[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 27 (Friday, February 12, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S701-S702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE

  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
Committee on Indian Affairs Rules for the 117th Congress be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   Senate Committee on Indian Affairs--117th Congress Committee Rules


             COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE

       Rule 1. The Standing Rules of the Senate, Senate Resolution 
     4, and the provisions of the Legislative Reorganization Act 
     of 1946, as amended by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 
     1970, as supplemented by these rules, are adopted as the 
     rules of the Committee to the extent the provisions of such 
     Rules, Resolution, and Acts are applicable to the Committee 
     on Indian Affairs.


                        MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE

       Rule 2. The Committee shall meet on Wednesday while the 
     Congress is in session for the purpose of conducting 
     business, unless for the convenience of the Members, the 
     Chairman shall set some other day for a meeting. Additional 
     meetings may be called by the Chairman as he or she may deem 
     necessary.


                       OPEN HEARINGS AND MEETINGS

       Rule 3(a). Hearings and business meetings of the Committee 
     shall be open to the public except when the Chairman by a 
     majority vote orders a closed hearing or meeting.
       (b). Except as otherwise provided in the Rules of the 
     Senate, a transcript or electronic recording shall be kept of 
     each hearing and business meeting of the Committee.


                           HEARING PROCEDURE

       Rule 4(a). Public notice, including notice to Members of 
     the Committee, shall be given of the date, place, and subject 
     matter of any hearing to be held by the Committee at least 
     one week in advance of such hearing unless the Chairman of 
     the Committee, with the concurrence of the Vice Chairman, 
     determines that holding the hearing would be non-
     controversial or that special circumstances require expedited 
     procedures and a majority of the Committee Members attending 
     concur. In no case shall a hearing be conducted within less 
     than 24 hours' notice.
       (b). Each witness who is to appear before the Committee 
     shall submit his or her testimony by way of electronic mail, 
     at least two (2) business days prior to a hearing, in a 
     format determined by the Committee and sent to an electronic 
     mail address specified by the Committee. In the event a 
     federal witness fails to timely file the written statement in 
     accordance with this rule, the federal witness shall testify 
     as to the reason the testimony is late.
       (c). Each Member shall be limited to five (5) minutes of 
     questioning of any witness until such time as all Members 
     attending who so desire have had an opportunity to question 
     the witness unless the Committee shall decide otherwise.
       (d) The Chairman, in consultation with the Vice Chairman, 
     may authorize remote hearings via video conference.


                        BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA

       Rule 5(a). A legislative measure or subject shall be 
     included in the agenda of the next following business meeting 
     of the Committee if a written request by a Member for 
     consideration of such measure or subject has been filed with 
     the Chairman of the Committee at least one week prior to such 
     meeting. Nothing in this rule shall be construed to limit the 
     authority of the Chairman of the Committee to include 
     legislative measures or subjects on the Committee agenda in 
     the absence of such request.
       (b). Any bill, resolution, or other matter to be considered 
     by the Committee at a business meeting shall be filed with 
     the Clerk of the Committee. Notice of, and the agenda for, 
     any business meeting of the Committee, and a copy of any 
     bill, resolution, or other matter to be considered at the 
     meeting, shall be provided to each Member and made available 
     to the public at least three (3) business days prior to such 
     meeting, and no new items may be added after the agenda is 
     published except by the approval of the Chairman with the 
     concurrence of the Vice Chairman or by a majority of the 
     Members of the Committee. The notice and agenda of any 
     business meeting may be provided to the Members by electronic 
     mail, provided that a paper copy will be provided to any 
     Member upon request. The Clerk shall promptly notify absent 
     Members of any action taken by the Committee on matters not 
     included in the published agenda.
       (c). Any amendment(s) to any bill or resolution to be 
     considered shall be filed by a Member of the Committee with 
     the Clerk not less than 48 hours in advance of the scheduled 
     business meeting. This rule may be waived by the Chairman 
     with the concurrence of the Vice Chairman.


