[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 31 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H521-H524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PUBLICATION OF COMMITTEE RULES


   RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS


                                     House of Representatives,

                                Washington, DC, February 18, 2021.
     Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
     Speaker, House of Representatives,
     Washingotn, DC.
       Dear Madam 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 117th Congress 
     for publication in the Congressional Record. On February 3rd, 
     2021, the Committee met in open session and adopted these 
     Rules by unanimous consent, a quorum being present.
           Sincerely,
                                               Bennie G. Thompson,
                                                         Chairman.

                       (Adopted February 3, 2021)


                      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 Chairs and Ranking 
     Minority Members to the same extent as they apply to the Full 
     Committee and its Chair and Ranking Minority Member.
       (C) Appointments by the Chair.--Clause 2(d) of Rule XI of 
     the House shall govern the designation of a Vice Chair of the 
     Full Committee.
       (D) Conferences.--The Chair is authorized to offer a motion 
     under clause 1 of Rule XXII of the Rules of the House 
     whenever the Chair considers it appropriate.
       (E) Committee Website.--The Chair 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.
       (F) Activity Report.--The Committee shall submit a report 
     to the House on the activities of the Committee in accordance 
     with House rule XI1(d).


                        RULE II.--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 
     Chair refers to it:
       (1) Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and 
     Operations
       (2) Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure 
     Protection, and Innovation
       (3) Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and 
     Recovery
       (4) Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism
       (5) Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and 
     Accountability
       (6) Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security
       (B) Selection and Ratio of Subcommittee Members.--The Chair 
     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 Chair 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 Chair 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 Chair 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 
     Chairs shall set hearing and meeting dates only with the 
     approval of the Chair of the Full Committee. To the greatest 
     extent practicable, no more than one meeting and hearing 
     should be scheduled for a given time.


                  RULE III.--SPECIAL COMMITTEE PANELS

       (A) Designation.--The Chair of the Full Committee may 
     designate a special 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) Party Ratios and Appointment.--The chair of a special 
     panel shall be appointed by the Chair of the Full Committee. 
     The Ranking Minority Member of the Full Committee may select 
     a ranking minority member for a special panel and may appoint 
     additional minority members, consistent with the ratio of the 
     full committee. The Chair and Ranking

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     Minority Member may serve as ex officio members.
       (C) Duration.--No special panel shall continue in existence 
     for more than six months.
       (D) Jurisdiction.-No panel shall have legislative 
     jurisdiction.


                       Rule IV.--REGULAR 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 
     Chair.
       (B) Additional Meetings.--At the discretion of the Chair, 
     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 Chair.
       (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 Chair.


                    RULE V.--NOTICE AND PUBLICATION

       (A) Notice.--
       (1) Hearings--(a) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(3) of rule XI of 
     the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Chair 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.
       (b) However, a hearing may begin sooner than specified in 
     (a) if the Chair of the Committee, with the concurrence of 
     the Ranking Minority Member, determines that there is good 
     cause to begin such hearing sooner, or if the Committee so 
     determines by majority vote, a quorum being present for the 
     transaction of business. If such a determination is made, the 
     Chair shall make the announcement required under
       (a) at the earliest possible date. To the extent 
     practicable, 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.--
       (a) The Chair shall announce the date, time, place and 
     subject matter of any meeting, which may not commence earlier 
     than the third calendar day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or 
     legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a 
     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 Chair 
     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.
       (b) 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.
       (c) 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) Briefings.--The Chair shall provide notice of the date, 
     time, place, and subject matter of a Member briefing. To the 
     extent practicable, a Member briefing shall not commence 
     earlier than the third day on which Members have notice 
     thereof.
       (4) Publication.--House Rule XI 2(g)(3)(C) is hereby 
     incorporated by reference.


