[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 31 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H524-H527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PUBLICATION OF COMMITTEE RULES


   RULES OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS


                                     House of Representatives,

                                Washington, DC, February 18, 2021.
     Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
     Speaker, House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Madam Speaker: Pursuant to Rule XI, Clause 2(a) of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit 
     the Rules of the 117th Congress for the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs for publication in the Congressional 
     Record. The Committee adopted these rules by voice vote, with 
     a quorum being present, at our organizational meeting on 
     Thursday, February 11, 2021.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Mark Takano,
                                                         Chairman.


                       RULE 1--GENERAL PROVISIONS

       (A) Applicability of the Rules of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives.--
       In General.--The rules of the U.S. House of Representatives 
     (the House) are the rules of the Committee on Veterans' 
     Affairs (Committee) and its subcommittees so far as 
     applicable.
       (b) Rules of the Subcommittees.--Each subcommittee of the 
     Committee is a part of the Committee and is subject to the 
     authority and direction of the Committee and to its rules so 
     far as applicable. Written rules of the Committee, not 
     inconsistent with the Rules of the House, shall be binding on 
     each subcommittee of the Committee.
       (c) Incorporation of House Rule on Committee Procedure.--
     Clause 2 of House rule XI, which pertains entirely to 
     Committee procedure, is incorporated and made part of the 
     rules of the Committee so far as applicable.
       (d) Privileged Motions.--In the Committee, a motion to 
     recess from day to day, a motion to recess subject to the 
     call of the Chair (within 24 hours), and a motion to dispense 
     with the first reading (in full) of a bill or resolution if 
     printed copies are available, shall be privileged and decided 
     without debate.
       (e) Conferences.--Pursuant to clause 2(a)(3) of House rule 
     XI, the Chair is authorized to offer a motion under clause 1 
     of House rule XXII whenever the Chair considers it 
     appropriate.
       (f) Vice Chair.--Pursuant to clause 2(d) of House rule XI, 
     the Chair of the Committee shall designate the Vice Chair of 
     the Committee.
       (g) Taking of Depositions.--Pursuant to section 3(b) of 
     House Resolution 8 of the 117th Congress, the Chair upon 
     consultation with the Ranking Minority Member may order the 
     taking of depositions, including pursuant to subpoena, by a 
     member or counsel of the Committee. Depositions taken by a 
     member or counsel of the Committee shall be subject to 
     regulations issued by the Committee on Rules and printed in 
     the Congressional Record.
       (h) Subpoenas.--Pursuant to clause 2(m) of House rule XI, 
     subpoenas may be authorized and issued by the Committee in 
     the conduct of any investigation or series of investigations 
     or activities, only when authorized by a majority of the 
     members voting, a majority being present.
       (i) Open Meetings and Hearings.--Meetings and hearings of 
     the Committee shall be open to the public unless closed in 
     accordance with clause 2(g) of House rule XI.
       (G) Motions, Reduced to Writing.--Every motion made to the 
     Committee and entertained by the Chair shall be reduced to 
     writing upon demand of any member, and a copy made available 
     to each member present.
       (k) Decorum.--The Chair shall enforce decorum including 
     with regard to actions that impact the health and safety of 
     Members, staff, and anyone else present, or impedes the 
     business of the Committee.


