[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.

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      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.