                                 QUORUM

       Rule 6(a). Except as provided in subsection (b), a majority 
     of the Members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction 
     of business of the Committee. Except as provided in Senate 
     Rule XXVI 7(a), a quorum is presumed to be present unless a 
     Committee Member notes the absence of a quorum.
       (b). One Member shall constitute a quorum for the purpose 
     of conducting a hearing or taking testimony on any measure or 
     matter before the Committee.


                                 VOTING

       Rule 7(a). A recorded vote of the Members shall be taken 
     upon the request of any Member.
       (b). A measure may be reported without a recorded vote from 
     the Committee unless an objection is made by any Member, in 
     which case a recorded vote by the Members shall be required. 
     A Member shall have the right to have his or her additional 
     views included in the Committee report on the measure in 
     accordance with Senate Rule XXVI 10.
       (c). A Committee vote to report a measure to the Senate 
     shall also authorize the staff of the Committee to make 
     necessary technical and conforming changes to the measure.
       (d). Proxy voting shall be permitted on all matters, except 
     that proxies may not be counted for the purpose of 
     determining the presence of a quorum. Unless further limited, 
     a proxy shall be exercised only for the date for which it is 
     given and upon the terms published in the agenda for that 
     date.


                SWORN TESTIMONY AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

       Rule 8(a). Witnesses in Committee hearings who are required 
     to give testimony shall be deemed under oath.
       (b). At any hearing to confirm a Presidential nomination, 
     the testimony of the nominee and, at the request of any 
     Member, any other witnesses that come before the Committee 
     shall also be under oath. Every nominee shall submit a 
     questionnaire on forms to be provided by the Committee, 
     ethics agreement, and public financial disclosure report, 
     (OGE Form 278 or a successor form) which shall be sworn to by 
     the nominee as to its completeness and accuracy and be 
     accompanied by a letter issued by the nominee within five (5) 
     days immediately preceding the hearing affirming that nothing 
     has changed in their financial status or documents since the 
     documents were originally filed with the Committee. The 
     public financial disclosure report and ethics agreement shall 
     be made available to the public by the Committee unless the 
     Committee, in executive session, determines that special 
     circumstances require a full or partial exception to this 
     rule.


                         CONFIDENTIAL TESTIMONY

       Rule 9. No confidential testimony taken by, or confidential 
     material presented to the Committee, or any report of the 
     proceedings of a closed Committee hearing or business meeting 
     shall be made public in whole or in part, or by way of 
     summary, unless authorized by a majority of the Members of 
     the Committee at a business meeting called for the purpose of 
     making such a determination.


                         DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS

       Rule 10. Any person whose name is mentioned or who is 
     specifically identified in, or who believes that testimony or 
     other evidence presented at, an open Committee hearing tends 
     to defame him or her or otherwise adversely affects his or 
     her reputation may file with the Committee for its 
     consideration and action a sworn statement of facts relevant 
     to such testimony of evidence.


                  BROADCASTING OF HEARINGS OR MEETINGS

       Rule 11. Any meeting or hearing by the Committee which is 
     open to the public may be covered in whole or in part by 
     television, Internet, radio broadcast, or still photography. 
     Photographers and reporters using mechanical recording, 
     filming, or broadcasting devices shall position their 
     equipment so as not to interfere with the sight, vision, and 
     hearing of Members and staff on the dais or with the orderly 
     process of the meeting or hearing.


                         AUTHORIZING SUBPOENAS

       Rule 12. The Chairman may, with the agreement of the Vice 
     Chairman, or the Committee may, by majority vote, authorize 
     the issuance of subpoenas.


                           AMENDING THE RULES

       Rule 13. These rules may be amended only by a vote of a 
     majority of all the Members of

[[Page S702]]

     the Committee in a business meeting of the Committee: 
     Provided, that no vote may be taken on any proposed amendment 
     unless such amendment is reproduced in full in the Committee 
     agenda for such meeting at least seven (7) days in advance of 
     such meeting.

                          ____________________