk 
     prior to the hearing to the Members of the Committee prior to 
     the commencement of the hearing.
       (2) In the case of a witness appearing in a non-
     governmental capacity, a written statement of proposed 
     testimony shall include a curriculum vita and a disclosure of 
     any Federal grants or contracts, or contracts or payments 
     originating with a foreign government, received during the 
     current calendar year or either of the two preceding calendar 
     years by the witness or by an entity represented by the 
     witness and related to the subject matter of the hearing. 
     Such disclosures shall include the amount and source of each 
     Federal grant (or subgrant thereof) or contract (or 
     subcontract thereof) related to the subject matter of the 
     hearing, and the amount and country of origin of any payment 
     or contract related to the subject matter jurisdiction of the 
     hearing originating with a foreign government. Such 
     statements, with the appropriate redactions to protect the 
     privacy or security of the witness, shall be made publicly 
     available in electronic form not later than one day after the 
     witness appears.


                           Rule IX.--Quorum.

       Quorum Requirements.--Two Members shall constitute a quorum 
     for purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence. One-
     third of the Members of the Committee shall constitute 
     a quorum for conducting business, except for (1) reporting 
     a measure or recommendation; (2) closing Committee 
     meetings to the public, pursuant to Committee Rule IV; (3) 
     any other action for which an actual majority quorum is 
     required by any rule of the House of Representatives or by 
     law. The Chairman's staff shall consult with the Ranking 
     Minority Member's staff when scheduling meetings and 
     hearings, to ensure that a quorum for any purpose will 
     include at least one Minority Member of the Committee.


                           Rule X.--Decorum.

       (A) Breaches of Decorum.--The Chairman may punish breaches 
     of order and decorum, by censure and exclusion from the 
     hearing; and the Committee may cite the offender to the House 
     for contempt.
       (B) Access to Dais.--Access to the dais before, during, and 
     after a hearing, markup, or other meeting of the Committee 
     shall be limited to Members and staff of the Committee. 
     Subject to availability of space on the dais, Committee 
     Members' personal staff may be present on the dais during a 
     hearing if their employing Member is seated on the dais and 
     during a markup or other meeting if their employing Member is 
     the author of a measure or amendment under consideration by 
     the Committee, but only during the time that the measure or 
     amendment is under active consideration by the Committee, or 
     otherwise at the discretion of the Chairman, or of the 
     Ranking Minority Member for personal staff employed by a 
     Minority Member.
       (C) Wireless Communications Use Prohibited.--During a 
     hearing, mark-up, or other meeting of the Committee, ringing 
     or audible sounds or conversational use of cellular 
     telephones or other electronic devices is prohibited in the 
     Committee room.


                 Rule XI.--Referrals to Subcommittees.

       Referral of Bills and Other Matters by Chairman.--Except 
     for bills and other matters retained by the Chairman for Full 
     Committee consideration, each bill or other matter referred 
     to the Full Committee shall be referred by the Chairman to 
     one or more subcommittees within two weeks of receipt by the 
     Committee. In referring any measure or matter to a 
     subcommittee, the Chair may specify a date by which the 
     subcommittee shall report thereon to the Full Committee. 
     Bills or other matters referred to subcommittees may be 
     reassigned or discharged by the Chairman.


                         Rule XII.--Subpoenas.

       (A) Authorization.--The power to authorize and issue 
     subpoenas is delegated to the Chairman of the Full Committee, 
     as provided for under clause 2(m)(3)(A)(i) of Rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives. The Chairman shall 
     notify the Ranking Minority Member prior to issuing any 
     subpoena under such authority. To the extent practicable, the 
     Chairman shall consult with the Ranking Minority Member at 
     least 24 hours in advance of a subpoena being issued under 
     such authority, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal 
     holidays. The Chairman of the Full Committee shall notify 
     Members of the Committee of the authorization and issuance of 
     a subpoena under this rule as soon as practicable, but in no 
     event later than one week after service of such subpoena.
       (B) Disclosure.--Provisions may be included in a subpoena 
     with the concurrence of the Chairman and the Ranking Minority 
     Member of the Full Committee, or by the Committee, to prevent 
     the disclosure of the Full Committee's demands for 
     information when deemed necessary for the security of 
     information or the progress of an investigation, including 
     but not limited to prohibiting the revelation by witnesses 
     and their counsel of Full Committee's inquiries.
       (C) Subpoena duces tecum.--A subpoena duces tecum may be 
     issued whose return to the Committee Clerk shall occur at a 
     time and place other than that of a regularly scheduled 
     meeting.


