House Rules

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RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

RULE I, THE SPEAKER

Approval of the Journal

The Speaker shall take the Chair on every legislative day  precisely  at the hour to which the House last ad- journed and immediately call  the House to order. Having examined and approved the Journal of the last day’s proceedings, the Speaker shall an- nounce to the House approval thereof. The Speaker’s approval of the Journal shall be deemed agreed to unless a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner demands a vote thereon. If such a vote is decided in the affirma- tive, it shall not be subject to a motion to reconsider. If such a vote is decided in the negative, then one motion that the Journal be read shall be privileged, shall be decided without debate, and shall not be subject to a motion to re- consider.

Preservation of order

The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum and, in case of disturb- ance or disorderly conduct in the gal- leries or in the lobby, may cause the same to be cleared.

Control of Capitol facilities

Except as otherwise provided by rule or law, the Speaker shall have general control of the Hall of  the House, the corridors and passages in the part of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House, and the disposal of unappropriated rooms in that part of the Capitol.

Signature of documents

The Speaker shall sign all acts and joint resolutions passed by the two Houses and all writs, warrants, and subpoenas of, or issued by order of, the House. The Speaker may sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions whether or not the House is in session.

Questions of order

The Speaker shall decide all ques- tions of order, subject to appeal by a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner. On such an appeal a Mem- ber, Delegate, or Resident Commis- sioner may not speak more than once without permission of the House.

Form of a question

The Speaker shall put a question in this form: ‘‘Those in favor (of the question), say ‘Aye.’ ’’; and after the af- firmative voice is expressed, ‘‘Those opposed, say ‘No.’ ’’. After a vote by voice under this clause, the Speaker may use such voting procedures as may be invoked under rule XX.

Discretion to vote

The Speaker is not required to vote in ordinary legislative proceedings, ex- cept when such vote would be decisive or when the House is engaged in voting by ballot.

(1) postpone the time for recon- vening within the limits of clause 4, section 5, article I of the Constitu- tion and notify Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner ac- cordingly; or

(2) reconvene the House before the time previously appointed solely to declare the House in recess  within the limits of clause 4, section 5, arti- cle I of the Constitution and notify Members, Delegates, and the Resi- dent Commissioner accordingly.

(d) The Speaker may convene the House in a place at the seat of govern- ment other than the Hall of the House if, in the opinion of the Speaker, the public interest shall warrant it.

(e) During any recess or adjournment of not more than three days, if in the opinion of the Speaker the public in- terest so warrants, then the Speaker, after consultation with the Minority Leader, may reconvene the House at a time other than that previously ap- pointed, within the limits of clause 4, section 5, article I of the Constitution, and notify Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner accordingly.

(f) The Speaker may name a designee  for purposes of paragraphs (c), (d), and (e).

Rule II, OTHER OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS

Elections

1. There shall be elected at the com- mencement of each Congress, to con- tinue in office until  their  successors are chosen and qualified, a Clerk, a Sergeant-at-Arms, a Chief Administra- tive Officer, and a Chaplain. Each of these officers shall take an oath to sup- port the Constitution of the United States, and for the true and faithful ex- ercise of the duties of the office to the best of the knowledge and  ability  of the officer, and to keep the secrets of the House. Each of these officers shall appoint all of the employees of the de- partment concerned provided for by law. The Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Chief Administrative Officer may be removed by the House or by the Speak- er.

Clerk

2. (a) At the commencement of the first session of each Congress,  the Clerk shall call the Members, Dele- gates, and Resident Commissioner to order and proceed to record their pres- ence by States in alphabetical order, either by call of the roll or by use of the electronic voting system. Pending the election of a Speaker or Speaker pro tempore, and in the absence of a Member acting as Speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 8(b)(3)(A) of rule I, the Clerk shall preserve order and de- corum and decide all questions  of order, subject to appeal by a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner.

(b) At the commencement of every regular session of Congress, the Clerk shall make and cause to be delivered to each Member, Delegate, and the Resi- dent Commissioner a list of the reports that any officer or Department is re- quired to make to Congress, citing the law or resolution in which the require- ment may be contained and placing under the name of each officer the list of reports required to be made by such officer.

(c) The Clerk shall—

(1) note all questions of order, with the decisions thereon, the record of which shall be appended to the Journal of each session;

(2) enter on the Journal the hour at which the House adjourns;

(3) complete the distribution of the Journal to Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner, together with an accurate and complete index, as soon as possible after the close of a session; and

(4) end a copy of the Journal to the executive of and to each branch of the legislature of every State as may be requested by such State offi- cials.

(d)(1) The Clerk shall attest and affix the seal of the House to all writs, war- rants, and subpoenas issued by order of the House and certify the passage of all bills and joint resolutions.

(2) The Clerk shall examine all bills, amendments, and joint  resolutions after passage by the House and, in co- operation with the Senate, examine all bills and joint resolutions that have passed both Houses to see that they are correctly enrolled and  forthwith present those bills and joint resolu- tions that originated in the House to the President in person after their sig- nature by the Speaker and the Presi- dent of the Senate, and report to the House the fact and date of their pre- sentment.

(e) The Clerk shall cause the cal- endars of the House to be distributed each legislative day.

(f) The Clerk shall—

(1) retain in the library at the Of- fice of the Clerk for the use of the Members, Delegates, Resident Com- missioner, and officers of the House, and not to be withdrawn therefrom, two copies of all the books and print- ed documents deposited there; and

(2) deliver to any Member, Dele- gate, or the Resident Commissioner an extra copy of each document re- quested by that Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner that has been printed by order of either House of Congress in any Congress in which the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner served.

(g) The Clerk shall provide for the temporary absence or disability of the Clerk by designating an official in the Office of the Clerk to sign all papers that may require the official signature of the Clerk and to perform all other official acts that the Clerk may be re- quired to perform under the rules and practices of the House, except such of- ficial acts as are provided for by stat- ute. Official acts performed by the des- ignated official shall be under  the name of the Clerk. The designation shall be in writing and shall be laid before the House and entered on the Journal.

(h) The Clerk may receive messages from the President and from the Sen- ate at any time when the House is in recess or adjournment.

(i) The Clerk shall supervise the staff and manage the office of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who has died, resigned, or been expelled until a successor is elected. The Clerk shall perform similar duties in the event that a vacancy is declared by the House in any congressional district be- cause of the incapacity of the person representing such district or other rea- son. When acting as a supervisory au- thority over such staff, the Clerk shall have authority to terminate employees and, with the approval of the Com- mittee on House Administration, may appoint such staff as is required to op- erate the office until a successor is elected.

(j) In addition to any other reports required by the Speaker or the Com- mittee on House Administration, the Clerk shall report to the Committee on House Administration not later than 45 days following the close of each semi- annual period ending on June 30 or on December 31 on the financial and oper- ational status of each function under the jurisdiction of the Clerk. Each re- port shall include financial statements and a description or explanation of cur- rent operations, the implementation of new policies and procedures, and future plans for each function.

(k) The Clerk shall fully cooperate with the appropriate offices and per- sons in the performance of reviews and audits of financial records and admin- istrative operations.

Sergeant-at-Arms

3. (a) The Sergeant-at-Arms shall at- tend the House during its sittings and maintain order under the direction of the Speaker or other presiding officer. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall  execute the commands of the House, and all processes issued by authority thereof, directed to the Sergeant-at-Arms  by the Speaker.

(b) The symbol of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms shall be the mace, which shall be borne by the Sergeant- at-Arms while enforcing order on the floor.

(c) The Sergeant-at-Arms shall en- force strictly the rules relating to the privileges of the Hall of the House and be responsible to the House for the offi- cial conduct of employees of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

(d) The Sergeant-at-Arms may not allow a person to enter the room over the Hall of the House during  its sittings and, from 15 minutes before the hour of the meeting of the House each day until 10 minutes after ad- journment, shall see that the floor is cleared of all persons except those priv- ileged to remain.

(e) In addition to any other reports required by the Speaker or the Com- mittee on House Administration, the 

Sergeant-at-Arms shall report to the Committee on House Administration not later than 45 days following the close of each semiannual period ending on June 30 or on December 31 on the fi- nancial and operational status of each function under the jurisdiction of the Sergeant-at-Arms. Each report shall include financial statements and a de- scription or explanation of current op- erations, the implementation of new policies and procedures, and future plans for each function.

(f) The Sergeant-at-Arms shall fully cooperate with the appropriate offices and persons in the performance of re- views and audits of financial records and administrative operations.

(g)(1) The Sergeant-at-Arms is au- thorized and directed to impose a fine against a Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner for the use of an electronic device for still photog- raphy or for audio or visual recording or broadcasting in contravention of clause 5 of rule XVII and any applica- ble Speaker’s announced policy on electronic devices.

(2) A fine imposed pursuant to this paragraph shall be $500 for a first of- fense and $2,500 for any subsequent of- fense.

(3)(A) The Sergeant-at-Arms shall promptly notify the Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner, the Speaker, the Chief Administrative Offi- cer, and the Committee on Ethics  of any such fine.

(B) Such Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner may appeal the fine in writing to the Committee on Ethics not later than 30 calendar days or five legislative days, whichever is later, after notification pursuant to subdivi- sion (A).

(C) Upon receipt of an appeal pursu- ant to subdivision (B), the Committee on Ethics shall have a period of 30 cal- endar days or five legislative days, whichever is later, to consider the ap- peal. The fine will be upheld unless the appeal is agreed to by a majority of the Committee. Upon a determination re- garding the appeal or if no appeal has been filed at the expiration of the pe- riod specified in subdivision (B), the chair of the Committee on Ethics shall promptly notify the Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner, the Speaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms,  and the Chief Administrative Officer, and shall make such notification publicly available. The Speaker shall promptly lay such notification before the House.

(4)  The  Sergeant-at-Arms  and  the Committee on Ethics are authorized to establish policies and procedures  for the implementation of this paragraph.

Chief Administrative Officer

4. (a) The Chief Administrative Officer shall have operational and finan- cial responsibility for functions as as- signed by the Committee on House Ad- ministration and shall be  subject  to the policy direction and oversight  of the Committee on House Administration.

(b) In addition to any other reports required by the Committee on House Administration, the Chief Administra- tive Officer shall report to the Com- mittee on House Administration not later than 45 days following the close of each semiannual period ending on June 30 or December 31 on the financial and operational status of each function under the jurisdiction of the Chief Ad- ministrative Officer. Each report shall include financial statements and a de- scription or explanation of current op- erations, the implementation of new policies and procedures, and future plans for each function.

(c) The Chief Administrative Officer shall fully cooperate with the appro- priate offices and persons in the per- formance of reviews and audits of fi- nancial records and administrative op- erations.

(d)(1) Upon notification from  the chair of the Committee on Ethics pur- suant to clause 3(g)(3)(C), the Chief Ad- ministrative Officer shall deduct the amount of any fine levied under clause 3(g) from the net salary otherwise due the Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner.

(2) The Chief Administrative Officer is authorized to establish policies and procedures for such salary deductions.

Chaplain

5. The Chaplain shall offer a prayer at the commencement of each day’s sitting of the House.

Office of Inspector General

6. (a) There is established an Office of Inspector General.