                       RULE 2--COMMITTEE MEETINGS

       (a) Notice Requirements for Meetings.--The Chair shall 
     furnish each member of the Committee with the date, place, 
     and a list of measures and subjects to be considered at a 
     Committee meeting, which may not commence earlier than the 
     third calendar day on which members have notice thereof 
     (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays except when 
     the House is in session on such a day).
       (b) Availability of Texts.--At least 48 hours prior to the 
     commencement of a meeting for the markup of legislation, 
     including any amendment in the nature of a substitute to such 
     bills or resolutions that shall first be recognized by the 
     Chair, the text of such legislation shall be made publicly 
     available in electronic form.
       (c) In an emergency that does not reasonably allow for the 
     notice as required in paragraph (a), the Chair may waive the 
     notice requirement with the concurrence of the Ranking 
     Minority Member; or if the Committee so determines by 
     majority vote of the quorum required under Committee Rule 
     4(a). An announcement made under this subparagraph shall be 
     published promptly in the Daily Digest and made publicly 
     available in electronic form.
       (d) Amendments.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
     amendments to a measure or matter noticed under paragraph (b) 
     shall be submitted in writing or electronically to the 
     designee of both the Chair and Ranking Member and made 
     available electronically to each member of the Committee at 
     least 24 hours prior to the consideration of the measure or 
     matter. The Chair may use his or her discretion to give 
     priority to amendments submitted in advance.
       (e) Transcripts.--Transcripts of markups shall be recorded 
     and may be published in the same manner as hearings before 
     the Committee.
       (f) Additional Meetings.--The Chair of the Committee may 
     call and convene, as the Chair considers necessary, 
     additional meetings of the Committee for the consideration of 
     any bill or resolution pending before the Committee or for 
     the conduct of other Committee business. The Committee shall 
     meet for such purpose pursuant to the call of the Chair.
       (g) Congressional Budget Office Scoring.--The Committee 
     shall not include any bill or resolution for consideration 
     during a Committee markup which is not accompanied by

[[Page H525]]

     an accounting from the Congressional Budget Office of the 
     mandatory and discretionary costs or savings associated with 
     such bill or resolution.
       The accounting from the Congressional Budget Office need 
     not be official, but is expected to provide Committee members 
     with an approximation of the budgetary impact a bill or 
     resolution may have prior to any vote to favorably forward or 
     report such bill or resolution. The requirements of this 
     paragraph may be waived by a majority of Committee members, a 
     quorum being present.
       (h) Notice and Approval of Committee Investigative Reports 
     or Studies.--Only those investigative reports or studies 
     approved by a majority vote of the Committee at a meeting at 
     which a quorum is present may be ordered printed, unless 
     otherwise required by the rules of the House of 
     Representatives.
       A proposed investigative report or study shall not be 
     considered in the Committee unless the report has been 
     available to the members of the Committee for at least seven 
     calendar days before consideration of such proposed report or 
     study in the Committee.


