    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 109th Congress]
    [109th Congress]
    [House Document 108-241]
    [House And Congressional Offices]
    [Pages 969-973]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 969]]

                         EARLY ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE

     [from the committee reform amendments of 1974, made permanent law in 2
                                   __________

                                   u.s.c. 29a]

    Sec. 1126. December caucuses.

      (a)(1) The  majority leader or
    minority leader of the House of Representatives after consultation with
    the Speaker may at any time during any even-numbered year call a caucus
    or conference, to begin on or after the first day of December and
    conclude on or before the twentieth day of December in such year and to
    be attended by all incumbent Members of his or her political party who
    have been reelected to the ensuing Congress and all other Members-elect
    of such party, for the purpose of taking all steps necessary to achieve
    the prompt organization of the Members and Members-elect of such party
    for the ensuing Congress.

      (2) If the majority leader or minority leader calls an organizational
    caucus or conference under paragraph (1), he or she shall file with the
    Clerk of the House a written notice designating the date upon which the
    caucus or conference is to convene. As soon as possible after the
    election of Members to the ensuing Congress, the Clerk shall furnish
    each Member-elect of the party involved with appropriate written
    notification of the caucus or conference.

      (3) If a vacancy occurs in the office of majority leader or minority
    leader during any even-numbered year (and has not been filled), the
    chairman of the caucus or conference of the party involved for the
    current Congress may call an organizational caucus or conference under
    paragraph (1) by filing written notice thereof as provided by paragraph
    (2).

    [[Page 970]]

    of residence in the district which he or she represents and Washington,
    District of Columbia, for the purpose of attending such caucus or
    conference. Payment shall be made through the issuance of a
    transportation request form to each such Member-elect or incumbent
    Member by the Finance Office of the House before such caucus or
    conference.

      (b)(1)(A) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected
    to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under
    subsection (a), and each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing
    Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening after the
    adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, shall be paid
    for one round trip between his or her place

      (B) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the
    ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under
    subsection (a) shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other
    basis for expenses incurred in connection with his or her attendance at
    such caucus or conference for a period not to exceed the shorter of the
    following--

              (i) the period beginning with the day before the designated

            date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and

            ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of

            such caucus or conference; or

              (ii) fourteen days.

      (2) Payments and reimbursements to Members-elect under paragraph (1)
    shall be made as provided (with respect to Members) in the regulations
    prescribed by the Committee on House Administration with respect to
    travel and other expenses of committees and Members. Reimbursements
    shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on
    House Administration.

      (c) The contingent fund of the House is made available to carry out
    the purposes of this section.

      [from h. res. 10, 94th congress, made permanent law in 2 u.s.c. 29a]

    [[Page 971]]

      Resolved, That (a) each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member
    reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference
    called under section 202(a) of House Resolution 988, 93d Congress, and
    each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any
    such caucus or conference convening after the adjournment sine die of
    the Congress in the year involved, shall be entitled to designate one
    staff person to be paid for one round trip between that person's place
    of residence, provided such place of residence is in the district which
    the Member-elect or incumbent Member represents, and Washington,
    District of Columbia, for the purpose of accompanying that Member-elect
    or incumbent Member to such caucus or conference.

      (b) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the
    ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under such
    section 202(a) shall be entitled to designate one staff person who shall
    in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis for expenses
    incurred in accompanying the Member-elect at the time of such caucus or
    conference for a period not to exceed the shorter of the following--

              (i) the period beginning with the day before the designated

            date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and

            ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of

            such caucus or conference; or

              (ii) fourteen days.

      Sec. 2. (a) Payments and reimbursements to staff persons under the
    first section of this resolution shall be made as provided (with respect
    to staff) in the regulations prescribed by the Committee on House
    Administration with respect to travel and other expenses of staff.
    Reimbursements shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the
    Committee on House Administration.

      (b) Additional funds, if any, for staff allowances and office space
    for use by Members-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to
    the ensuing Congress) shall be authorized by the Committee on House
    Administration.

    [[Page 973]]
      In recent practice, the House has adopted resolutions providing for
    the convening of an organizational caucus or conference in November
    (e.g., H. Res. 666, 106th Cong., Nov. 3, 2000, p. 25993; H. Res. 590,
    107th Cong., Oct. 16, 2002, p. ----; H. Res. 824, 108th Cong., Oct. 6,
    2004, p. ----).