(b) The Inspector General shall be ap- pointed for a Congress by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the Minority Leader, acting jointly.

(c) Subject to the policy  direction and oversight of the Committee on House Administration, the Inspector General shall only—

(1) provide audit, investigative, and advisory services to the House and joint entities in a manner consistent with government-wide standards;

(2) inform the officers or other offi- cials who are the subject of an audit of the results of that audit and sug- gesting appropriate curative actions;

(3) simultaneously notify the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration in the case of any financial irregu- larity discovered in the course of car- rying out responsibilities under this clause;

(4) simultaneously submit to the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations  and the Committee on House Administra- tion a report of each audit conducted under this clause; and

(5) report to the Committee on Eth- ics information involving possible violations by a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House of any rule of the House or of any law applicable to the performance of official duties or the discharge of official responsibil- ities that may require referral to the appropriate Federal or State authori- ties under clause 3(a)(3) of rule XI.

Office of the Historian

7. There is established an Office of the Historian of the House of Rep- resentatives. The Speaker shall ap- point and set the annual rate of pay for employees of the Office of the Histo- rian.

Office of General Counsel

8. (a) There is established an Office of General Counsel for the purpose of pro- viding legal assistance and representa- tion to the House. Legal assistance and representation shall be provided with- out regard to political affiliation. The Speaker shall appoint and set the an- nual rate of pay for employees of the Office of General Counsel. The Office of General Counsel shall function pursu- ant to the direction of the  Speaker, who shall consult with the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group.

(b) There is established a Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group composed of the Speaker and the majority and minority leaderships. Unless otherwise provided by the House, the Bipartisan Legal Ad- visory Group speaks for, and articu- lates the institutional position of, the House in all litigation matters.

(c) The House, the Speaker, a com- mittee or the chair of a committee au- thorized during a prior Congress to act in a litigation matter is authorized to act as the successor in interest to the House, the Speaker, such committee or the chair of such committee of a prior Congress, respectively, with respect to such litigation matter, and to  take such steps as may be appropriate, in- cluding, but not limited to,  the issuance of subpoenas, to ensure con- tinuation of such litigation matter.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion

9. (a) There is established an Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The Speaker, in consultation with the Minority Leader, shall appoint a Director of the Office from recommendations provided by the chair of the Committee  on House Administration in consultation with the ranking minority member of such committee.

(b) Subject to the policy direction and oversight of the Committee on House Administration, the Office of Di- versity and Inclusion shall—

(1) direct and guide House employ- ing offices to recruit, hire, train, de- velop, advance, promote, and retain a diverse workforce;

(2) survey and evaluate diversity in House employing offices;

(3) through the Director of the Of- fice at the end of each session of Con- gress, submit a House of Representa- tives diversity report to the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, the chair and ranking minor- ity member of the Committee on House Administration, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch of the Committee on Appro- priations; and

(4) provide consultation and guidance in furtherance of increasing diversity and inclusion in the House.

Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds

10. (a) There is established an Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds. The Speaker, in consultation with  the chairs and ranking minority members of the Committee on House Adminis- tration and the Committee on Over- sight and Reform, shall appoint a Di- rector of the Office.

(b) Subject to the policy  direction and oversight of the Committee on House Administration, and in consulta- tion with any other committee (at the request of the chair or ranking minor- ity member of such other committee), the Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds shall—

(1) promulgate best practices for whistleblower intake for  offices  of the House; and

(2) provide training for offices of the House on whistleblower intake, including establishing an effective reporting system for whistleblowers, maintaining whistleblower confiden- tiality, advising staff  of  relevant laws and policies, and protecting in- formation provided by whistleblowers.

RULE III, THE MEMBERS, DELEGATES, AND RESIDENT COMMISSIONER OF PUERTO RICO

Voting

1. Every Member shall be present within the Hall of the House during its sittings, unless excused or necessarily prevented, and shall vote on each ques- tion put, unless having a direct per- sonal or pecuniary interest  in  the event of such question.

2. (a) A Member may not authorize any other person to cast the vote of such Member or record the presence of such Member in the House or the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

(b) No other person may cast a Mem- ber’s vote or record a Member’s pres- ence in the House or the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Delegates and the Resident Commissioner

3. (a) In a Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, each Delegate and the Resident Commis- sioner shall possess the same powers and privileges as Members of the House. Each Delegate and the Resident Commissioner shall be elected to serve on standing committees in the same manner as Members and shall possess in such committees the same powers and privileges as the other members of the committee.

(b) The Delegates and the Resident Commissioner may be appointed to any select committee, joint committee, or conference committee.

RULE IV, THE HALL OF THE HOUSE

Use and admittance

1. The Hall of the House shall be used only for the legislative business of the House and for caucus and conference meetings of its Members, except when the House agrees to take part in any ceremonies to be observed therein.

2. (a) Only the following persons shall be admitted to the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto:

(1) Members of Congress, Members- elect, Delegates, Delegates-elect, the Resident Commissioner, and the Resident Commissioner-elect.

(2) Contestants in election cases during the pendency of their cases on the floor.

(3) The President and Vice Presi- dent of the United States and their private secretaries.

(4) Justices of the Supreme Court.

(5) Elected officers and minority employees nominated as elected offi- cers of the House.

(6) The Parliamentarian.

(7) Staff of committees when busi- ness from their committee is under consideration, and staff of the respec- tive party leaderships when so as- signed with the approval of the Speaker.

(8) Not more than one person from the staff of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner when that Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner has an amendment under consideration (subject to clause 5).

(9) The Architect of the Capitol.

(10) The Librarian of Congress and the assistant in charge of the Law Library.

(11) The Secretary and Sergeant-at- Arms of the Senate.

(12) Heads of departments.

(13) Foreign ministers.

(14) Governors of States and of the Territories and the Mayor of the Dis- trict of Columbia.

(15) Former Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners; former Parliamentarians of the House; and former elected officers and minority employees nominated as elected offi- cers of the House (subject to clause 4).

(16) One attorney to accompany a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner who is the respondent in an investigation undertaken by the Committee on Ethics when a rec- ommendation of that committee is under consideration in the House.

(17) Such persons as have, by name, received the thanks of Congress.

(b) The Speaker may not entertain a unanimous consent request or a motion to suspend this clause or clauses 1, 3, 4, or 5.

3. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), all persons not entitled to the privilege of the floor during the session shall be excluded at all times from the Hall of the House and the cloakrooms.

(b) Until 15 minutes of the hour of the meeting of the House, persons em- ployed in its service, accredited mem- bers of the press entitled to admission to the press gallery, and other persons on request of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner by card or in writing, may be admitted to the Hall of the House.

4. (a) A former Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner; a former Par- liamentarian of the House; or a former elected officer of the House or former minority employee nominated as an elected officer of the House shall not be entitled to the privilege of admission to the Hall of the House and rooms leading thereto if such individual—

(1) is a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal as those terms are defined in clause 5 of rule XXV;

(2) has any direct personal or pecu- niary interest in any legislative measure pending before the House or reported by a committee;

(3) is in the employ of or represents any party or organization for the purpose of influencing, directly or in- directly, the passage, defeat, or amendment of any legislative pro- posal; or

(4) has been convicted by a court of record for the commission of a crime in relation to that individual’s elec- tion to, or service to, the House.

(b) The Speaker may promulgate reg- ulations to carry out this rule includ- ing regulations that exempt ceremo- nial or educational functions from the restrictions of this clause.

5. A person from the staff of a Mem- ber, Delegate, or Resident Commis- sioner may be admitted to the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto under clause 2 only upon prior notice to the Speaker. Such persons, and per- sons from the staff of committees ad- mitted under clause 2, may not engage in efforts in the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto to influence Members with regard to the legislation being amended. Such persons are ad- mitted only to advise the Member, Del- egate, Resident Commissioner, or com- mittee responsible for their admission. A person who violates this clause may be excluded during the session from the Hall of the House and rooms leading thereto by the Speaker.

Gallery

6. (a) The Speaker shall set aside a portion of the west gallery for the use of the President, the members of the Cabinet, justices of the Supreme Court, foreign ministers and suites, and the members of their respective families. The Speaker shall set aside another portion of the same gallery for the ac- commodation of persons to be admitted on the cards of Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner.

(b) The Speaker shall set aside the southerly half of the east gallery  for the use of the families of Members of Congress. The Speaker shall control one bench. On the request of a Member, Delegate,  Resident  Commissioner,  or Senator, the Speaker shall issue a card of admission to the family of such indi- vidual, which may include their visi- tors. No other person shall be admitted to this section.

Prohibition on campaign contributions

1. A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House, or any other person entitled to admission to the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto by this rule, may not knowingly distribute a polit- ical campaign contribution in the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto.

RULE V, BROADCASTING THE HOUSE

1. The Speaker shall administer, direct, and control a system for closed- circuit viewing of floor proceedings of the House in the offices of all Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, and committees and in such other places in the Capitol and the House Of- fice Buildings as the Speaker considers appropriate. Such system may include other communications functions as the Speaker considers appropriate. Any such communications shall be subject to rules and regulations issued by the Speaker.

2. (a) The Speaker shall administer, direct, and control a system for com- plete and unedited audio and visual broadcasting and recording of the floor proceedings of the House. The Speaker shall provide for the distribution of such broadcasts and recordings to news media, for the storage of audio and video recordings of the  proceedings, and for the closed-captioning of the proceedings for hearing-impaired per- sons.

(b) All television and radio broad- casting stations, networks, services, and systems (including cable systems) that are accredited to the House Radio and Television Correspondents’ Galleries, and all radio and television cor- respondents who are so accredited, shall be provided access to the live coverage of the House.

(c) Coverage made available under this clause, including any recording thereof—

(1) may not be used for any par- tisan political campaign purpose;

(2) may not be used in any commer- cial advertisement; and

(3) may not be broadcast with com- mercial sponsorship except as part of a bona fide news program or public affairs documentary program.

3. The Speaker may delegate any of the responsibilities under this rule to such legislative entity as the Speaker considers appropriate.

RULE VI, OFFICIAL REPORTERS AND NEWS MEDIA GALLERIES

Official reporters

1. Subject to the direction and con- trol of the Speaker, the Clerk shall ap- point, and may remove for cause, the official reporters of the House, including stenographers of committees, and shall supervise the execution of their duties.

News media galleries

1. A portion of the gallery over the Speaker’s chair as may be necessary to accommodate representatives of the press wishing to report debates and proceedings shall be set aside for their use. Reputable reporters and cor- respondents shall be admitted thereto under such regulations as the Speaker may prescribe from time to time. The Standing Committee of Correspondents for the Press Gallery, and the Execu- tive Committee of Correspondents for the Periodical Press Gallery, shall su- pervise such galleries, including the designation of its employees, subject to the direction and control of the Speak- er. The Speaker may admit  to  the floor, under such regulations as the Speaker may prescribe, not more than one representative of each press asso- ciation.

3. A portion of the gallery as may be necessary to accommodate reporters of news to be disseminated by radio, tele- vision, and similar means of trans- mission, wishing to report debates and proceedings, shall be set aside for their use. Reputable reporters and cor- respondents shall be admitted thereto under such regulations as the Speaker may prescribe. The Executive Com- mittee of the Radio and Television Cor- respondents’ Galleries shall supervise such gallery, including the designation of its employees, subject to the direc- tion and control of the Speaker. The Speaker may admit to the floor, under such regulations as the Speaker may prescribe, not more than one represent- ative of each media outlet.