                            RULE 3--HEARINGS

       (a) Notice.--(1) The Chair, in the case of a hearing to be 
     conducted by the Committee, shall publicly announce the date, 
     place, and subject matter of any hearing to be conducted on 
     any measure or matter at least one week before the 
     commencement of that hearing, unless in accordance with 
     clause 2(g)(3)(B) of House rule XI--
       (A) the Chair, with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority 
     Member, determines that there is good cause to begin the 
     hearing at an earlier date, or
       (B) the Committee determines by majority vote of the quorum 
     required under Committee rule 4(a) that a hearing may begin 
     earlier than one week after announcement of the hearing as 
     required under this subsection. An announcement made under 
     this subparagraph shall be published promptly in the Daily 
     Digest and made publicly available in electronic form.
       (b) Requirements for Testimony.--
       (1) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(5) of House rule XI, each 
     witness who is to appear before the Committee shall file with 
     the clerk of the Committee, at least 48 hours ( exclusive of 
     weekends and holidays) in advance of his or her appearance, 
     or at such other time as designated by the Chair after 
     consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, a written 
     statement of his or her proposed testimony. Each witness 
     shall, to the greatest extent practicable, provide a copy of 
     such written testimony in an electronic format prescribed by 
     the Chair. Each witness shall limit initial presentations to 
     a brief summary of the written statement.
       (2)(A) In the case of a witness appearing in a non-
     governmental capacity, a written statement of proposed 
     testimony shall include a curriculum vitae and a disclosure 
     of any Federal grants or contracts, or contracts, grants, or 
     payments originating with a foreign government, received 
     during the past 36 months by the witness or by an entity 
     represented by the witness and related to the subject matter 
     of the hearing, and a disclosure of whether the witnesses is 
     a fiduciary (including, but not limited to, a director, 
     officer, advisor, or resident agent) of any organization or 
     entity that has an interest in the subject matter of the 
     hearing
       (B) The disclosure required by this rule 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 of the 
     hearing originating with a foreign government.
       (c) Calling and Questioning Witnesses.--
       (1) Committee members may question witnesses only when they 
     have been recognized by the Chair of the Committee for that 
     purpose, and only for a 5-minute period until all members 
     present have had an opportunity to question a witness. The 
     questioning of witnesses in Committee hearings shall be 
     initiated by the Chair, followed by the Ranking Minority 
     Member and all other members alternating between the majority 
     and minority. Except as otherwise announced by the Chair at 
     the beginning of a hearing, members who are present at the 
     start of the hearing will be recognized before other members 
     who arrive after the hearing has begun. In recognizing 
     members to question witnesses in this fashion, the Chair 
     shall take into consideration the ratio of the majority to 
     minority members present and shall establish the order of 
     recognition for questioning in such a manner as not to 
     disadvantage the members of the majority.
       (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) 
     regarding the 5-minute rule, and pursuant to clause 2(j) of 
     House rule XI, the Chair after consultation with the Ranking 
     Minority Member, may permit a specified number of Committee 
     members to question a witness for longer than 5 minutes. The 
     time for extended questioning of a witness under this 
     paragraph shall be equal for the majority party and the 
     minority party and may not exceed one hour in theaggregate. 
     In no event shall the Chair allow a member to question a 
     witness for an extended period under this rule until all 
     members present have had the opportunity to ask questions 
     under the 5-minute rule. The Chair after consultation with 
     the Ranking Minority Member may permit Committee staff for 
     its majority and minority party members to question a witness 
     for equal specified periods. The time for extended 
     questioning of witnesses by staff shall be equal for the 
     majority party and the minority party and may not exceed one 
     hour in the aggregate.
       (3) Pursuant to clause 2(k) of House rule XI, the Chair at 
     a hearing shall announce in an opening statement the subject 
     of the hearing, and a copy of the committee rules and of 
     clause 2 of House rule XI shall be made available to each 
     witness on request.
       (A) Witnesses at hearings may be accompanied by their own 
     counsel for the purpose of advising them concerning their 
     constitutional rights. The Chair may punish breaches of order 
     and decorum, and of professional ethics on the part of 
     counsel, by censure and exclusion from the hearings; and the 
     Committee may cite the offender to the House for contempt.
       (B) Whenever it is asserted by a member of the Committee 
     that the evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to 
     defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or it is asserted 
     by a witness that the evidence or testimony that the witness 
     would give at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or 
     incriminate the witness--
       (i) notwithstanding clause 2(g)(2) of House rule XI, such 
     testimony or evidence shall be presented in executive session 
     if, in the presence of the number of members required under 
     Committee rule 4(a), the Committee determines by vote of a 
     majority of those present that such evidence or testimony may 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person; and
       (ii) the Committee shall proceed to receive such testimony 
     in open session only if the Committee, a majority being 
     present, determines that such evidence or testimony will not 
     tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person.
       In either case the Committee shall afford such person an 
     opportunity voluntarily to appear as a witness, and receive 
     and dispose of requests from such person to subpoena 
     additional witnesses.
       (C) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Chair shall 
     receive and the Committee shall dispose of requests to 
     subpoena additional witnesses.
       (D) Evidence or testimony taken in executive session, and 
     proceedings conducted in executive session, may be released 
     or used in public sessions only when authorized by the 
     Committee, a majority being present.
       (E) In the discretion of the Committee, witnesses may 
     submit brief and pertinent sworn statements in writing for 
     inclusion in the record. The Committee is the sole judge of 
     the pertinence of testimony and evidence adduced at its 
     hearing.
       (F) A witness may obtain a transcript copy of the testimony 
     of such witness given at a public session or, if given at an 
     executive session, when authorized by the Committee.
       (4) Non-Committee members may be invited to sit at the dais 
     for and participate in Committee hearings with the unanimous 
     consent of the members present. Further, nonCommittee members 
     may be recognized for questioning of witnesses but only after 
     all Committee members have first been recognized.
       (5) Pursuant to House rule XI clause 2(j)(l), when a 
     hearing is conducted by the Committee on any measure or 
     matter, the minority members of the Committee shall be 
     entitled, upon request to the Chair of a majority of those 
     minority members before the completion of the hearing, to 
     call witnesses selected by the minority to testify with 
     respect to that measure or matter during at least one day of 
     the hearing thereon.


