    [United States Senate Manual, 112th Congress]
    [S. Doc. 112-1]
    [Standing Rules of the Senate]
    [Pages 14-16]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

            16                            RULE XVI

                  APPROPRIATIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS
                                            BILLS

          16.1      1. On a point of order made by any Senator, no
                amendments shall be received to any general appropriation
                bill the effect of which will be to increase an
                appropriation already contained in the bill, or to add a new
                item of appropriation, unless it be made to carry out the
                provisions of some existing law, or treaty stipulation, or
                act or resolution previously passed by the Senate during
                that session; or unless the same be moved by direction of
                the Committee on Appropriations or of a committee of the
                Senate having legislative jurisdiction of the subject
                matter, or proposed in pursuance of an estimate submitted in
                accordance with law.
          16.2      2. The Committee on Appropriations shall not report an
                appropriation bill containing amendments to such bill
                proposing new or general legislation or any restriction on
                the expenditure of the funds appropriated which proposes a
                limitation not authorized by law if such restriction is to
                take effect or cease to be effective upon the happening of a
                contingency, and if an appropriation bill is reported to the
                Senate containing amendments to such bill proposing new or
                general legislation or any such restriction, a point of
                order may be made against the bill, and if the point is
                sustained, the bill shall be recommitted to the Committee on
                Appropriations.

    [[Page 15]]

          16.3      3. All amendments to general appropriation bills moved
                by direction of a committee having legislative jurisdiction
                of the subject matter proposing to increase an appropriation
                already contained in the bill, or to add new items of
                appropriation, shall, at least one day before they are
                considered, be referred to the Committee on Appropriations,
                and when actually proposed to the bill no amendment
                proposing to increase the amount stated in such amendment
                shall be received on a point of order made by any Senator.
          16.4      4. On a point of order made by any Senator, no amendment
                offered by any other Senator which proposes general
                legislation shall be received to any general appropriation
                bill, nor shall any amendment not germane or relevant to the
                subject matter contained in the bill be received; nor shall
                any amendment to any item or clause of such bill be received
                which does not directly relate thereto; nor shall any
                restriction on the expenditure of the funds appropriated
                which proposes a limitation not authorized by law be
                received if such restriction is to take effect or cease to
                be effective upon the happening of a contingency; and all
                questions of relevancy of amendments under this rule, when
                raised, shall be submitted to the Senate and be decided
                without debate; and any such amendment or restriction to a
                general appropriation bill may be laid on the table without
                prejudice to the bill.
          16.5      5. On a point of order made by any Senator, no
                amendment, the object of which is to provide for a private
                claim, shall be received to any general appropriation bill,
                unless it be to carry out the provisions of an existing law
                or a treaty stipulation, which shall be cited on the face of
                the amendment.
          16.6      6. When a point of order is made against any restriction
                on the expenditure of funds appropriated in a general
                appropriation bill on the ground that the restriction
                violates this rule, the rule shall be construed strictly
                and, in case of doubt, in favor of the point of order.
          16.7      7. Every report on general appropriation bills filed by
                the Committee on Appropriations shall identify with
                particularity each recommended amendment which proposes an
                item of appropriation which is not made to carry out the
                provisions of an existing law, a treaty stipulation, or an
                act or resolution previously passed by the Senate during
                that session.
          16.8      8. On a point of order made by any Senator, no general
                appropriation bill or amendment thereto shall be received

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                or considered if it contains a provision reappropriating
                unexpended balances of appropriations; except that this
                provision shall not apply to appropriations in continuation
                of appropriations for public works on which work has
                commenced.