RULE VII RECORDS OF THE HOUSE

Archiving

1. (a) At the end of each Congress, the chair of each committee shall transfer to the Clerk any noncurrent records of such committee, including the sub- committees thereof.

(b) At the end of each Congress, each officer of the House elected under rule II shall transfer to the Clerk any non- current records made or acquired  in the course of the duties of such officer.

2. The Clerk shall deliver the records transferred under clause 1, together with any other noncurrent records of the House, to the Archivist of the United States for preservation at the National Archives and Records Admin- istration. Records so delivered are the permanent property of the House and remain subject to this rule and any order of the House.

Public availability

3. (a) The Clerk shall authorize the Archivist to make records delivered under clause 2 available for public use, subject to clause 4(b) and any order of the House.

(b)(1) A record shall immediately be made available if it was previously made available for public use by the House or a committee or a sub- committee.

(2) An investigative record that con- tains personal data relating to a spe- cific living person (the disclosure of which would be an unwarranted inva- sion of personal privacy), an administrative record relating to personnel, or a record relating to a hearing that was closed under clause 2(g)(2) of rule XI shall be made available if it has been in existence for 50 years.

(3) A record for which a time, schedule, or condition for availability is specified by order of the House shall be made available in accordance with that order. Except as otherwise provided by order of the House, a record of a com- mittee for which a time, schedule, or condition for availability  is  specified by order of the committee (entered during the Congress in which the record is made or acquired by the com- mittee) shall be made available in ac- cordance with the order of the com- mittee.

(4) A record (other than a record referred to in subparagraph (1), (2), or (3)) shall be made available if it has been in existence for 30 years.

4. (a) A record may not be made available for public use under clause 3 if the Clerk determines that such avail- ability would be detrimental to the public interest or inconsistent with the rights and privileges of the House. The Clerk shall notify in writing the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration of any such determination.

(b) A determination of the Clerk under paragraph (a) is subject to later orders of the House and, in the case of a record of a committee, later orders of the committee.

5. (a) This rule does not supersede rule VIII or clause 11 of rule X and does not authorize the public disclosure of any record if such disclosure is prohib- ited by law or executive order of the President.

(b) The Committee on House Admin- istration may prescribe guidelines and regulations governing the applicability and implementation of this rule.

(c) A committee may withdraw from the National Archives and Records Ad- ministration any record of the com- mittee delivered to the Archivist under this rule. Such a withdrawal shall be on a temporary basis and for official use of the committee.

Definition of record

3. (a) In this rule the term ‘‘record’’ means any official, permanent record of the House (other than a record of an individual Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner as described in paragraph (b)), including—

(1) with respect to a committee, an official, permanent record of the committee (including any record of a legislative, oversight, or other activ- ity of such committee or a sub- committee thereof); and

(2) with respect to an officer of the House elected under rule II, an official, permanent record made or ac- quired in the course of the duties of such officer.

(b) Records created, generated, or re- ceived by the congressional office of a Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner in the performance of of- ficial duties are exclusively the per- sonal property of the individual Mem- ber, Delegate, or the Resident Commis- sioner and such Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner has control over such records.

Withdrawal of papers

7. A memorial or other paper pre- sented to the House may not be with- drawn from its files without its leave. If withdrawn certified copies thereof shall be left in the Office of the Clerk. When an act passes for the settlement of a claim, the Clerk may transmit to the officer charged with the settlement thereof the papers on file in the Office of the Clerk relating to  such  claim. The Clerk may lend temporarily to an officer or bureau of the executive de- partments any papers on file in the Of- fice of the Clerk relating to any matter pending before such officer or bureau, taking proper receipt therefor.

RULE VIII, RESPONSE TO SUBPOENAS

1. (a) When a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or em- ployee of the House is properly served with a judicial subpoena or order, such Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, or employee shall com- ply, consistently with the  privileges and rights of the House, with the judi- cial subpoena or order as hereinafter provided, unless otherwise determined under this rule.

(b) For purposes of this rule, ‘‘judicial subpoena or order’’ means a judi- cial subpoena or judicial order direct- ing appearance as a witness relating to the official functions of the House or for the production or disclosure of any document relating to the official func- tions of the House.

2. (a) Upon receipt of a properly served judicial subpoena or order, a Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, or employee of  the House shall promptly notify the Speak- er in writing of its receipt  together with either:

(1) a determination as to whether the issuance of the judicial subpoena or order is a proper exercise of juris- diction by the court and is consistent with the privileges and rights of the House; or

(2) a statement that such Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, of- ficer, or employee of the House in- tends to make a determination with respect to the matters described in subparagraph (1).

(b) The notification required by paragraph (a) shall promptly be laid before the House by the Speaker.

3. (a) Except as specified in paragraph (b) or otherwise ordered by the House, upon notification to the House that a judicial subpoena or order is a proper exercise of jurisdiction by  the  court and is consistent with the privileges and rights of the House, the Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, offi- cer, or employee of the House shall comply with the judicial subpoena or order by supplying copies.

(b) Under no circumstances may min- utes or transcripts of executive ses- sions, or evidence of witnesses in re- spect thereto, be disclosed or copied. During a period of recess or adjourn- ment of longer than three days, the Speaker may authorize compliance or take such other action as the Speaker considers appropriate under the cir- cumstances. Upon the reconvening of the House, all matters that transpired under this clause shall promptly  be laid before the House by the Speaker.

4. Nothing in this rule shall be construed to deprive, condition, or waive the constitutional or legal privileges or rights applicable or available at any time to a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House, or of the House itself, or the right of such Member, Delegate, Resi- dent Commissioner, officer, or em- ployee, or of the House itself, to assert such privileges or rights before a court in the United States.

RULE IX, QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE

1. Questions of privilege shall be, first, those affecting the rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity, and the integrity of its  proceedings; and second, those affecting the rights, reputation, and conduct of Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commis- sioner, individually, in their represent- ative capacity only.

2. (a)(1) A resolution  reported as  a question of the privileges of the House, or offered from the floor by the Major- ity Leader or the Minority Leader as a question of the privileges of the House, or offered as privileged under clause 1, section 7, article I of the Constitution, shall have precedence of all other ques- tions except motions to adjourn. A res- olution offered from the floor by a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner other than the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader as a question of the privileges of the House shall have precedence of all other ques- tions except motions  to  adjourn  only at a time or place, designated by the Speaker, in the legislative schedule within two legislative days after the day on which the proponent announces to the House an intention to offer the resolution and the form of the resolu- tion. Oral announcement of the form of the resolution may be dispensed with by unanimous consent.

(2) The time allotted for debate on a resolution offered from the floor as a question of the privileges of the House shall be equally divided between  (A) the proponent of the resolution, and

(B) the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, or a designee, as determined by the Speaker.

(3) A resolution causing a vacancy in the Office of Speaker shall not be privi- leged except if offered by direction of a party caucus or conference.

(b) A question of personal privilege shall have precedence of all other ques- tions except motions to adjourn.

RULE X, ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES

Committees and their legislative jurisdictions

1. There shall be in the House the fol- lowing standing committees, each of which shall have the jurisdiction and related functions assigned by this clause and clauses 2, 3, and 4. All bills, resolutions, and other matters relating to subjects within the jurisdiction  of the standing committees listed in this clause shall be referred to those com- mittees, in accordance with clause 2 of rule XII, as follows:

(a)Committee on Agriculture.

1. Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds and animals in forest reserves.
2. Agriculture generally.
3. Agricultural and industrial chemistry.
4. Agricultural colleges and ex- periment stations.
5. Agricultural economics and research.
6. Agricultural education exten- sion services.
7. Agricultural production and marketing and stabilization of prices of agricultural products, and commodities (not including dis- tribution outside of the United States).
8. Animal industry and diseases of animals.
9. Commodity exchanges.
10. Crop insurance and soil con- servation.
11. Dairy industry.
12. Entomology and plant quar- antine.
13. Extension of farm credit and farm security.
14. Inspection of livestock, poul- try, meat products, and seafood and seafood products.
15. Forestry in general and for- est reserves other than those cre- ated from the public domain.
16. Human nutrition and home economics.
17. Plant industry, soils, and ag- ricultural engineering.
18. Rural electrification.
19. Rural development.
20. Water conservation related to activities of the Department of Ag- riculture.

(b)Committee on Appropriations.

1. Appropriation of the revenue for the support of the Government.
2. Rescissions of appropriations contained in appropriation Acts.
3. Transfers of unexpended bal- ances.
4. Bills and joint resolutions re- ported by other committees that provide new entitlement authority as defined in section 3(9) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and referred to the committee under clause 4(a)(2).
5. Bills and joint resolutions that provide new budget authority, limitation on the use of funds, or other authority relating to new di- rect loan obligations and new loan guarantee commitments ref- erencing section 504(b) of the Con- gressional Budget Act of 1974.

(c)Committee on Armed Services.

1. Ammunition depots; forts; ar- senals; and Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force reservations and establishments.
2. Common defense generally.
3. Conservation, development, and use of naval petroleum and oil shale reserves.
4. The Department of Defense generally, including the Depart- ments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, generally.
5. Interoceanic canals generally, including measures relating to the maintenance, operation, and ad- ministration of interoceanic ca- nals.
6. Merchant Marine Academy and State Maritime Academies.
7. Military applications of nu- clear energy.
8. Tactical intelligence and in- telligence-related activities of the Department of Defense.
9. National security aspects of merchant marine, including finan- cial assistance for the construction and operation of vessels, mainte- nance of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industrial base, cabo- tage, cargo preference, and mer- chant marine officers and seafarers as these matters relate to the na- tional security.
10. Pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and privileges of members of the armed forces.
11. Scientific research and devel- opment in support of the armed services.
12. Selective service.
13. Size and composition of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
14. Soldiers’ and sailors’ homes.
15. Strategic and critical mate- rials necessary for the common de- fense.
16. Cemeteries administered by the Department of Defense.

(d)Committee on the Budget.

1. Concurrent resolutions on the budget (as defined in section 3(4) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974), other matters required to be referred to the committee under ti- tles III and IV of that Act,  and other measures setting forth appro- priate levels of budget  totals  for the United States Government.
2. Budget process generally.
3. Establishment, extension, and enforcement of  special  controls over the Federal budget, including the budgetary treatment of off- budget Federal agencies and meas- ures providing exemption from re- duction under any order issued under part C of the Balanced Budg- et and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

(e)Committee on Education and Labor.

1. Child labor.
2. Gallaudet University and Howard University and Hospital.
3. Convict labor and the entry of goods made by convicts into inter- state commerce.
4. Food programs for children in schools.
5. Labor standards and statis- tics.
6. Education or labor generally.
7. Mediation and arbitration of labor disputes.
8. Regulation or prevention of importation of foreign laborers under contract.
9. Workers’ compensation.
10. Vocational rehabilitation.
11. Wages and hours of labor.
12. Welfare of miners.
13. Work incentive programs.
14. Organization, administration, and general management of the De- partment of Education.
15. Organization, administration, and general management of the De- partment of Labor.

