[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S662-S663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY RULES OF
PROCEDURE
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition,
and Forestry has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 119th
Congress. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of
the Senate, on behalf of myself and Senator Klobuchar, I ask unanimous
consent that a copy of the committee rules be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Rules of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry--119th
Congress
RULE I--MEETINGS
1.1 Regular Meetings.--Regular meetings shall be held on
the first and third Wednesday of each month when Congress is
in session.
1.2 Additional Meetings.--The Chairman, in consultation
with the ranking minority member, may call such additional
meetings as he deems necessary.
1.3 Notification.--In the case of any meeting of the
committee, other than a regularly scheduled meeting, the
clerk of the committee shall notify every member of the
committee of the time and place of the meeting and shall give
reasonable notice which, except in extraordinary
circumstances, shall be at least 24 hours in advance of any
meeting held in Washington, DC, and at least 48 hours in the
case of any meeting held outside Washington, DC.
1.4 Called Meeting.--If three members of the committee have
made a request in writing to the Chairman to call a meeting
of the committee, and the Chairman fails to call such a
meeting within 7 calendar days thereafter, including the day
on which the written notice is submitted, a majority of the
members may call a meeting by filing a written notice with
the clerk of the committee who shall promptly notify each
member of the committee in writing of the date and time of
the meeting.
1.5 Adjournment of Meetings.--The Chairman of the committee
or a subcommittee shall be empowered to adjourn any meeting
of the committee or a subcommittee if a quorum is not present
within 15 minutes of the time scheduled for such meeting.
RULE 2--MEETINGS AND HEARINGS IN GENERAL
2.1 Open Sessions.--Business meetings and hearings held by
the committee or any subcommittee shall be open to the public
except as otherwise provided for in Senate Rule XXVI,
paragraph 5.
2.2 Transcripts.--A transcript shall be kept of each
business meeting and hearing of the committee or any
subcommittee unless a majority of the committee or the
subcommittee agrees that some other form of permanent record
is preferable.
2.3 Reports.--An appropriate opportunity shall be given the
Minority to examine the proposed text of committee reports
prior to their filing or publication. In the event there are
supplemental, minority, or additional views, an appropriate
opportunity shall be given the Majority to examine the
proposed text prior to filing or publication.
2.4 Attendance.--Official attendance of all hearings and
business meetings of the committee or any subcommittee shall
be kept by the committee clerk.
RULE 3--HEARING PROCEDURES
3.1 Notice.--Public notice shall be given of the date,
place, and subject matter of any hearing to be held by the
committee or any subcommittee at least 1 week in advance of
such hearing unless the Chairman of the full committee or the
subcommittee determines that the hearing is noncontroversial
or that special circumstances require expedited procedures
and a majority of the committee or the subcommittee involved
concurs. In no case shall a hearing be conducted with less
than 24 hours notice.
3.2 Witness Statements.--Each witness who is to appear
before the committee or any subcommittee shall file with the
committee or subcommittee, at least 24 hours in advance of
the hearing, a written statement of his or her testimony and
as many copies as the Chairman of the committee or
subcommittee prescribes.
3.3 Minority Witnesses.--In any hearing conducted by the
committee, or any subcommittee thereof, the minority members
of the committee or subcommittee shall be entitled, upon
request to the Chairman by the ranking minority member of the
committee or subcommittee to call witnesses of their
selection during at least 1 day of such hearing pertaining to
the matter or matters heard by the committee or subcommittee.
[[Page S663]]
3.4 Swearing in of Witnesses.--Witnesses in committee or
subcommittee hearings may be required to give testimony under
oath whenever the Chairman or ranking minority member of the
committee or subcommittee deems such to be necessary.
3.5 Limitation.--Each member shall be limited to 5 minutes
in the questioning of any witness until such time as all
members who so desire have had an opportunity to question a
witness. Questions from members shall rotate from majority to
minority members in order of seniority or in order of arrival
at the hearing.
RULE 4--NOMINATIONS
4.1 Assignment.--All nominations shall be considered by the
full committee.
4.2 Standards.--In considering a nomination, the committee
shall inquire into the nominee's experience, qualifications,
suitability, and integrity to serve in the position to which
he or she has been nominated.
4.3 Information.--Each nominee shall submit in response to
questions prepared by the committee the following
information:
(1) A detailed biographical resume which contains
information relating to education, employment, and
achievements;
(2) Financial information, including a financial statement
which lists assets and liabilities of the nominee; and
(3) Copies of other relevant documents requested by the
committee. Information received pursuant to this subsection
shall be available for public inspection except as
specifically designated confidential by the committee.
4.4 Hearings.--The committee shall conduct a public hearing
during which the nominee shall be called to testify under
oath on all matters relating to his or her suitability for
office. No hearing shall be held until at least 48 hours
after the nominee has responded to a prehearing questionnaire
submitted by the committee.
4.5 Action on Confirmation.--A business meeting to consider
a nomination shall not occur on the same day that the hearing
on the nominee is held. The Chairman, with the agreement of
the ranking minority member, may waive this requirement.
RULE 5--QUORUMS
5.1 Testimony.--For the purpose of receiving evidence, the
swearing of witnesses, and the taking of sworn or unsworn
testimony at any duly scheduled hearing, a quorum of the
committee and the subcommittee thereof shall consist of one
member.
