[U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual]
[Chapter 20 - Reports and Hearings]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


  The data for these publications arrives at GPO from many different 
sources. Congressional committee staff members are responsible for 
gathering the information printed in these publications. 

  Report language is compiled and submitted along with the bill 
language to the clerks of the respective Houses. The clerks assign the 
report numbers, etc., and forward this information to GPO for 
typesetting and printing. In many instances the reports are camera- 
ready copy, needing only insertion of the assigned report number. 

  Likewise, hearings are also compiled by committee staff members. The 
data or captured keystrokes as submitted by the various reporting 
services are forwarded to GPO where the element identifier codes are 
programmatically inserted and galley or page output is accomplished 
without manual intervention. It is not cost effective to prepare the 
manuscript as per the GPO Style Manual as it is too time-consuming to 
update and change the data once it is already in type form. Therefore, 
these publications are to be FIC & punc., unless specifically requested 
otherwise by the committee. It is not necessary to stamp the copy. 
However, style as stated in the following rules will be followed. 

Style and format of congressional reports 
  Below are rules that should be followed for the makeup of 
congressional numbered reports. In either Senate or House reports, 
follow bill style in extracts from bills. Report numbers run 
consecutively from fi rst to second session: 
  1. All excerpts to be set in 10-point type, cut in 2 ems on each 
side, except as noted in paragraph 3 below. For ellipses in cut-in 
matter, lines of fi ve stars are used. 

  2. Contempt proceedings to be considered as excerpts.

  3. The following are to be set in 10-point type, but not cut in: 
       (a) Letters that are readily identified as such by salutation 
     and signature. 

       (b) Appendixes and/or exhibits that have a heading readily 
     identifying them as such; and 


       (c) Matter printed in compliance with the Ramseyer rule. \1\ 

  4. All leaderwork and lists of more than six items to be set in 
8-point type. 

  5. All tabular work to be set in 7-point gothic type. 

  6. An amendment in the nature of a substitute to be set in 8-point 
type, but quotations from such amendment later in the report to be 
treated as excerpts, but set full measure (see paragraph 10 below). 

  7. Any committee print having a report head indicated on original 
copy to be set in report type and style. 

  8. Committee prints not having a report head indicated on original 
copy to be set in committee print style; that is, excerpts to be set in 
8 point, full measure. 

  9. If a committee print set as indicated in paragraph 8 is later 
submitted as a report or included in a report, and the type is 
available for pickup, such type shall be picked up and used as is in 
the report. 

  10. On matter that is cut in on the left  only for purposes of 
breakdown, no space is used above and below, but on all matter that is 
cut in on both sides, 4 points are used above and below. Because of the 
indentions and the limited number of element identifiers, do not squeeze
bills that are submitted as excerpts. 

  11. In reports of immigration cases, set memorandums in full measure 
unless preceded or followed directly by committee language. Memorandums 
are indented on both sides if followed by such language. Preparers 
should indicate the proper indention on copy. 

  12. Order of printing (Senate reports only): (1) Report, (2) minority 
or additional views, (3) the Cordon rule, 2, (4) appendix (if any). 

\1\Ramseyer rule.--House: If report has ``Changes in Existing Law'' 
use caps and small caps for heads, except for breakdown within a cap 
and small cap head. 
\2\Cordon rule.--Senate: If report has ``Changes in Existing Law'' use 
small cap heads, except for breakdown within a cap and small cap head. 

  13. Minority or additional views will begin a new page with 10-point 
cap heading. In Senate reports, ``Changes in Existing Law'' begins a 
new page if following ``views.'' In conference reports, ``Joint 
Explanatory Statement'' begins a new odd page. 

  14. Minority or additional views are printed only if they have been 
signed by the authoring congressperson. 

                         [Sample of excerpt]

  In Palmer v. Mass., decided in 1939, which involved the 
reorganization of the New Haven Railroad, the Supreme Court said: 

    The judicial processes in bankruptcy proceedings under section 77 
are, as it were, brigaded with the administrative processes of the 
Commission. 