(f)Committee on Energy and Commerce.

1. Biomedical research and de- velopment.
2. Consumer affairs and con- sumer protection.
3. Health and health facilities (except health care supported by payroll deductions).
4. Interstate energy compacts.
5. Interstate and foreign com- merce generally.
6. Exploration, production, stor- age, supply, marketing,  pricing, and regulation of energy resources, including all fossil fuels, solar en- ergy, and other unconventional or renewable energy resources.
7. Conservation of energy re- sources.
8. Energy information generally.
9. The generation and marketing of power (except by federally char- tered or Federal regional power marketing authorities); reliability and interstate transmission of, and ratemaking for, all power; and siting of generation facilities (ex- cept the installation of inter- connections between Government waterpower projects).
10. General management of the Department of Energy and manage- ment and all functions of the Fed- eral Energy Regulatory Commis- sion.
11. National energy policy gen- erally.
12. Public health and quarantine.
13. Regulation of the domestic nuclear energy industry, including regulation of research and develop- ment reactors and nuclear regu- latory research.
14. Regulation of interstate and foreign communications.
15. Travel and tourism.
15. The committee shall have the same jurisdiction with respect to regula- tion of nuclear facilities and of use of nuclear energy as it has with respect to regulation of nonnuclear facilities and of use of nonnuclear energy.

(g)Committee on Ethics.

The Code of Official Conduct.

(h)Committee on Financial Serv- ices.

1. Banks and banking, including deposit insurance and Federal mon- etary policy.

2. Economic stabilization, de- fense production,  renegotiation, and control of the price of commod- ities, rents, and services.

3. Financial aid to commerce and industry (other than transpor- tation).
4. Insurance generally.
5. International finance.
6. International financial and monetary organizations.
7. Money and credit, including currency and the issuance of notes and redemption thereof; gold and silver, including the coinage there- of; valuation and revaluation of the dollar.
8. Public and private housing.
9. Securities and exchanges.
10. Urban development.

(i)Committee on Foreign Affairs.

1. Relations of the United States with foreign nations generally.
2. Acquisition of land and build- ings for embassies and legations in foreign countries.
3. Establishment of boundary lines between the United  States and foreign nations.
4. Export controls, including nonproliferation of nuclear tech- nology and nuclear hardware.
5. Foreign loans.
6. International commodity agreements (other than those in- volving sugar), including all agree- ments for cooperation in the export of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware.
7. International conferences and congresses.
8. International education.
9. Intervention abroad and dec- larations of war.
10. Diplomatic service.
11. Measures to foster commer- cial intercourse with foreign na- tions and to safeguard American business interests abroad.
12. International economic policy.
13. Neutrality.
14. Protection of American citi- zens abroad and expatriation.
15. The American National Red Cross.
16. Trading with the enemy.
17. United Nations organiza- tions.

(j)Committee on Homeland Security.

1. Overall homeland security pol- icy.
2. Organization, administration, and general management of the De- partment of Homeland Security.
3. Functions of the Department of Homeland Security relating to the following:
   1. Border and port security (except immigration policy and non-border enforcement).
   2. Customs (except customs revenue).
   3. Integration, analysis, and dissemination of homeland secu- rity information.
   4. Domestic preparedness for and collective response to ter- rorism.
   5. Research and development.
   6. Transportation security.

(k)Committee on House Administration.

1. Appropriations from accounts for committee salaries and ex- penses (except for the  Committee on Appropriations); House Informa- tion Resources; and allowance and expenses of Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, offi- cers, and administrative offices of the House.
2. Auditing and settling of all ac- counts described in  subparagraph (1).
3. Employment of persons by the House, including staff for Members, Delegates, the Resident Commis- sioner, and committees; and report- ers of debates, subject to rule VI.
4. Except as provided in para- graph (r)(11), the Library of Con- gress, including management there- of; the House Library; statuary and pictures; acceptance or purchase of works of art for the Capitol; the Botanic Garden; and purchase of books and manuscripts.
5. The Smithsonian Institution and the incorporation of similar in- stitutions (except as provided in paragraph (r)(11)).
6. Expenditure of accounts de- scribed in subparagraph (1).
7. Franking Commission.
8. Printing and correction of the Congressional Record.
9. Accounts of the House gen- erally.
10. Assignment of office space for Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, and committees.
11. Disposition of useless execu- tive papers.
12. Election of the President, Vice President, Members, Senators, Delegates, or the Resident Commis- sioner; corrupt practices; contested elections; credentials and qualifica- tions; and Federal elections gen- erally.
13. Services to the House, includ- ing the House Restaurant, parking facilities, and administration of the House Office Buildings and of the House wing of the Capitol.
14. Travel of Members, Dele- gates, and the Resident Commis- sioner.
15. Raising, reporting, and use of campaign contributions for can- didates for office of Representative, of Delegate, and of Resident Com- missioner.
16. Compensation, retirement, and other benefits of the Members, Delegates, the Resident Commis- sioner, officers, and employees of Congress.

(l)Committee on the Judiciary.

1. The judiciary and judicial pro- ceedings, civil and criminal.
2. Administrative practice and procedure.
3. Apportionment of Representa- tives.
4. Bankruptcy, mutiny, espio- nage, and counterfeiting.
5. Civil liberties.
6. Constitutional amendments.
7. Criminal law enforcement and criminalization.
8. Federal courts and judges, and local courts in the Territories and possessions.
9. Immigration policy and non- border enforcement.
10. Interstate compacts gen- erally.
11. Claims against the United States.
12. Meetings of Congress; attend- ance of Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner; and their acceptance of incompatible offices.
13. National penitentiaries.
14. Patents, the Patent and Trademark Office, copyrights, and trademarks.
15. Presidential succession.
16. Protection of trade and com- merce against unlawful restraints and monopolies.
17. Revision and codification of the Statutes of the United States.
18. State and territorial bound- ary lines.
19. Subversive activities affect- ing the internal security of the United States.

(m)Committee on Natural Resources.

1. Fisheries and wildlife, includ- ing research, restoration, refuges, and conservation.
2. Forest reserves and national parks created from the public do- main.
3.  
3. Forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, including alien ownership of mineral lands.
4. Geological Survey.
5. International fishing agree- ments.
6. Interstate compacts relating to apportionment of waters for irri- gation purposes.
7. Irrigation and reclamation, in- cluding water supply for reclama- tion projects and easements of pub- lic lands for irrigation projects; and acquisition of private lands when necessary to complete irrigation projects.
8. Native Americans generally, including the care and allotment of Native American lands and general and special measures relating to claims that are paid out of Native American funds.
9. Insular areas of the United States generally (except those af- fecting the revenue and appropria- tions).
10. Military parks and battle- fields, national cemeteries adminis- tered by the Secretary of the Inte- rior, parks within the District of Columbia, and the erection of monuments to the memory of indi- viduals.
11. Mineral land laws and claims and entries thereunder.
12. Mineral resources of public lands.
13. Mining interests generally.
14. Mining schools and experi- mental stations.
15. Marine affairs, including coastal zone management (except for measures relating to oil and other pollution of navigable wa- ters).
16. Oceanography.
17. Petroleum conservation on public lands and conservation  of the radium supply in the United States.
18. Preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest on the public domain.
19. Public lands generally, in- cluding entry, easements, and graz- ing thereon.
20. Relations of the United States with Native Americans and Native American tribes.
21. Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline (except ratemaking).

(n)Committee on Oversight and Reform.

1. Federal civil service, includ- ing intergovernmental personnel; and the status of officers and em- ployees of the United States, in- cluding their compensation, classi- fication, and retirement.
2. Municipal affairs of the Dis- trict of Columbia in general (other than appropriations).
3. Federal paperwork reduction.
4. Government management and accounting measures generally.
5. Holidays and celebrations.
6. Overall economy, efficiency, and management of government op- erations and activities, including Federal procurement.
7. National archives.
8. Population and demography generally, including the Census.
9. Postal service generally, in- cluding transportation  of  the mails.
10. Public information and records.
11. Relationship of the Federal Government to the States and mu- nicipalities generally.
12. Reorganizations in the execu- tive branch of the Government.

(o) Committee on Rules.

1. Rules and joint rules (other than those relating to the Code of Official Conduct) and the order of business of the House.
2. Recesses and final adjourn- ments of Congress.

(p)   Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

1. All energy research, develop- ment, and demonstration, and projects therefor, and all federally owned or operated nonmilitary en- ergy laboratories.
2. Astronautical research and de- velopment, including resources, personnel, equipment, and facili- ties.
3. Civil aviation research and de- velopment.
4. Environmental research and development.
5. Marine research.
6. Commercial application of en- ergy technology.
7. National Institute of Stand- ards and Technology, standardiza- tion of weights and measures, and the metric system.
8. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
9. National Space Council.
10. National Science Foundation.
11. National Weather Service.
12. Outer space, including explo- ration and control thereof.
13. Science scholarships.
14. Scientific research, develop- ment, and demonstration, and projects therefor.

(q) Committee on Small Business.

1. Assistance to and  protection of small business, including finan- cial aid, regulatory flexibility, and paperwork reduction.
2. Participation of small-busi- ness enterprises in Federal procure- ment and Government contracts.

(r)   Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

1. Coast Guard, including life- saving  service,  lighthouses, lightships, ocean derelicts, and the Coast Guard Academy.
2. Federal management of emer- gencies and natural disasters.
3. Flood control and improve- ment of rivers and harbors.
4.  
4. Inland waterways.
5. Inspection of merchant marine vessels, lights and signals, life- saving equipment, and fire protec- tion on such vessels.
6. Navigation and laws relating thereto, including pilotage.
7. Registering and licensing of vessels and small boats.
8. Rules and international ar- rangements to prevent collisions at sea.
9. The Capitol Building and the Senate and House Office Buildings.
10. Construction or maintenance of roads and post roads (other than appropriations therefor).
11. Construction or reconstruc- tion, maintenance, and care of buildings and grounds of the Bo- tanic Garden, the Library of Con- gress, and the Smithsonian Institu- tion.
12. Merchant marine (except for national security aspects thereof).
13. Purchase of sites and con- struction of post offices, custom- houses, Federal courthouses, and Government buildings within the District of Columbia.
14. Oil and other pollution of navigable waters, including inland, coastal, and ocean waters.
15. Marine affairs, including coastal zone management, as they relate to oil and other pollution of navigable waters.
16. Public buildings and occupied or improved grounds of the United States generally.
17. Public works for the benefit of navigation, including  bridges and dams (other than international bridges and dams).
18. Related transportation regu- latory agencies (except the Trans- portation Security Administra- tion).
19. Roads and the safety thereof.
20. Transportation, including civil aviation, railroads, water transportation,                transportation safety (except automobile safety and transportation security func- tions of the Department of Home- land Security), transportation in- frastructure, transportation labor, and railroad retirement and unem- ployment (except revenue measures related thereto).
21. Water power.

(s)  Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

1. Veterans’ measures generally.
2. Cemeteries of the United States in which veterans of any war or conflict are or may be buried, whether in the United States or abroad (except cemeteries adminis- tered by the Secretary of the Inte- rior).
3. Compensation, vocational re- habilitation, and education of vet- erans.
4. Life insurance issued by the Government on account of service in the Armed Forces.
5.  
5. Pensions of all the wars of the United States, general and special.
6. Readjustment      of     service- members to civil life.
   7. Servicemembers’ civil relief.
8. Veterans’ hospitals, medical care, and treatment of veterans.