                      Rule XIII.--Committee Staff.

       (A) Generally.--Committee staff members are subject to the 
     provisions of clause 9 of House Rule X and must be eligible 
     to be considered for routine access to classified 
     information.
       (B) Staff Assignments.--For purposes of these rules, 
     Committee staff means the employees of the Committee, 
     detailees, fellows, or any other person engaged by contract 
     or otherwise to perform services for, or at the request of, 
     the Committee. All such persons shall be either Majority, 
     Minority, or shared staff. The Chairman shall appoint, 
     supervise, where applicable determine remuneration of, and 
     may remove Majority staff The Ranking Minority Member shall 
     appoint, supervise, where applicable determine remuneration 
     of, and may remove Minority staff. In consultation with the 
     Ranking Minority Member, the Chairman may appoint, supervise, 
     determine remuneration of and may remove shared staff that is 
     assigned to service of the Committee. The Chairman shall 
     certify Committee staff appointments, including appointments 
     by the Ranking Minority Member, as required.
       (C) Divulgence of Information.--Prior to the public 
     acknowledgement by the Chairman or the Committee of a 
     decision to initiate an investigation of a particular person, 
     entity, or subject, no member of the Committee staff shall 
     knowingly divulge to any person any information, including 
     non-classified information, which comes into his or her 
     possession by virtue of his or her status as a member of the 
     Committee staff, if the member of the Committee staff has a 
     reasonable expectation that such information may alert the 
     subject of a Committee investigation to the existence, 
     nature, or substance of such investigation, unless authorized 
     to do so by the Chairman or the Committee.


        RULE XIV.--Committee Member and Committee Staff Travel.

       (A) Approval of Travel.--Consistent with the primary 
     expense resolution and such additional expense resolutions as 
     may have been approved, travel to be reimbursed from funds 
     set aside for the Committee for any Committee Member or 
     Committee staff shall be paid only upon the prior 
     authorization of the Chairman. Travel may be authorized by 
     the Chairman for any Committee Member or Committee staff only 
     in connection with official Committee business, such as the 
     attendance of hearings conducted by the Committee and 
     meetings, conferences, site visits, and investigations that 
     involve activities or subject matters under the general 
     jurisdiction of the Full Committee.
       (1) Proposed Travel by Majority Party Committee Members and 
     Committee Staff.--In the case of proposed travel by Majority 
     party Committee Members or Committee staff, before such 
     authorization is given, there shall be submitted to the 
     Chairman in writing the following: (a) the purpose of the 
     travel; (b) the dates during which the travel is to be made 
     and the date or dates of the event for which the travel is 
     being made; (c) the location of the event for which the 
     travel is to be made; (d) the estimated total cost of the 
     travel; and (e) the names of Members and staff seeking 
     authorization. On the basis of that information, the Chairman 
     shall determine whether the proposed travel is for official 
     Committee business, concerns a subject matter under the 
     jurisdiction of the Full Committee, and is not excessively 
     costly in