5.2 Business.--A quorum for the transaction of committee or
subcommittee business, other than for reporting a measure or
recommendation to the Senate or the taking of testimony,
shall consist of one-third of the members of the committee or
subcommittee, including at least one member from each party.
5.3 Reporting.--A majority of the membership of the
committee shall constitute a quorum for reporting bills,
nominations, matters, or recommendations to the Senate. No
measure or recommendation shall be ordered reported from the
committee unless a majority of the committee members are
physically present. The vote of the committee to report a
measure or matter shall require the concurrence of a majority
of those members who are physically present at the time the
vote is taken.
RULE 6--VOTING
6.1 Rollcalls.--A roll call vote of the members shall be
taken upon the request of any member.
6.2 Proxies.--Voting by proxy as authorized by the Senate
rules for specific bills or subjects shall be allowed
whenever a quorum of the committee is actually present.
6.3 Polling.--The committee may poll any matters of
committee business, other than a vote on reporting to the
Senate any measures, matters or recommendations or a vote on
closing a meeting or hearing to the public, provided that
every member is polled and every poll consists of the
following two questions:
(1) Do you agree or disagree to poll the proposal; and
(2) Do you favor or oppose the proposal.
If any member requests, any matter to be polled shall be
held for meeting rather than being polled. The chief clerk of
the committee shall keep a record of all polls.
RULE 7--SUBCOMMITTEES
7.1 Assignments.--To assure the equitable assignment of
members to subcommittees, no member of the committee will
receive assignment to a second subcommittee until, in order
of seniority, all members of the committee have chosen
assignments to one subcommittee, and no member shall receive
assignment to a third subcommittee until, in order of
seniority, all members have chosen assignments to two
subcommittees.
7.2 Attendance.--Any member of the committee may sit with
any subcommittee during a hearing or meeting but shall not
have the authority to vote on any matter before the
subcommittee unless he or she is a member of such
subcommittee.
7.3 Ex Officio Members.--The Chairman and ranking minority
member shall serve as nonvoting ex officio members of the
subcommittees on which they do not serve as voting members.
The Chairman and ranking minority member may not be counted
toward a quorum.
7.4 Scheduling.--No subcommittee may schedule a meeting or
hearing at a time designated for a hearing or meeting of the
full committee. No more than one subcommittee business
meeting may be held at the same time.
7.5 Discharge.--Should a subcommittee fail to report back
to the full committee on any measure within a reasonable
time, the Chairman may withdraw the measure from such
subcommittee and report that fact to the full committee for
further disposition. The full committee may at any time, by
majority vote of those members present, discharge a
subcommittee from further consideration of a specific piece
of legislation.
7.6 Application of Committee Rules to Subcommittees.--The
proceedings of each subcommittee shall be governed by the
rules of the full committee, subject to such authorizations
or limitations as the committee may from time to time
prescribe.
RULE 8--INVESTIGATIONS, SUBPOENAS AND DEPOSITIONS
8.1 Investigations.--Any investigation undertaken by the
committee or a subcommittee in which depositions are taken or
subpoenas issued, must be authorized by a majority of the
members of the committee voting for approval to conduct such
investigation at a business meeting of the committee convened
in accordance with Rule 1.
8.2 Subpoenas.--The Chairman, with the approval of the
ranking minority member of the committee, is delegated the
authority to subpoena the attendance of witnesses or the
production of memoranda, documents, records, or any other
materials at a hearing of the committee or a subcommittee or
in connection with the conduct of an investigation authorized
in accordance with paragraph 8.1. The Chairman may subpoena
attendance or production without the approval of the ranking
minority member when the Chairman has not received
notification from the ranking minority member of disapproval
of the subpoena within 72 hours, excluding Saturdays and
Sundays, of being notified of the subpoena. If a subpoena is
disapproved by the ranking minority member as provided in
this paragraph the subpoena may be authorized by vote of the
members of the committee. When the committee or Chairman
authorizes subpoenas, subpoenas may be issued upon the
signature of the Chairman or any other member of the
committee designated by the Chairman.
8.3 Notice for Taking Depositions.--Notices for the taking
of depositions, in an investigation authorized by the
committee, shall be authorized and be issued by the Chairman
or by a staff officer designated by him. Such notices shall
specify a time and place for examination, and the name of the
Senator, staff officer or officers who will take the
deposition. Unless otherwise specified, the deposition shall
be in private. The committee shall not initiate procedures
leading to criminal or civil enforcement proceedings for a
witness' failure to appear unless the deposition notice was
accompanied by a committee subpoena.
8.4 Procedure for Taking Depositions.--Witnesses shall be
examined upon oath administered by an individual authorized
by local law to administer oaths. The Chairman will rule, by
telephone or otherwise, on any objection by a witness. The
transcript of a deposition shall be filed with the committee
clerk.
RULE 9--AMENDING THE RULES
These rules shall become effective upon publication in the
Congressional Record. These rules may be modified, amended,
or repealed by the committee, provided that all members are
present or provide proxies or if a notice in writing of the
proposed changes has been given to each member at least 48
hours prior to the meeting at which action thereon is to be
taken. The changes shall become effective immediately upon
publication of the changed rule or rules in the Congressional
Record, or immediately upon approval of the changes if so
resolved by the committee as long as any witnesses who may be
affected by the change in rules are provided with them.
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