      RULE 4--QUORUM AND RECORD VOTES; POSTPONEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS

       (a) Working Quorum.--A majority of the members of the 
     Committee shall constitute a quorum for business, except that 
     two members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of 
     taking testimony and receiving evidence.
       (b) Quorum for Reporting.--No measure or recommendation 
     shall be reported unless a majority of the members of the 
     Committee or Subcommittee are present.
       (c) Record Votes.--A record vote may be demanded by one-
     fifth of the members present or, in the apparent absence of a 
     quorum, by any one member. With respect to any record vote on 
     any motion to amend or report, the total number of votes cast 
     for and against, and the names of those members voting for 
     and against, shall be included in the report of the Committee 
     on the bill or resolution.
       (d) Prohibition Against Proxy Voting.--No vote by any 
     member of the Committee with respect to any measure or matter 
     may be cast by proxy.
       (e) Postponing Proceedings.--The Chair may postpone further 
     proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the question of 
     approving a measure or matter or on adopting an amendment; 
     and may resume proceedings on a postponed question after 
     reasonable notice. 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.


                         RULE 5--SUBCOMMITTEES

       (a) Establishment and Jurisdiction--
       (1) There shall be five subcommittees of the Committee with 
     jurisdictions as follows:
       (A) Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial 
     Affairs, which shall have legislative, oversight, and 
     investigative jurisdiction over compensation; general and 
     special pensions of all the wars of the United States; life 
     insurance issued by the Government on account of service in 
     the Armed Forces;

[[Page H526]]