[[Page H2104]]

     view of the Committee business proposed to be conducted.
       (2) Proposed Travel by Minority Party Committee Members and 
     Committee Staff.--In the case of proposed travel by Minority 
     party Committee Members or Committee staff, the Ranking 
     Minority Member shall provide to the Chairman a written 
     representation setting forth the information specified in 
     items (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of subparagraph (1) and his 
     or her determination that such travel complies with the other 
     requirements of subparagraph (1).
       (B) Foreign Travel.--Committee Member and Committee staff 
     requests for foreign travel must include a written 
     representation setting forth the information specified in 
     items (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of subparagraph (A)(1) and 
     be submitted to the Chairman and, absent extenuating 
     circumstances, to the Ranking Minority Member, not fewer than 
     ten business days prior to the start of the travel. Within 
     thirty days of the conclusion of any such foreign travel 
     authorized under this rule, there shall be submitted to the 
     Chairman a written report summarizing the information gained 
     as a result of the travel in question, or other Committee 
     objectives served by such travel. The requirements of this 
     section may be waived or abridged by the Chairman.
       (C) Compliance with Committee Travel Policy and 
     Guidelines.--Travel must be in accordance with the Committee 
     Travel Policy and Guidelines, as well as with House Rules, 
     the Travel Guidelines and Regulations and any additional 
     guidance set forth by the Committee on Ethics and the 
     Committee on House Administration. Committee Members and 
     staff shall follow these rules, policies, guidelines, and 
     regulations in requesting and proceeding with any Committee-
     related travel.


     Rule XV.--Classified and Controlled Unclassified Information.

       (A) Security Precautions.--Committee staff offices, 
     including Majority and Minority offices, shall operate under 
     strict security precautions administered by the Security 
     Officer of the Committee. A security officer shall be on duty 
     at all times during normal office hours. Classified documents 
     and controlled unclassified information (CUI--formerly known 
     as sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information--may be 
     destroyed, discussed, examined, handled, reviewed, stored, 
     transported and used only in an appropriately secure manner 
     in accordance with all applicable laws, executive orders, and 
     other governing authorities. Such documents may be removed 
     from the Committee's offices only in furtherance of official 
     Committee business. Appropriate security procedures, as 
     determined by the Chairman in consultation with the Ranking 
     Minority Member, shall govern the handling of such documents 
     removed from the Committee's offices.
       (B) Temporary Custody of Executive Branch Material.--
     Executive branch documents or other materials containing 
     classified information in any form that were not made part of 
     the record of a Committee hearing, did not originate in the 
     Committee or the House, and are not otherwise records of 
     the Committee shall, while in the custody of the 
     Committee, be segregated and maintained by the Committee 
     in the same manner as Committee records that are 
     classified. Such documents and other materials shall be 
     returned to the Executive branch agency from which they 
     were obtained at the earliest practicable time.
       (C) Access by Committee Staff.--Access to classified 
     information supplied to the Committee shall be limited to 
     Committee staff members with appropriate security clearances 
     and a need-toknow, as determined by the Chairman or Ranking 
     Minority Member, and under the direction of the Majority or 
     Minority Staff Directors.
       (D) Maintaining Confidentiality.--No Committee Member or 
     Committee staff shall disclose, in whole or in part or by way 
     of summary, to any person who is not a Committee Member or 
     authorized Committee staff for any purpose or in connection 
     with any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, any testimony 
     given before the Committee in executive session except for 
     purposes of obtaining an official classification of such 
     testimony. Classified information and controlled unclassified 
     information (CUI) shall be handled in accordance with all 
     applicable laws, executive orders, and other governing 
     authorities and consistently with the provisions of these 
     rules and Committee procedures.
       (E) Oath.--Before a Committee Member or Committee staff may 
     have access to classified information, the following oath (or 
     affirmation) shall be executed:
       I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will not disclose 
     any classified information received in the course of my 
     service on the Committee on Homeland Security, except as 
     authorized by the Committee or the House of Representatives 
     or in accordance with the Rules of such Committee or the 
     Rules of the House.
       Copies of the executed oath (or affirmation) shall be 
     retained by the Clerk of the Committee as part of the records 
     of the Committee.
       (F) Disciplinary Action.--The Chairman shall immediately 
     consider disciplinary action in the event any Committee 
     Member or Committee staff member fails to conform to the 
     provisions of these rules governing the disclosure of 
     classified or unclassified information. Such disciplinary 
     action may include, but shall not be limited to, immediate 
     dismissal from the Committee staff, criminal referral to the 
     Justice Department, and notification of the Speaker of the 
     House. With respect to Minority staff, the Chairman shall 
     consider such disciplinary action in consultation with the 
     Ranking Minority Member.


