[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 77 (Thursday, April 23, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1953-H1954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      ESTABLISHING A SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Castor of Florida). Pursuant to House 
Resolution 938, the resolution (H. Res. 935) establishing a Select 
Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis as a select investigative 
subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, is considered as 
adopted.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 935

       Resolved, That there is hereby established a select 
     investigative subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and 
     Reform called the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus 
     Crisis (hereinafter referred to as the ``select 
     subcommittee'').
       Sec. 2. (a) The select subcommittee shall be composed of 
     not more than 12 Members, Delegates, or the Resident 
     Commissioner appointed by the Speaker, of whom not more than 
     5 shall be appointed on the recommendation of the minority 
     leader. The Speaker shall designate one member of the select 
     subcommittee as its chair. Any vacancy in the select 
     subcommittee shall be filled in the same manner as the 
     original appointment.
       (b) Each member appointed to the select subcommittee shall 
     be treated as though a member of the Committee on Oversight 
     and Reform for purposes of the select subcommittee.
       Sec. 3. (a) The select subcommittee is authorized and 
     directed to conduct a full and complete investigation and 
     study and issue a final report to the House of its findings 
     (and such interim reports as it may deem necessary) 
     regarding--
       (1) the efficiency, effectiveness, equity, and transparency 
     of the use of taxpayer funds and relief programs to address 
     the coronavirus crisis, including through Federal agencies, 
     State and local government entities, financial institutions 
     and other private businesses, contracts, grants, loans, loan 
     guarantees, investments, cooperative agreements, or any other 
     means;
       (2) reports of waste, fraud, abuse, price gouging, 
     profiteering, or other abusive practices related to the 
     coronavirus crisis;
       (3) the implementation or effectiveness of any Federal law 
     applied, enacted, or under consideration to address the 
     coronavirus crisis and prepare for future pandemics;
       (4) preparedness for and response to the coronavirus 
     crisis, including the planning for and implementation of 
     testing, containment, mitigation, and surveillance 
     activities; the acquisition, distribution, or stockpiling of 
     protective equipment and medical supplies; and the 
     development of vaccines and treatments;
       (5) the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis on 
     individuals, communities, small businesses, health care 
     providers, States, and local government entities;
       (6) any disparate impacts of the coronavirus crisis on 
     different communities and populations, including with respect 
     to race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual 
     orientation, disability, and geographic region, and any 
     measures taken to address such disparate impacts;
       (7) executive branch policies, deliberations, decisions, 
     activities, and internal and external communications related 
     to the coronavirus crisis;
       (8) the protection of whistleblowers who provide 
     information about waste, fraud, abuse, or other improper 
     activities related to the coronavirus crisis;
       (9) cooperation by the executive branch and others with 
     Congress, the Inspectors General, the Government 
     Accountability Office, and others in connection with 
     oversight of the preparedness for and response to the 
     coronavirus crisis; and
       (10) any other issues related to the coronavirus crisis.
       (b) The select subcommittee may report to the House or any 
     committee of the House from time to time the results of its 
     investigations and studies, together with such detailed 
     findings and legislative recommendations as it may deem 
     advisable.
       (c) The select subcommittee may not hold a markup of 
     legislation.

[[Page H1954]]

       Sec. 4. (a) Rule XI and the rules of the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform shall apply to the select subcommittee 
     in the same manner as a subcommittee except as follows:
       (1) The chair of the select subcommittee may authorize and 
     issue subpoenas pursuant to clause 2(m) of rule XI and rule 
     12(g) of the rules of the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
     in the investigation and study conducted pursuant to section 
     3, including for the purpose of taking depositions.
       (2) The chair of the select subcommittee is authorized to 
     compel by subpoena the furnishing of information by 
     interrogatory.
       (3) Subpoenas so authorized may be signed by the chair of 
     the select subcommittee or a designee.
       (4) The chair of the select subcommittee may order the 
     taking of depositions, under oath and pursuant to notice or 
     subpoena, by a member of the select subcommittee or a counsel 
     of the select subcommittee. Such depositions shall be 
     governed by rule 15 of the rules of the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform. For purposes of such rule, references 
     to ``the Committee'' shall be construed as references to the 
     select subcommittee.
       (5) The chair of the select subcommittee may, after 
     consultation with the ranking minority member, recognize--
       (A) members of the select subcommittee to question a 
     witness for periods longer than five minutes as though 
     pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(B) of such rule XI; and
       (B) staff of the select subcommittee to question a witness 
     as though pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(C) of such rule XI.
       (6) Agenda and reports required by rule 2(f) and rule 4(c) 
     of the rules of the Committee on Oversight and Reform shall 
     be required on the third calendar day before a meeting, 
     hearing, or consideration of a report, as applicable.
       (b) The provisions of this resolution shall govern the 
     proceedings of the select subcommittee in the event of any 
     conflict with the rules of the House or of the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform.
       Sec. 5.  Any committee of the House having custody of 
     records in any form relating to the matters described in 
     section 3 shall transfer copies of such records to the select 
     subcommittee within 7 days of the adoption of this resolution 
     or receipt of such records. Such records shall become the 
     records of the select subcommittee.
       Sec. 6.  Service on the select subcommittee shall not count 
     against the limitations in clause 5(b)(2)(A) of rule X.
       Sec. 7.  The Committee on Oversight and Reform is the 
     ``successor in interest'' to the select subcommittee for 
     purposes of clause 8(c) of rule II.
       Sec. 8.  The select subcommittee shall cease to exist 30 
     days after filing the final report required under section 3.
       Sec. 9. (a) For further expenses of the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform for the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, 
     there shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of the 
     House of Representatives an additional amount of $2,000,000.
       (b) Payments under this resolution shall be made on 
     vouchers authorized by the Committee on Oversight and Reform, 
     signed by the chair of that committee, and approved in the 
     manner directed by the Committee on House Administration.
       Sec. 10.  Amounts made available under this resolution 
     shall be expended in accordance with regulations prescribed 
     by the Committee on House Administration.

     

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