[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. ----).