     cemeteries of the United States in which veterans of any war 
     or conflict are or may be buried, whether in the United 
     States or abroad, except cemeteries administered by the 
     Secretary of the Interior; burial benefits; the Board of 
     Veterans' Appeals; and the United States Court of Appeals for 
     Veterans Claims.
       (B) Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, which shall have 
     legislative, oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over 
     education of veterans, employment and training of veterans, 
     vocational rehabilitation, veterans' housing programs 
     (including homeless veterans housing), transition of 
     servicemembers to civilian life, veteran-owned business 
     concerns, and servicemembers civil relief.
       (C) Subcommittee on Health, which shall have legislative, 
     oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over the Veterans 
     Health Administration (VHA) including medical services, 
     community care, medical support and compliance, medical 
     facilities, medical and prosthetic research, provision of 
     healthcare to homeless veterans, and major and minor 
     construction.
       (D) Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which 
     shall have oversight and investigative jurisdiction over 
     veterans' matters generally, information technology and 
     procurement generally, and over such matters as may be 
     referred to the Subcommittee by the Chair of the full 
     Committee for its oversight or investigation and for its 
     appropriate recommendations. The Subcommittee shall have 
     legislative jurisdiction over such bills or resolutions as 
     may be referred to it by the Chair of the full Committee.
       (E) Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, which shall 
     have legislative, oversight and investigative jurisdiction 
     over Department of Veterans Affairs' enterprise technology 
     modernization programs and projects, including the Electronic 
     Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program, enterprise 
     information technology governance, cybersecurity matters, and 
     data management.
       (2) Each subcommittee shall have responsibility for such 
     other measures or matters as the Chair refers to it.
       (b) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the membership of a 
     subcommittee shall not affect the power of the remaining 
     members to execute the functions of that subcommittee.
       (c) Ratios.--On each subcommittee, there shall be a ratio 
     of majority party members to minority party members, which 
     shall be consistent with the ratio on the full Committee.
       (d) Referral to Subcommittees.--The Chair of the Committee 
     may refer a measure or matter, which is within the general 
     responsibility of more than one of the subcommittees of the 
     Committee, as the Chair deems appropriate. In referring any 
     measure or matter to a subcommittee, the Chair of the 
     Committee may specify a date by which the subcommittee shall 
     report thereon to the Committee.
       (e) Powers and Duties--
       (1) Each subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, 
     receive evidence, and report to the full Committee on all 
     matters referred to it or under its jurisdiction. 
     Subcommittee Chairs shall set dates for hearings and meetings 
     of their respective subcommittees after consultation with the 
     Chair of the Committee and other subcommittee chairs with a 
     view toward avoiding simultaneous scheduling of Committee and 
     subcommittee meetings or hearings whenever possible.
       (2) Whenever a subcommittee has ordered a bill, resolution, 
     or other matter to be reported to the Committee, the Chair of 
     the subcommittee reporting the bill, resolution, or matter to 
     the full Committee, or any member authorized by the 
     subcommittee to do so, shall notify the Chair and the Ranking 
     Minority Member of the Committee of the subcommittee's 
     action.
       (3) A member of the Committee who is not a member of a 
     subcommittee may sit with the subcommittee during any of its 
     meetings and hearings, but shall not have authority to vote, 
     cannot be counted for a quorum, and cannot raise a point of 
     order at the meeting or hearing.
       (4) The Chair and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee 
     shall be ex-officio members of each standing subcommittee to 
     which the Chair or Ranking Minority Member have not been 
     assigned. Ex-officio members shall have the right to fully 
     participate in subcommittee activities but may not vote and 
     may not be counted in establishing a quorum.
       (5) Non-Committee members may be invited to sit at the dais 
     for and participate in subcommittee hearings with the 
     unanimous consent of all Members present. Further, 
     nonCommittee members may be recognized for questioning of 
     witnesses but only after all subcommittee members have first 
     been recognized for questioning.
       (6) Each subcommittee shall provide the full Committee with 
     copies of such record votes taken in subcommittee and such 
     other records with respect to the subcommittee as the Chair 
     of the Committee deems necessary for the Committee to comply 
     with the House rules.


                RULE 6--GENERAL OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY

       (a) Purpose.--Pursuant to House Rule X clause 2, the 
     Committee shall carry out oversight responsibilities 
     consistent with clause 1(s) of House rule X and Committee 
     rule 5.
       (b) Oversight Plan.--Not later than March 1 of the first 
     session of a Congress, the Chair shall prepare, in 
     consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, an oversight 
     plan for that Congress; provide a copy of that plan to each 
     member of the Committee for at least seven calendar days 
     before its submission; and submit the plan (including any 
     supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
     submitted by a member of the Committee) to the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform and the Committee on House 
     Administration, in accordance with House rule X clause 2(d).
       (c) Oversight by Subcommittees.--The existence and 
     activities of the Subcommittee on Oversight and 
     Investigations shall in no way limit the responsibility of 
     the other subcommittees of the Committee for carrying out 
     oversight duties.
       (d) Pursuant to House rule XI clause 1(b), the Committee 
     may conduct at any time such investigations and studies as it 
     considers necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its 
     responsibilities under rule X.