           RULE VI.--OPEN MEETINGS AND HEARINGS; BROADCASTING

       (A) Open Meetings.--
       (1) 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.
       (2) The Committee or Subcommittee may meet in executive 
     session for up to five additional consecutive days of 
     hearings if agreed to by the same procedure.
       (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, internet 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 Chair 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 Chair 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 Chair, except that this time limit may be extended when 
     permitted by unanimous consent.
       (C) Postponement of Vote.--The Chair may postpone further 
     proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the question of 
     approving any measure or matter or adopting an amendment and 
     may resume proceedings on a postponed vote at any time after 
     reasonable notice to Members by the Clerk 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) 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 20(j)(2) of House Rule XI.
       (2) In questioning witnesses under the five-minute rule, 
     the Chair and the Ranking Minority Member shall first be 
     recognized. In a subcommittee meeting or hearing, the Chair 
     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 and 
     Minority Members, after all Members present at the beginning 
     of the hearing have been recognized. To the extent 
     practicable, each Member shall be recognized at least once 
     before any Member is given a second opportunity to question a 
     witness.
       (3) The Chair, in consultation with the Ranking Minority 
     Member, or the Committee by motion, may permit a specified 
     number of Members to question a witness for a period longer 
     than 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 Chair, 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.-- House Rule XI 2(j)(l) is hereby 
     incorporated by reference.
       (C) Oath or Affirmation.--The Chair of the Committee or any 
     Member designated by the Chair, may administer an oath to any 
     witness.
       (D) Statements by Witnesses.--
       (1) Consistent with the notice given, and to the greatest 
     extent practicable, each witness 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.
       (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 ongin of any payment 
     or contract related to the subject matter jurisdiction of 
     the hearing originating

[[Page H523]]

     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 Chair'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 Chair may punish breaches of 
     order and decorum, by censure and exclusion from a hearing or 
     meeting; 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 Chair; 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.
       (D) Protective Face Masks.--During any covered period 
     pursuant to section 3(s) of H. Res. 8, each individual 
     physically present at a Committee proceeding or in Committee 
     spaces must properly wear a protective face mask in that 
     space.


                  RULE XI.--REFERRALS TO SUBCOMMITTEES

       Referral of Bills and Other Matters by the Chair.--Except 
     for bills and other matters retained by the Chair for Full 
     Committee consideration, each bill or other matter referred 
     to the Full Committee shall be referred by the Chair 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 Chair.


                     RULE XII.--SUBPOENAS; COUNSEL

       (A) Authorization.--The power to authorize and issue 
     subpoenas is delegated to the Chair 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 Chair shall notify 
     the Ranking Minority Member prior to issuing any subpoena 
     under such authority. To the extent practicable, the Chair 
     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 Chair 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 Chair 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.
       (D) Counsel.--When representing a witness or entity before 
     the Committee in response to a document request, request for 
     transcribed interview, or subpoena from the Committee, or in 
     connection with testimony before the Committee at a hearing, 
     counsel for the witness or entity must promptly submit to the 
     Committee a notice of appearance specifying the following: 
     (a) counsel's name, firm or organization, and contact 
     information; and (b) each client represented by the counsel 
     in connection with the proceeding. Submission of a notice of 
     appearance constitutes acknowledgement that counsel is 
     authorized to accept service of process by the Committee on 
     behalf of such client(s), and that counsel is bound by and 
     agrees to comply with all applicable House and Committee 
     rules and regulations.
       (E) Deposition Authority.--Section 103 of H.Res 6 is hereby 
     incorporated by reference.


                      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, interns, 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 Chair 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 Chair may appoint, supervise, 
     determine remuneration of and may remove shared staff that is 
     assigned to service of the Committee. The Chair 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 Chair 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 Chair or the Committee.


     RULE XIV.--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 Chair 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-to-know, as determined by the Chair 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 Chair 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,

[[Page H524]]

     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 Chair shall consider such disciplinary 
     action in consultation with the Ranking Minority Member.


                      RULE XV.--COMMITTEE RECORDS

       (A) Committee Records.--House Rule XI 2(e) is hereby 
     incorporated by reference.
       (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 authorized by 
     the Committee, a majority being present. Such information may 
     be made available to appropriate government personnel for 
     purposes of classification. Members may examine the 
     Committee'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 Chair 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 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 the written request of any member of 
     the Committee. The Chair 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 XVI.--COMMITTEE RULES

       (A) Availability of Committee Rules in Electronic Form.--
     House Rule XI 2(a) is hereby incorporated by reference.
       (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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