(t)  Committee on Ways and Means.

1. Customs revenue, collection districts, and ports of entry and de- livery.
2. Reciprocal trade agreements.
3. Revenue measures generally.
4. Revenue measures relating to insular possessions.
5. Bonded debt of the United States, subject to the last sentence of clause 4(f).
6. Deposit of public monies.
7. Transportation of dutiable goods.
8. Tax exempt foundations and charitable trusts.
9. National social security (ex- cept health care and facilities pro- grams that are supported from gen- eral revenues as opposed to payroll deductions and except work incen- tive programs).

General oversight responsibilities

2. (a) The various standing commit- tees shall have general oversight re- sponsibilities as provided in paragraph (b) in order to assist the House in—

(1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of—

(A) the application, administra- tion, execution, and effectiveness of Federal laws; and

(B) conditions and circumstances that may indicate the necessity or desirability of enacting new or ad- ditional legislation; and

(2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of changes in Federal laws, and of such additional legisla- tion as may be necessary or appro- priate.

(b)(1) In order to determine whether laws and programs addressing subjects within the jurisdiction of a committee are being implemented and carried out in accordance with the intent of Con- gress and whether they should be con- tinued, curtailed, or eliminated, each standing committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations) shall re- view and study on a continuing basis—

(A) the application, administration, execution, and effectiveness of laws and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction;

(B) the organization and operation of Federal agencies and entities hav- ing responsibilities for the adminis- tration and execution of laws and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction;

(C) any conditions or cir- cumstances that may indicate the necessity or desirability of enacting new or additional legislation address- ing subjects within its jurisdiction (whether or not a bill or resolution has been introduced with respect thereto); and

(D) future research and forecasting on subjects within its jurisdiction.

(2) Each committee to which sub- paragraph (1) applies having more than 20 members shall establish an oversight subcommittee, or require its sub- committees to conduct oversight in their respective jurisdictions, to assist in carrying out its responsibilities under this clause. The establishment of an oversight subcommittee does not limit the responsibility of a sub- committee with legislative jurisdiction in carrying out its oversight responsibilities.

(c) Each standing committee shall review and study on a continuing basis the impact or probable impact of tax policies affecting subjects within its jurisdiction as described in clauses 1 and 3.

(d)(1) Not later than March 1 of the first session of a Congress, the chair of each standing committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Ethics, and the Com- mittee on Rules) shall—

(A) prepare, in consultation with the ranking minority member, an oversight plan for that Congress;

(B) provide a copy of that plan to each member of the committee for at least seven calendar days before its submission; and

(C) submit that plan (including any supplemental, minority,  additional, or dissenting views submitted by a member of the committee) simulta- neously to the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Committee on House Administration.

(2) In developing the plan, the chair of each committee shall, to the max- imum extent feasible—

(A) consult with other committees that have jurisdiction over the same or related laws, programs, or agen- cies with the objective of ensuring maximum coordination and coopera- tion among committees when con- ducting reviews of such laws, pro- grams, or agencies and include in the plan an explanation of steps that have been or will be taken to ensure such coordination and cooperation;

(B) review specific problems with Federal rules, regulations, statutes, and court decisions that are ambig- uous, arbitrary, or nonsensical, or that impose severe financial burdens on individuals;

(C) give priority consideration to including in the plan the review of those laws, programs, or agencies op- erating under permanent budget au- thority or permanent statutory authority;

(D) have a view toward ensuring that all significant laws,  programs, or agencies within the committee’s jurisdiction are subject to review every 10 years;

(E) have a view toward insuring against duplication of Federal pro- grams; and

(F) give priority consideration to including in the plan a discussion of how the committee’s work will address issues of inequities on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national origin.

(3) Not later than April 15 in the first session of a Congress, after consulta- tion with the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the Minority Leader, the Committee on Oversight and Reform shall report to the House the oversight plans submitted under subparagraph (1) together with any recommendations that it, or the House leadership group described above, may make to ensure the most effective coordination of oversight plans and otherwise to achieve the objectives of this clause.

(e) The Speaker, with the approval of the House, may appoint special ad hoc oversight committees for  the  purpose of reviewing specific matters  within the jurisdiction of two or more stand- ing committees.

Special oversight functions

3. (a) The Committee on Appropriations shall conduct such studies and examinations of the organization and operation of executive  departments and other executive agencies (including an agency the majority of the stock of which is owned by the United States) as it considers necessary to assist it in the determination of  matters  within its jurisdiction.

(b) The Committee on Armed Serv- ices shall review and study on a con- tinuing basis laws, programs, and Gov- ernment activities relating to inter- national arms control and disar- mament and the education of military dependents in schools.

(c) The Committee on the Budget shall study on a continuing basis the effect on budget outlays of relevant ex- isting and proposed legislation and re- port the results of such studies to the House on a recurring basis.

(d) The Committee on Education and Labor shall review, study, and coordi- nate on a continuing basis laws, pro- grams, and Government activities re- lating to domestic educational pro- grams and institutions and programs of student assistance within the jurisdic- tion of other committees.

(e) The Committee on Energy and Commerce shall review and study on a continuing basis laws, programs, and Government activities relating to nu- clear and other energy and nonmilitary nuclear energy research and develop- ment including the disposal of nuclear waste.

(f) The Committee on Foreign Affairs shall review and study on a continuing basis laws, programs, and Government activities relating to customs adminis- tration, intelligence activities relating to foreign policy, international finan- cial and monetary organizations, and international fishing agreements.

(g)(1) The Committee on Homeland Security shall review and study on a continuing basis all Government ac- tivities relating to homeland security, including the interaction of all departments and agencies with the Depart- ment of Homeland Security.

(2) In addition, the committee shall review and study on a primary and con- tinuing basis all Government activi- ties, programs and organizations re- lated to homeland security that fall within its primary legislative jurisdic- tion.

(h) The Committee on Natural Re- sources shall review and study on a continuing basis laws, programs, and Government activities relating to Na- tive Americans.

(i) The Committee on Oversight and Reform shall review and study on a continuing basis the operation of Gov- ernment activities at all levels, includ- ing the Executive Office of the Presi- dent.

(j) The Committee on Rules shall re- view and study on a continuing basis the congressional budget process, and the committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the House from time to time.

(k) The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology shall  review and study on a continuing basis laws, programs, and Government activities relating to nonmilitary research and development.

(l) The Committee on Small Business shall study and investigate on a con- tinuing basis the problems of all types of small business.

(m) The Permanent Select Com- mittee on Intelligence shall review and study on a continuing basis laws, pro- grams, and activities of the intel- ligence community and shall review and study on an exclusive basis the sources and methods of entities de- scribed in clause 11(b)(1)(A).

Additional functions of committees

4. (a)(1)(A) The Committee on Appro- priations shall, within 30 days after the transmittal of the Budget to Congress each year, hold hearings on the Budget as a whole with particular reference to—

1. the basic recommendations and budgetary policies of the President in the presentation of the Budget; and
2. the fiscal, financial, and eco- nomic assumptions used as bases in arriving at total estimated expendi- tures and receipts.

(B) In holding hearings under sub- division (A), the committee shall re- ceive testimony from the Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and such other persons as the com- mittee may desire.

(C) A hearing under subdivision (A), or any part thereof, shall be held in open session, except when the com- mittee, in open session and with a quorum present, determines by record vote that the testimony to be taken at that hearing on that day may be re- lated to a matter of national security. The committee may by the same proce- dure close one subsequent day of hear- ing. A transcript of all such hearings shall be printed and a copy thereof fur- nished to each Member, Delegate, and the Resident Commissioner.

(D) A hearing under subdivision (A), or any part thereof, may be held before a joint meeting of the committee and the Committee on Appropriations  of the Senate in accordance with such procedures as the two committees jointly may determine.

(2) Pursuant to section 401(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, when a committee reports a  bill  or joint resolution that provides new enti- tlement authority as defined in section 3(9) of that Act, and enactment of the bill or joint resolution, as reported, would cause a breach of the commit- tee’s pertinent allocation of new  bud get authority under section 302(a) of that Act, the bill or joint  resolution may be referred to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to re- port it with recommendations (which may include an amendment limiting the total amount of new entitlement authority provided in the bill or joint resolution). If the Committee on Ap- propriations fails to report a bill  or joint resolution so referred within 15 calendar days (not counting any day on which the House is not in session), the committee automatically shall be dis- charged from consideration of the bill or joint resolution, and the bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the appro- priate calendar.

(3) In addition, the Committee on Appropriations shall study on a con- tinuing basis those provisions of law that (on the first day of the first fiscal year for which the congressional budg- et process is effective) provide spending authority or permanent budget author- ity and shall report to the House from time to time its recommendations for terminating or modifying such provisions.

(4) In the manner provided by section

302 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee on Appropriations (after consulting with the  Committee on Appropriations of the Senate) shall subdivide any allocations made to it in the joint explanatory statement ac- companying the conference report on such concurrent resolution, and promptly report the subdivisions to the House as soon as practicable after a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year is agreed to.

(b) The Committee on the Budget shall—

(1) review on a continuing basis the conduct by the Congressional Budget Office of its functions and duties;

(2) hold hearings and receive testi- mony from Members, Senators, Dele- gates, the Resident Commissioner, and such appropriate representatives of Federal departments and agencies, the general public, and national orga- nizations as it considers desirable in developing concurrent resolutions on the budget for each fiscal year;

(3) make all reports required of it by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;

(4) study on a continuing basis those provisions of law that exempt Federal agencies or any of their ac- tivities or outlays from inclusion in the Budget of the United States Gov- ernment, and report to the House from time to time its recommenda- tions for terminating or modifying such provisions;

(5) study on a continuing basis proposals designed to improve and facili- tate the congressional budget proc- ess, and report to the House from time to time the results of such stud- ies, together with its recommendations; and

(6) request and evaluate continuing studies of tax expenditures, devise methods of coordinating tax expendi- tures, policies, and programs with di- rect budget outlays, and report the results of such studies to the House on a recurring basis.

(c)(1) The Committee on Oversight and Reform shall—

(A) receive and examine reports of the Comptroller General of the United States and submit to the House such recommendations as it considers necessary or desirable in connection with the  subject  matter of the reports;

(B) evaluate the effects of laws en- acted to reorganize the  legislative and executive branches of the Gov- ernment; and

(C) study intergovernmental rela- tionships between the United States and the States and  municipalities and between the United States and international organizations of which the United States is a member.

(2) In addition to its duties under subparagraph (1), the Committee on Oversight and Reform may at any time conduct investigations of any matter without regard to clause 1, 2, 3, or this clause conferring jurisdiction over the matter to another standing committee. The findings and recommendations of the committee in such an investigation shall be made available to any other standing committee having jurisdic- tion over the matter involved.

(3)(A) The Committee on Oversight and Reform may adopt a rule authorizing and regulating the taking of depositions by a member or counsel of the committee, including pursuant to subpoena under clause 2(m) of rule XI (which hereby is made applicable for such purpose).