                     Rule XVI.--Committee Records.

       (A) Committee Records.--Committee Records shall constitute 
     all data, charts and files in possession of the Committee and 
     shall be maintained in accordance with clause 2(e) of House 
     Rule XI.
       (B) Legislative Calendar.--The Clerk of the Committee shall 
     maintain a printed calendar for the information of each 
     Committee Member showing any procedural or legislative 
     measures considered or scheduled to be considered by the 
     Committee, and the status of such measures and such other 
     matters as the Committee determines shall be included. The 
     calendar shall be revised from time to time to show pertinent 
     changes. A copy of such revisions shall be made available to 
     each Member of the Committee upon request.
       (C) Members Right To Access.--Members of the Committee and 
     of the House shall have access to all official Committee 
     Records. Access to Committee files shall be limited to 
     examination within the Committee offices at reasonable times. 
     Access to Committee Records that contain classified 
     information shall be provided in a manner consistent with 
     these rules.
       (D) Removal of Committee Records.--Files and records of the 
     Committee are not to be removed from the Committee offices. 
     No Committee files or records that are not made publicly 
     available shall be photocopied by any Member.
       (E) Executive Session Records.--Evidence or testimony 
     received by the Committee in executive session shall not be 
     released or made available to the public unless agreed to by 
     the Committee. Such information may be made available to 
     appropriate government personnel for purposes of 
     classification. Such information Members may examine the 
     Conunittee's executive session records, but may not make 
     copies of, or take personal notes from, such records.
       (F) Availability of Committee Records.--The Committee shall 
     keep a complete record of all Committee action including 
     recorded votes and attendance at hearings and meetings. 
     Information so available for public inspection shall include 
     a description of each amendment, motion, order, or other 
     proposition, including the name of the Member who offered the 
     amendment, motion, order, or other proposition, and the name 
     of each Member voting for and each Member voting against each 
     such amendment, motion, order, or proposition, as well as the 
     names of those Members present but not voting. Such record 
     shall be made available to the public at reasonable times 
     within the Committee offices and also made publicly available 
     in electronic form and posted on the official Committee web 
     site within 48 hours of such record vote.
       (G) Separate and Distinct.--All Committee records and files 
     must be kept separate and distinct from the office records of 
     the Members serving as Chairman and Ranking Minority Member. 
     Records and files of Members' personal offices shall not be 
     considered records or files of the Committee.
       (H) Disposition of Committee Records.--At the conclusion of 
     each Congress, non-current records of the Committee shall be 
     delivered to the Archivist of the United States in accordance 
     with Rule VII of the Rules of the House.
       (I) Archived 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. The Chairman 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 the written request of any member of 
     the Committee. The Chairman shall consult with the Ranking 
     Minority Member on any communication from the Archivist of 
     the United States or the Clerk of the House concerning the 
     disposition of noncurrent records pursuant to clause 3(b) of 
     the Rule.


                      Rule XVII.--Committee Rules.

       (A) Availability of Committee Rules in Electronic Form.--
     Pursuant to clause 2(a) of rule XI of the Rules of the House 
     of Representatives, the Committee shall make its rules 
     publicly available in electronic form and posted on the 
     official Committee web site and shall submit such rules for 
     publication in the Congressional Record not later than 30 
     days after the Chairman of the Committee is elected in each 
     odd-numbered year.
       (B) Changes to Committee Rules.--These rules may be 
     modified, amended, or repealed by the Full Committee provided 
     that a notice in writing of the proposed change has been 
     given to each Member at least 48 hours prior to the meeting 
     at which action thereon is to be taken and such changes are 
     not inconsistent with the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives.

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