                  RULE 7--BUDGET ACT RESPONSIBILITIES

       (a) Budget Act Responsibilities.--Pursuant to clause 
     4(f)(l) of Rule X of the Rules of the House, the Committee 
     shall submit to the Committee on the Budget not later than 
     six weeks after submission of the budget by the President, or 
     at such time as the Committee on the Budget may request--
       (1) Its views and estimates with respect to all matters to 
     be set forth in the concurrent resolution on the budget for 
     the ensuing fiscal year that are within its jurisdiction or 
     functions; and
       (2) An estimate of the total amounts of new budget 
     authority, and budget outlays resulting therefrom, to be 
     provided or authorized in all bills and resolutions within 
     its jurisdiction that it intends to be effective during that 
     fiscal year.


                   RULE 8--RECORDS AND OTHER MATTERS

       (a) Transcripts.--There shall be a transcript made of each 
     meeting and hearing of the Committee. Any such transcript 
     shall be a substantially verbatim account of remarks actually 
     made during the proceedings, subject only to technical, 
     grammatical, and typographical corrections authorized by the 
     person making the remarks involved.
       (b) Records.--The Committee shall keep a record of all 
     Committee action. The record shall contain all information 
     required by clause 2(e)(1) of Rule XI of the Rules of the 
     House and shall be available for public inspection at 
     reasonable times in the offices of the Committee.
       (2) There shall be kept in writing a record of the 
     proceedings of the Committee, including a record of the votes 
     on any question on which a record vote is taken. The result 
     of each such record vote shall be made publicly available by 
     the Committee in electronic form within 48 hours of such 
     record vote. Information so available shall include a 
     description of the amendment, motion, order, or other 
     proposition, the name of each member voting for and each 
     member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or 
     proposition, and the names of those members present but not 
     voting.
       (c) Availability of Archived Records.--The records of the 
     Committee at the National Archives and Records Administration 
     shall be made available for public use in accordance with 
     House rule VII. The Chair shall notify the Ranking Minority 
     Member of any decision made by the Clerk of the House, 
     pursuant to clause 4 of House rule VII, to withhold a record 
     otherwise available, and the matter shall be presented to the 
     Committee for a vote on written request of any member of the 
     Committee.
       (d) Availability of Amendments.--Not later than 24 hours 
     after the adoption of any amendment, or 48 hours after the 
     disposition or withdrawal of any other amendment, to a 
     measure or matter considered by the Committee, the Chair 
     shall cause the text of each such amendment to be made 
     publicly available in electronic form on a repository 
     operated by the House Clerk.
       (e) Availability of Publications.--Pursuant to clause 
     2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, the Committee 
     shall make its publications available in electronic form to 
     the maximum extent feasible.


                             RULE 9--TRAVEL

       (a) Requirements for Travel.--All requests for travel, 
     funded by the Committee, for members and staff in connection 
     with activities or subject matters under the general 
     jurisdiction of the Committee, shall be submitted to the 
     Chair for approval or disapproval. All travel requests should 
     be submitted to the Chair at least five working days in 
     advance of the proposed travel. For all travel funded by any 
     other source, notice shall be given to the Chair at least 
     five working days in advance of the proposed travel. All 
     travel requests shall be submitted to the Chair in writing 
     and include--
       (1) The purpose of the travel.
       (2) The dates during which the travel is to occur.
       (3) The names of the locations to be visited and the length 
     of time to be spent in each.
       (4) The names of members and staff of the Committee for 
     whom the authorization is sought. Travel by the minority 
     shall be submitted to the Chair via the Ranking Member.
       (b) Trip Reports.--Members and staff shall make a written 
     report to the Chair within 15 working days on all travel 
     approved under this subsection. Reports shall include a 
     description of their itinerary, expenses, and activities, and 
     pertinent information gained as a result of such travel.
       When travel involves majority and minority members or 
     staff, the majority shall submit the report to the Chair on 
     behalf of the

[[Page H527]]

     majority and minority. The minority may append additional 
     remarks to the report at their discretion.
       (c) Applicability of House Rules.--Members and staff of the 
     Committee performing authorized travel on official business 
     shall be governed by applicable laws, resolutions, and rules 
     of the House and of the Committee on House Administration.