(B) A rule adopted by the committee pursuant to this subparagraph—

1. may provide that a deponent be directed to subscribe an oath or affir- mation before a person authorized by law to administer the same; and
2. shall ensure that the minority members and staff of the committee are accorded equitable treatment with respect to notice of and a rea- sonable opportunity to participate in any proceeding conducted there- under.

(C) Information secured pursuant to the authority described in subdivision (A) shall retain the character of discovery until offered for admission in evidence before the committee,  at which time any proper objection shall be timely.

(d)(1) The Committee on House Ad- ministration shall—

(A) provide policy direction for the Chief Administrative Officer, the In- spector General, the Office of Diver- sity and Inclusion, and the Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds and over- sight of the Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, Chief Administrative Officer, Inspec- tor General, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Office of the Whistle- blower Ombuds;

(B) oversee the management of services provided to the House by the Architect of the Capitol, except those services that lie within the jurisdic- tion of the Committee on Transpor- tation and Infrastructure under clause 1(r);

(C) have the function of accepting on behalf of the House a gift, except as otherwise provided by law, if the gift does not involve a duty, burden, or condition, or is not made depend- ent on some future performance by the House;

(D) promulgate regulations to carry out subdivision (C); and

(E) establish and maintain stand- ards for making documents publicly available in electronic form by the House and its committees.

(2) An employing office of the House may enter into a settlement of a com- plaint under the Congressional Ac- countability Act of 1995 that provides for the payment of funds only after re- ceiving the joint approval of the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration concerning the amount of such pay- ment.

(e)(1) Each standing committee shall, in its consideration of all public bills and public joint resolutions within its jurisdiction, ensure that appropria- tions for continuing programs and ac- tivities of the Federal Government and the government of the District of Co- lumbia will be made annually to the maximum extent feasible and con- sistent with the nature, requirement, and objective of the programs and ac- tivities involved. In this subparagraph programs and activities of the Federal Government and the government of the District of Columbia includes programs and activities of any department, agen- cy, establishment, wholly owned Gov- ernment corporation, or instrumentality of the Federal Government or of the government of the District of Columbia.

(2) Each standing committee shall review from time to time each con- tinuing program within its jurisdiction for which appropriations are not made annually to ascertain whether the pro- gram should be modified to provide for annual appropriations.

Budget Act responsibilities

(f)(1) Each standing committee shall submit to the Committee on the Budget not later than six weeks after the submission of the budget by the Presi- dent, or at such time as the Committee on the Budget may request—

1. its views and estimates with re- spect to all matters to be set forth in the concurrent resolution on the budget for the ensuing fiscal  year that are within its jurisdiction or functions; and
2. an estimate of the total amounts of new budget  authority, and budget outlays resulting there- from, to be provided or authorized in all bills and resolutions within its ju- risdiction that it intends to be effec- tive during that fiscal year.

(2) The views and estimates sub- mitted by the Committee on Ways and Means under subparagraph (1) shall in- clude a specific recommendation, made after holding public hearings, as to the appropriate level of the public  debt that should be set forth in the concur- rent resolution on the budget.

Election and membership of standing committees

5. (a)(1) The standing committees specified in clause 1 shall be elected by the House within seven calendar days after the commencement of each Con- gress, from nominations submitted by the respective party caucus or con- ference. A resolution proposing to change the composition of a standing committee shall be privileged if offered by direction of the party caucus or con- ference concerned.

(2) The Committee on the Budget shall be composed of members as fol- lows:

(3) Members, Delegates, or the Resi- dent Commissioner who are members of other standing committees, includ- ing five from the Committee on Appro- priations, five from the Committee on Ways and Means, and one from the Committee on Rules;

(4) one Member designated by the elected leadership of the  majority party; and

(5) one Member designated by the elected leadership of the minority party.

(3)(A) The Committee on Ethics shall be composed of 10 members, five from the majority party and five from the minority party.

(B) Except as permitted by subdivi- sion (C), a member of the Committee on Ethics may not serve on the com- mittee during more than three Con- gresses in a period of five successive Congresses (disregarding for this pur- pose any service for less than a full ses- sion in a Congress).

(C) A member of the Committee on Ethics may serve on the committee during a fourth or fifth Congress in a period of five successive Congresses only as either the chair or the ranking minority member of the committee.

(4)(A) At the beginning of a Congress, the Speaker or a designee and the Minority Leader or a designee each shall name 10 Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner from the respective party of such individual who are not members of the Committee on Ethics to be available to serve on in- vestigative subcommittees of that committee during that Congress. The lists of Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner so named shall be announced to the House.

(B) Whenever the chair and the rank- ing minority member of the Committee on Ethics jointly determine that Mem- bers, Delegates, or the Resident Com- missioner named under subdivision (A) should be assigned to serve on an inves- tigative subcommittee of that com- mittee, each of them shall select an equal number of such Members, Dele- gates, or Resident Commissioner from the respective party of such individual to serve on that subcommittee.

(b)(1) Membership on a standing com- mittee during the course of a Congress shall be contingent on continuing membership in the party caucus or conference that nominated the Mem- ber, Delegate, or Resident Commis- sioner concerned for election to such committee. Should a Member, Dele- gate, or Resident Commissioner cease to be a member of a particular party caucus or conference, that Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner shall automatically cease to be a mem- ber of each standing committee to which elected on the basis of nomina- tion by that caucus or conference. The chair of the relevant party caucus or conference shall notify the Speaker whenever a Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner ceases to be a member of that caucus or conference. The Speaker shall notify the chair of each affected committee that the elec- tion of such Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner to the committee is automatically vacated under this sub- paragraph.

(2)(A) Except as specified in subdivi- sion (B), a Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner may not serve si- multaneously as a member of more than two standing committees or more than four subcommittees of the stand- ing committees.

(B)(i) Ex officio service by a chair or ranking minority member of a com- mittee on each of its subcommittees under a committee rule does not count against the limitation on sub- committee service.

(ii) Service on an investigative sub- committee of the Committee on Ethics under paragraph (a)(4) does not count against the limitation on sub- committee service.

(iii) Any other exception to the limi- tations in subdivision (A) may be ap- proved by the House on the rec- ommendation of the relevant party caucus or conference.

(C) In this subparagraph the term ‘‘subcommittee’’ includes  a  panel (other than a special oversight panel of the Committee on Armed Services), task force, special subcommittee, or other subunit of a standing committee that is established for a cumulative period longer than six months in a Con- gress.

(b) One of the members of each stand- ing committee shall be elected by the House, on the nomination of the major- ity party caucus or conference, as chair thereof. In the absence of the member serving as chair, the member next in rank (and so on, as often as the case shall happen) shall act as chair. Rank shall be determined by the order mem- bers are named in resolutions electing them to the committee. In the case of a vacancy in the elected chair of a committee, the House shall elect an- other chair.

(d)(1) Except as permitted by sub-paragraph (2), a committee may have not more than five subcommittees.

(2)(A) A committee that maintains a subcommittee on oversight may have not more than six subcommittees.

2. The Committee on Appropriations may have not more than 13 sub- committees.
3. The Committee on Armed Services may have not more than seven subcommittees.
4. The Committee on Foreign Affairs may have not more than seven subcommittees.
5. The Committee on Oversight and Reform may have not more than seven subcommittees.
6. The Committee on Transpor- tation and Infrastructure may have not more than six subcommittees.

(e) The House shall fill a vacancy on a standing committee by election  on the nomination of the respective party caucus or conference.

Expense resolutions

6. (a) Whenever a committee, com- mission, or other entity  (other  than the Committee on Appropriations) is granted authorization for the payment of its expenses (including staff salaries) for a Congress, such authorization ini- tially shall be procured by one primary expense resolution reported by the Committee on House  Administration. A primary expense resolution may in- clude a reserve fund for unanticipated expenses of committees. An amount from such a reserve fund may be allo- cated to a committee only by the ap- proval of the Committee on House Ad- ministration. A primary expense reso- lution reported to the House may not be considered in the House unless a re- port thereon was available on the pre- vious calendar day. For the informa- tion of the House, such report shall—

(1) state the total amount of the funds to be provided to the com- mittee, commission, or other entity under the primary expense resolution for all anticipated activities and pro- grams of the committee, commission, or other entity; and

(2) to the extent practicable, con- tain such general statements regard- ing the estimated foreseeable expendi tures for the respective anticipated activities and programs of the committee, commission, or other  entity as may be appropriate to provide the House with basic estimates of the ex- penditures contemplated by the pri- mary expense resolution.

(b) After the date of adoption by the House of a primary expense resolution for a committee, commission, or other entity for a Congress, authorization for the payment of additional expenses (in- cluding staff salaries) in that Congress may be procured by one or more sup- plemental expense resolutions reported by the Committee on House Adminis- tration, as necessary. A supplemental expense resolution reported to the House may not be considered in the House unless a report thereon was available on the previous calendar day. For the information of the House, such report shall—

(1) state the total amount of additional funds to be provided to the committee, commission, or other en- tity under the supplemental expense resolution and the purposes for which those additional funds are available; and

(2) state the reasons for the failure to procure the additional funds  for the committee, commission, or other entity by means of the primary expense resolution.

(c) The preceding provisions of this clause do not apply to—

(1) a resolution providing for the payment from committee salary and expense accounts of the House of sums necessary to pay compensation for staff services performed for, or to pay other expenses of, a committee, commission, or other entity at any time after the beginning of an odd- numbered year and before the date of adoption by the House of the primary expense resolution described in para- graph (a) for that year; or

(2) a resolution providing each of the standing committees in a Con- gress additional office equipment, airmail and special-delivery postage stamps, supplies, staff personnel, or any other specific item for the oper- ation of the standing  committees, and containing an authorization for the payment from committee salary and expense accounts of the House of the expenses of any of the foregoing items provided by that resolution, subject to and until enactment of the provisions of the resolution as per- manent law.

(d) From the funds made available for the appointment of committee staff by a primary or additional expense res- olution, the chair of each committee shall ensure that sufficient staff is made available to each subcommittee to carry out its responsibilities under the rules of the committee  and  that the minority party is treated fairly in the appointment of such staff.

(e) Funds authorized for a committee under this clause and clauses 7 and 8 are for expenses incurred in the activi- ties of the committee.

Interim funding

1. (a) For the period beginning at noon on January 3 and ending at midnight on March 31 in each odd-num- bered year, such sums as may be nec- essary shall be paid out of the com- mittee salary and expense accounts of the House for continuance of necessary investigations and studies by—

(1) each standing and select com- mittee established by these  rules; and

(2) except as specified in paragraph (b), each select committee estab- lished by resolution.

(b) In the case of the first session of a Congress, amounts shall be made available for a select committee estab- lished by resolution in the preceding Congress only if—

(1) a resolution proposing to rees- tablish such select committee is in- troduced in the present Congress; and

(2) the House has not adopted a res- olution of the preceding Congress providing for termination of funding for investigations and studies  by such select committee.

(c) Each committee described in paragraph (a) shall be entitled for each month during the period specified in paragraph (a) to 9 percent (or such less- er percentage as may be determined by the Committee on House Administra- tion) of the total annualized amount made available under expense resolu- tions for such committee in the pre- ceding session of Congress.