                  [Sample of an excerpt with an added excerpt] 

  The Interstate Commerce Commission in its report dated February 29, 
1956, which is attached hereto and made a part hereof, states that it 
has no objection to the enactment of S. 3025, and states, in part, as 
follows: 

    The proposed amendment, however, should be considered together with 
the provisions of section 959(b), title 28, United States Code, which 
reads as follows: 

    ``A trustee, receiver, or manager appointed in any cause pending in 
any court of the United States,'' etc. 

                         [Sample of amendment] 

  On page 6, line 3, strike the words ``and the service'', strike all 
of lines 4, 5, and 6, and insert in lieu thereof the following: and,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the service credit 
authorized by this clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rule of the House of 
Representatives, change shall not--
 
    (A) be included in establishing eligibility for voluntary or 
involuntary retirement or separation from the service, under any 
provision of law; 

                         [Sample of amendment] 

  The amendments are indicated in the bill as reported and are as 
follows: 
    On page 2, line 15, change the period to a colon and add the 
following: 
      Provided, That such approaches shall include only those necessary 
portions of streets, avenues, and boulevards, etc. 

    On page 3, line 12, after ``operated'', insert ``free of tolls''. 

                [Sample of amendment in the nature of a substitute] 

  The amendment is as follows: 
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

That the second paragraph under the heading ``National Park Service'' 
in the Act of July 31, 1953 (67 Stat. 261, 271), is amended to read as
follows: ``The Secretary of the Interior shall hereafter report in 
detail all proposed awards of concessions leases and contracts 
involving a gross annual business of $100,000 or more, or of more than 
five years in duration, including renewals thereof, sixty days before 
such awards are made, to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the 
House of Representatives for transmission to the appropriate committees.'' 

                       [Sample of letter inserted in report] 

  The Department of Defense recommends enactment of the proposed 
legislation and the Office of Management and Budget interposes no 
objection as indicated by the following attached letter, which is 
hereby made a part of this report: 

                                                        MARCH 21, 2008. 
Hon. NANCY PELOSI, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
Washington, DC.
  MY DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: There is forwarded herewith a draft of 
legislation to amend section 303 of the Career Compensation Act. 


  *           *             *           *          *         *        * 

  Sincerely yours,  


                                                 DOUGLAS A. BROOK,
                                     Assistant Secretary of the Navy 
                                               (Financial Management). 


[Sample of cut-in for purposes of breakdown; no spacing above or below] 

  Under uniform regulations prescribed by the Secretaries concerned, a 
member of the uniformed services who--

    (1) is retired for physical disability or placed upon the temporary
  disability retired list; or 

    (2) is retired with pay for any other reason, or is discharged with 
  severance pay, immediately following at least eight years of 
  continuous active duty (no single break therein of more than ninety 
  days); 

may select his home for the purposes of the travel and transportation 
allowances payable under this subsection, etc. 

                          [Sample of leaderwork] 

  Among the 73 vessels mentioned above, 42 are classified as major 
combatant ships (aircraft carriers through escort vessels), in the 
following types: 

[GRAPHIC OMITTED IN TIFF FORMAT(S)]

                       [Sample of sectional analysis] 


                             SECTIONAL ANALYSIS 

Section 1. Increase of 1 year in constructive service for promotion 
purposes 

  The principal purpose of the various subsections of section 1 is to 
provide a 1-year increase for medical and dental officers in 

  *           *             *           *          *         *        * 

Subsection 101(a) is in effect a restatement of the existing law 

  This subsection authorizes the President to make regular appointments 
in the grade of first lieutenant through * * * 

  *           *             *           *          *         *        * 

                       [Sample of amendment under Ramseyer rule] 

                               CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW 

  In compliance with clause 3 of rule XII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as 
introduced, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted 
is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 
existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

                           EXPORT CONTROL ACT OF 1949 

  *           *             *           *          *         *        * 

                                TERMINATION DATE

  SEC. 12. The authority granted herein shall terminate on June 30, 
[1956] 1959, or upon any prior date which the Congress by concurrent 
resolution or the President may designate. 

[GRAPHIC OMITTED IN TIFF FORMAT(S)]
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