                        RULE 10--FACILITY NAMING

       (a) Facility Naming.--No Department of Veterans Affairs 
     (VA) facility or property shall be named after any individual 
     by the Committee unless -
       (1) Such individual is deceased and was--
       (A) A veteran who (i) was instrumental in the construction 
     or the operation of the facility to be named, or (ii) was a 
     recipient of the Medal of Honor or, as determined by the 
     Chair and Ranking Minority Member, otherwise performed 
     military service of an extraordinarily distinguished 
     character;
       (B) A member of the United States House of Representatives 
     or Senate who had a direct association with such facility;
       (C) An Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, a Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs, a Secretary of Defense or of a service 
     branch, or a military or other Federal civilian official of 
     comparable or higher rank; or
       (D) An individual who, as determined by the Chair and 
     Ranking Minority Member, performed outstanding service for 
     veterans.
       (2) Each member of the Congressional delegation 
     representing the State in which the designated facility is 
     located must indicate in writing such member's support of the 
     proposal to name such facility after such individual. 
     Evidence of a member's support in writing may either be in 
     the form of a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member or co-
     sponsorship of legislation proposing to name the particular 
     VA facility in question.
       (3) The pertinent State department or chapter of each 
     Congressionally chartered veterans' organization having a 
     national membership of at least 500,000 must indicate in 
     writing its support of such proposal.
       (b) The above criteria for naming a VA facility may be 
     waived by unanimous consent.


                        RULE 11--MEDIA COVERAGE

       (a) Media Coverage.--Any meeting of the Committee that is 
     open to the public shall be open to coverage by radio, 
     television, and still photography in accordance with the 
     provisions of clause 4(f) of House rule XI as follows:
       (1) If audio or visual coverage of the hearing or meeting 
     is to be presented to the public as live coverage, that 
     coverage shall be conducted and presented without commercial 
     sponsorship.
       (2) The allocation among the television media of the 
     positions or the number of television cameras permitted by a 
     Committee Chair in a hearing or meeting room shall be in 
     accordance with fair and equitable procedures devised by the 
     Executive Committee of the Radio and Television 
     Correspondents' Galleries.
       (3) Television cameras shall be placed so as not to 
     obstruct in any way the space between a witness giving 
     evidence or testimony and any member of the Committee or the 
     visibility of that witness and that member to each other.
       (4) Television cameras shall operate from fixed positions 
     but may not be placed in positions that obstruct 
     unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing or meeting by the 
     other media.
       (5) Equipment necessary for coverage by the television and 
     radio media may not be installed in, or removed from, the 
     hearing or meeting room while the Committee is in session.
       (6)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B), floodlights, 
     spotlights, strobe lights, and flashguns may not be used in 
     providing any method of coverage of the hearing or meeting.
       (B) The television media may install additional lighting in 
     a hearing or meeting room, without cost to the Government, in 
     order to raise the ambient lighting level in a hearing or 
     meeting room to the lowest level necessary to provide 
     adequate television coverage of a hearing or meeting at the 
     current state of the art of television coverage.
       (7) If requests are made by more of the media than will be 
     permitted by the Committee Chair for coverage of a hearing or 
     meeting by still photography, that coverage shall be 
     permitted on the basis of a fair and equitable pool 
     arrangement devised by the Standing Committee of Press 
     Photographers.
       (8) Photographers may not position themselves between the 
     witness table and the members of the Committee at any time 
     during the course of a hearing or meeting.
       (9) Photographers may not place themselves in positions 
     that obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing by 
     the other media.
       (10) Personnel providing coverage by the television and 
     radio media shall be currently accredited to the Radio and 
     Television Correspondents' Galleries.
       (11) Personnel providing coverage by still photography 
     shall be currently accredited to the Press Photographers' 
     Gallery.
       (12) Personnel providing coverage by the television and 
     radio media and by still photography shall conduct themselves 
     and their coverage activities in an orderly and unobtrusive 
     manner.

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