(d) Payments under this clause shall be made on vouchers authorized by the committee involved, signed by  the chair of the committee, except as pro- vided in paragraph (e), and approved by the Committee on House Administrtion.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule of the House, or other author- ity, from noon on January 3 of the first session of a Congress until the election by the House of the committee con- cerned in that Congress, payments under this clause shall be made on vouchers signed by the ranking mem- ber of the committee as it was con- stituted at the expiration of the pre- ceding Congress who is a member of the majority party in the present Con- gress.

(f)(1) The authority of a committee to incur expenses under this clause shall expire upon adoption by the House of a primary expense resolution for the committee.

(2) Amounts made available under this clause shall be expended in accord- ance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.

(3) This clause shall be effective only insofar as it is not inconsistent with a resolution reported by the Committee on House Administration and adopted by the House after the adoption  of these rules.

Travel

8. (a) Local currencies owned by the United States shall be made available to the committee and its employees en- gaged in carrying out their official du- ties outside the United States or its territories or possessions. Appropriated funds, including those authorized under this clause and clause 6, may not be ex- pended for the purpose of defraying ex- penses of members of a committee or its employees in a country where local currencies are available for this purpose.

(b) The following conditions shall apply with respect to travel outside the United States or its territories or pos- sessions:

(1) A member or employee of a committee may not receive or expend local currencies for subsistence in a country for a day at a rate in excess of the maximum per diem set forth in applicable Federal law.

(2) A member or employee shall be reimbursed for the expenses of such individual for a day at the lesser of—

(A) the per diem set forth in ap- plicable Federal law; or

(B) the actual, unreimbursed ex- penses (other than for transpor- tation) incurred during that day.

(3) Each member or employee of a committee shall make to the chair of the committee an itemized report showing the dates each country was visited, the amount of per diem fur- nished, the cost of transportation furnished, and funds expended for any other official purpose and shall sum- marize in these categories the total foreign currencies or appropriated funds expended. Each report shall be filed with the chair of the committee not later than 60 days following the completion of travel for use in com- plying with reporting  requirements in applicable Federal law and shall be open for public inspection.

(c)(1) In carrying out the activities of a committee outside the United States in a country where local currencies are unavailable, a member or employee of a committee may not receive reim- bursement for expenses (other than for transportation) in excess of the max- imum per diem set forth in applicable Federal law.

(2) A member or employee shall be reimbursed for the expenses of such in- dividual for a day, at the lesser of—

(A) the per diem set forth in appli- cable Federal law; or

(B) the actual unreimbursed ex- penses (other than for transpor- tation) incurred during that day.

(3) A member or employee of a com- mittee may not receive reimbursement for the cost of any transportation in connection with travel outside the United States unless the member or employee actually paid for the trans- portation.

(d) The restrictions respecting travel outside the United States set forth in paragraph (c) also shall apply to travel outside the United States by a Mem- ber, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House au- thorized under any standing rule.

Committee staffs

9. (a)(1) Subject to subparagraph (2) and paragraph (f), each standing committee may appoint, by majority vote, not more than 30 professional staff members to be compensated from the funds provided for the appointment of committee staff by primary and addi- tional expense resolutions. Each pro- fessional staff member appointed under this subparagraph shall be assigned to the chair and the ranking minority member of the committee, as the com- mittee considers advisable.

(2) Subject to paragraph (f) whenever a majority of the minority party mem- bers of a standing committee (other than the Committee on Ethics or the Permanent Select Committee on Intel- ligence) so request, not more than 10 persons (or one-third of the total pro- fessional committee staff appointed under this clause, whichever is fewer) may be selected, by majority  vote  of the minority party members, for ap- pointment by the committee as profes- sional staff members under subpara- graph (1). The committee shall appoint persons so selected whose character and qualifications are acceptable to a majority of the committee. If the com- mittee determines that the character and qualifications of a person so se- lected are unacceptable, a majority of the minority party members may se- lect another person for appointment by the committee to the professional staff until such appointment is made. Each professional staff member appointed under this subparagraph shall be as- signed to such committee business as the minority party members of the committee consider advisable.

(b)(1) The professional staff members of each standing committee—

(A) may not engage in any work other than committee business dur- ing congressional working hours; and

(B) may not be assigned a duty other than one pertaining to com- mittee business.

(2)(A) Subparagraph (1) does not apply to staff designated by a com- mittee as ‘‘associate’’ or ‘‘shared’’ staff who are not paid exclusively by the committee, provided that the chair certifies that the compensation paid by the committee for any such staff is commensurate with the work per- formed for the committee in accord- ance with clause 8 of rule XXIII.

(B) The use of any ‘‘associate’’ or‘‘shared’’ staff by a committee other than the Committee on Appropriations shall be subject to the review of, and to any terms, conditions, or limitations established by, the Committee on House Administration in connection with the reporting of any primary or additional expense resolution.

(c) Each employee on the professional or investigative staff of a stand- ing committee shall be entitled to pay at a single gross per annum rate, to be fixed by the chair and that does not ex- ceed the maximum rate of pay as in ef- fect from time to time under applicable provisions of law.

(d) Subject to appropriations hereby authorized, the Committee on Appro- priations may appoint  by  majority vote such staff as it determines to be necessary (in addition to the clerk of the committee and assistants for the minority). The staff appointed under this paragraph, other than minority as- sistants, shall possess such qualifica- tions as the committee may prescribe.

(e) A committee may not appoint to its staff an expert or other personnel detailed or assigned from a department or agency of the Government except with the written permission of the Committee on House Administration.

(f) If a request for the appointment of a minority professional staff member under paragraph (a) is made when no vacancy exists for such an appoint- ment, the committee nevertheless may appoint under paragraph (a) a person selected by the minority and accept- able to the committee. A person so ap- pointed shall serve as an additional member of the professional staff of the committee until such a vacancy occurs (other than a vacancy in the position of head of the professional staff, by whatever title designated), at which time that person is considered as ap- pointed to that vacancy. Such a person shall be paid from the applicable ac- counts of the House described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X. If such a vacancy oc- curs on the professional staff when seven or more persons have been so ap- pointed who are eligible to fill that va- cancy, a majority  of  the  minority party members shall designate which of those persons shall fill the vacancy.

(g) Each staff member appointed pursuant to a request by minority party members under paragraph (a), and each staff member appointed to assist mi- nority members of a committee pursu- ant to an expense resolution described in clause 6(a), shall be accorded equi- table treatment with respect to the fix- ing of the rate of pay, the assignment of work facilities, and the accessibility of committee records.

(h) Paragraph (a) may not be construed to authorize the appointment of additional professional staff  members of a committee pursuant to a request under paragraph (a) by the minority party members of that committee if 10 or more professional staff members provided for in paragraph (a)(1) who are satisfactory to a majority of the mi- nority party members are otherwise as- signed to assist the minority party members.

(i) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(2), a committee may employ nonpartisan staff, in lieu of or in addition to com- mittee staff designated exclusively for the majority or minority party, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the majority party and of a majority of the members of the minor- ity party.

Select and joint committees

10. (a) Membership on a  select  or joint committee appointed by  the Speaker under clause 11 of rule I during the course of a Congress shall be con- tingent on continuing  membership  in the  party  caucus  or  conference  of which the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner concerned was a member at the time of appointment. Should a Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner cease to be a mem- ber of that caucus or conference, that Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner shall automatically cease to be a member of any select or joint committee to which assigned.  The chair of the relevant party caucus or conference shall notify the Speaker whenever a Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner ceases to be a member of a party caucus or con- ference. The Speaker shall notify the chair of each affected select or joint committee that the appointment  of such Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner to the select or joint committee is automatically vacated under this paragraph.

(b) Each select or joint committee, other than a conference committee, shall comply with clause 2(a) of rule XI unless specifically exempted by law.

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

11. (a)(1) There is established a Per- manent Select Committee on Intel- ligence (hereafter in this clause re- ferred to as the ‘‘select  committee’’). The select committee shall be com- posed of not more than 22 Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commis- sioner, of whom not more than 13 may be from the same party. The select committee shall include at least one Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from each of the fol- lowing committees:

1. the Committee on Appropriations;
2. the Committee on Armed Services;
3. the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and
4. the Committee on the Judiciary.

(2) The Speaker and the Minority Leader shall be ex officio members of the select committee but shall have no vote in the select committee and may not be counted for purposes of deter- mining a quorum thereof.

(3) The Speaker and Minority Leader each may designate a respective lead- ership staff member to assist in the ca- pacity of the Speaker or Minority Leader as ex officio member, with the same access to committee meetings, hearings, briefings, and materials as employees of the select committee and subject to the same security clearance and confidentiality requirements as employees of the select committee under this clause.

(4)(A) Except as permitted by sub- division (B), a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner, other than the Speaker or the Minority Leader, may not serve as a member of the select committee during more than four Con- gresses in a period of six successive Congresses (disregarding for this pur- pose any service for less than a full session in a Congress).

(B) In the case of a Member, Dele- gate, or Resident Commissioner ap- pointed to serve as the chair or the ranking minority member of the select committee, tenure on the select com- mittee shall not be limited.

(b)(1) There shall be referred to the select committee proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the fol- lowing:

1. The Central Intelligence Agen- cy, the Director of National Intel- ligence, and the National Intel- ligence Program as defined in section 3(6) of the National Security Act of 1947.
2. Intelligence and intelligence-re- lated activities of all other depart- ments and agencies of the Govern- ment, including the tactical intel- ligence and intelligence-related ac- tivities of the Department of De- fense.
3. The organization or reorganiza- tion of a department or agency of the Government to the extent that the organization or reorganization re- lates to a function or activity involv- ing intelligence or intelligence-re- lated activities.
4. Authorizations for appropria- tions, both direct and  indirect,  for the following:
   1. The Central Intelligence Agen- cy, the Director of National Intel- ligence, and the National Intel- ligence Program as defined in sec- tion 3(6) of the National Security Act of 1947.
   2. Intelligence and intelligence- related activities of all other de- partments and agencies of the Gov- ernment, including the tactical in- telligence and intelligence-related activities of the Department of De- fense.
   3. A department, agency, sub- division, or program that is a suc- cessor to an agency or program named or referred to in (i) or (ii).

(2) Proposed legislation initially re- ported by the select committee (other than provisions solely involving mat- ters specified in subparagraph (1)(A) or subparagraph (1)(D)(i)) containing any matter otherwise within the jurisdic- tion of a standing committee shall be referred by the Speaker to that stand- ing committee. Proposed legislation initially reported by another com- mittee that contains matter within the jurisdiction of the select committee shall be referred by the Speaker to the select committee if requested by the chair of the select committee.

(3) Nothing in this clause shall be construed as prohibiting or otherwise restricting the authority of any other committee to study and review an in- telligence or intelligence-related activ- ity to the extent that such activity di- rectly affects a matter otherwise with- in the jurisdiction of that committee.

(4) Nothing in this clause shall be construed as amending, limiting, or otherwise changing the authority of a standing committee to obtain full and prompt access to the product of the in- telligence and intelligence-related ac- tivities of a department or agency of the Government relevant to a matter otherwise within the jurisdiction  of that committee.

(c)(1) For purposes of accountability to the House, the select  committee shall make regular and periodic reports to the House on the nature and extent of the intelligence and intelligence-re- lated activities of the various depart- ments and agencies of the United States. The select committee shall promptly call to the attention of the House, or to any other appropriate committee, a matter requiring the at- tention of the House or another com- mittee. In making such report, the se- lect committee shall proceed in a manner consistent with paragraph (g) to protect national security.

(2) The select committee shall obtain annual reports from the Director of Na- tional Intelligence, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Sec- retary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Such reports shall review the intelligence and intel- ligence-related activities of the agency or department concerned and the intel- ligence and intelligence-related activi- ties of foreign countries directed at the United States or its interests. An un- classified version of each report may be made available to the public at the dis- cretion of the select committee. Noth- ing herein shall be construed as requir- ing the public disclosure in such re- ports of the names of persons engaged in intelligence or intelligence-related activities for the United States or the divulging of intelligence methods em- ployed or the sources of information on which the reports are based or the amount of funds authorized to be ap- propriated for intelligence and intel- ligence-related activities.

(3) Within six weeks after the Presi- dent submits a budget under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, or at such time as the Committee on the Budget may request, the select committee shall submit to the Com- mittee on the Budget the views and es- timates described in section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 regarding matters within the jurisdic- tion of the select committee.

(d)(1) Except as specified in subpara- graph (2), clauses 8(a), (b), and (c) and 9(a), (b), and (c) of this rule,  and clauses 1, 2, and 4 of rule XI shall apply to the select committee to the extent not inconsistent with this clause.

(2) Notwithstanding the requirements of the first sentence of clause 2(g)(2) of rule XI, in the presence of the number of members required under the rules of the select committee for the purpose of taking testimony or receiving evi- dence, the select committee may vote to close a hearing whenever a majority of those present determines that the testimony or evidence would endanger the national security.

(e) An employee of the select com- mittee, or a person engaged by con- tract or otherwise to perform services for or at the request of the select com- mittee, may not be given access to any classified information by the select committee unless such employee or person has—

1. agreed in writing and under oath to be bound by the Rules of the House, including the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ethics and of the select committee concerning the se- curity of classified information dur- ing and after the period of the em- ployment or  contractual  agreement of such employee or person with the select committee; and
2. received an appropriate security clearance, as determined by the se- lect committee in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, that is commensurate with the sensi- tivity of the classified information to which such employee or person will be given access by the select com- mittee.

(f) The select committee shall formu- late and carry out such rules and pro- cedures as it considers necessary to prevent the disclosure, without the consent of each person concerned, of information in the possession of the se- lect committee that unduly  infringes on the privacy or that violates the con- stitutional rights of such person. Noth- ing herein shall be construed to pre- vent the select committee from pub- licly disclosing  classified  information in a case in which it determines that national interest in the disclosure of classified information clearly out- weighs any infringement on the pri- vacy of a person.

(g)(1) The select committee may dis- close publicly any information in its possession after a determination by the select committee that the public inter- est would be served by such disclosure. With respect to the disclosure of infor- mation for which this paragraph re- quires action by the select com- mittee—

1. the select committee shall meet to vote on the matter within five days after a member of the select committee requests a vote; and
2. a member of the select com- mittee may not make such a disclo- sure before a vote by the select com- mittee on the matter, or after a vote by the select committee on the mat- ter except in accordance with this paragraph.

(2)(A) In a case in which the select committee votes to disclose  publicly any information that has been classi- fied under established security proce- dures, that has been submitted to it by the executive branch, and that the ex- ecutive branch requests be kept secret, the select committee shall notify the President of such vote.

(B) The select committee may disclose publicly such information after the expiration of a five-day period fol- lowing the day on which notice of the vote to disclose is transmitted to the President unless, before the expiration of the five-day period, the President, personally in writing, notifies the se- lect committee that the President ob- jects to the disclosure of such informa- tion, provides reasons therefor, and certifies that the threat to the na- tional interest of the United States posed by the disclosure is of such grav- ity that it outweighs any public inter- est in the disclosure.

(C) If the President, personally in writing, notifies the  select  committee of objections to the disclosure of infor- mation as provided in subdivision (B), the select committee may, by majority vote, refer the question of the disclo- sure of such information, with a rec- ommendation thereon, to the House. The select committee may not publicly disclose such information  without leave of the House.

(D) Whenever the select committee votes to refer the question of disclosure of any information to the House under subdivision (C), the chair shall, not later than the first day on which the House is in session following the day on which the vote occurs, report the matter to the House for its consider- ation.

(E) If the chair of the select com- mittee does not offer in the House a motion to consider in closed session a matter reported under subdivision (D) within four calendar days on which the House is in session after the rec- ommendation described in subdivision is reported, then such a motion shall be privileged when offered by a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner. In either case such a motion shall be decided without debate or in- tervening motion except one that the House adjourn.

(F) Upon adoption by the House of a motion to resolve into closed session as described in subdivision (E), the Speak- er may declare a recess subject to the call of the Chair. At the expiration of the recess, the pending question, in closed session, shall be, ‘‘Shall the House approve the recommendation of the select committee?’’.

(G) Debate on the question described in subdivision (F) shall be limited to two hours equally divided and con- trolled by the chair and ranking minor- ity member of the select committee. After such debate the previous ques- tion shall be considered as ordered on the question of approving the rec- ommendation without intervening mo- tion except one motion that the House adjourn. The House shall vote on the question in open session but without divulging the information with respect to which the vote is taken. If the rec- ommendation of the select committee is not approved, then the question is considered as recommitted to the se- lect committee for further rec- ommendation.

(3)(A) Information in the possession of the select committee relating to the lawful intelligence or intelligence-re- lated activities of a department or agency of the United States that has been classified under established secu- rity procedures, and that the select committee has determined should not be disclosed under subparagraph (1) or (2), may not be made available to any person by a Member, Delegate, Resi- dent Commissioner, officer, or em- ployee of the House except as provided in subdivision (B).

(B) The select committee shall, under such regulations as it may prescribe, make information described in subdivi- sion (A) available to a committee or a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner, and permit a Member, Dele- gate, or Resident Commissioner to at- tend a hearing of the select committee that is closed to the public. Whenever the select committee makes such infor- mation available, it shall keep a writ- ten record showing, in the case of par- ticular information, which  committee or which Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner received the infor- mation. A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who, and a com- mittee that,  receives  information under this subdivision may not disclose the information except in a closed ses- sion of the House.

(4) The Committee on Ethics shall investigate any unauthorized disclosure of intelligence or intelligence-related information by a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or em- ployee of the House in violation of sub- paragraph (3) and report to the House concerning any allegation that it finds to be substantiated.

(5) Upon the request of a person who is subject to an investigation described in subparagraph (4), the Committee on Ethics shall release to such person at the conclusion of its investigation a summary of its investigation, together with its findings. If, at the conclusion of its investigation, the Committee on Ethics determines that there has been a significant breach of confidentiality or unauthorized disclosure by a Mem- ber, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House, it shall report its findings to the House and recommend appropriate action. Recommendations may include cen- sure, removal from committee mem- bership, or expulsion from the House, in the case of a Member, or removal from office or employment or punish- ment for contempt, in the case of an of- ficer or employee.

(h) The select committee may permit a personal representative of the Presi- dent, designated by the President to serve as a liaison to the select com- mittee, to attend any closed meeting of the select committee.

(i) Subject to the Rules of the House, funds may not be appropriated for a fis- cal year, with the exception of a bill or joint resolution continuing appropria- tions, or an amendment thereto, or a conference report thereon, to, or  for use of, a department or agency of the United States to carry out any of the following activities, unless the funds shall previously have been authorized by a bill or joint resolution passed by the House during the same or preceding fiscal year to carry out  such  activity for such fiscal year:

(1) The activities of the Director of National Intelligence and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

(2) The activities of the Central Intelligence Agency.

(3) The activities of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

(4) The activities of the National Security Agency.

(5) The intelligence and intelligence-related activities of other agencies and subdivisions of the De- partment of Defense.

(6) The intelligence and intel- ligence-related activities of the De- partment of State.

(7) The intelligence and intel- ligence-related activities of the Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation.

(8) The intelligence and intel- ligence-related activities of all other departments and agencies of the ex- ecutive branch.

(j)(1) In this clause the term ‘‘intel- ligence and intelligence-related activi- ties’’ includes—

1. the collection, analysis, produc- tion, dissemination, or use of infor- mation that relates to a foreign country, or a government, political group, party, military force, move- ment, or other association in a for- eign country, and that relates to the defense, foreign policy, national se- curity, or related policies of the United States and other activity in support of the collection, analysis, production, dissemination, or use of such information;
2. activities taken to counter similar activities  directed  against the United States;
3. covert or clandestine activities affecting the relations of the United States with a foreign government, political group, party, military force, movement, or other association;
4. the collection, analysis, produc- tion, dissemination, or use of infor- mation about activities of persons within the United States, its terri- tories and possessions, or nationals of the United States abroad whose political and related activities pose, or may be considered by a depart- ment, agency, bureau, office, divi- sion, instrumentality, or employee of the United States to pose, a threat to the internal security of the United States; and
5. covert or clandestine activities directed against persons described in subdivision (D).

(2) In this clause the term ‘‘department or agency’’ includes any organization, committee, council, establishment, or office within the Federal Government.

(3) For purposes of this clause, ref- erence to a department, agency, bu- reau, or subdivision shall include a ref- erence to any successor department, agency, bureau, or subdivision to the extent that a successor engages in intelligence or intelligence-related ac- tivities now conducted by the depart- ment, agency, bureau, or subdivision referred to in this clause.

(k) Clause 12(a) of rule XXII does not apply to meetings of a conference com- mittee respecting legislation (or any part thereof) reported by the Perma- nent Select Committee on Intelligence.

RULE XI, PROCEDURES OF COMMITTEES AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS

In general

1. (a)(1)(A) The Rules of the House are the rules of its committees and subcommittees so far as applicable.

(B) Each subcommittee is a part of its committee and is subject to the au- thority and direction of that com- mittee and to its rules, so far as appli- cable.

(2)(A) In a committee or sub- committee—

1. a motion to recess from day to day, or to recess subject to the call of the Chair (within 24 hours), shall be privileged; and
2. a motion to dispense with the first reading (in full) of a bill or reso- lution shall be privileged if printed copies are available.

(B) A motion accorded  privilege under this subparagraph shall be de- cided without debate.

(b)(1) Each committee may  conduct at any time such investigations and studies as it considers necessary or ap- propriate in the exercise of its respon- sibilities under rule X. Subject to the adoption of expense resolutions as re- quired by clause 6 of rule X, each com- mittee may incur expenses, including travel expenses, in connection with such investigations and studies.

(2)  A proposed investigative or over-sight report shall be considered as read in committee if it has been available to the members for at least 24 hours (ex- cluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day).

(3) A report of an investigation or study conducted jointly by more than one committee may be filed jointly, provided that each of the committees complies independently with all re- quirements for approval and filing of the report.

(4) After an adjournment sine die of the last regular session of a Congress, an investigative or oversight report may be filed with the Clerk at  any time, provided that a member who gives timely notice of intention to file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views shall be entitled  to not less than seven calendar days in which to submit such views for inclu- sion in the report.

(c) Each committee may have printed and bound such testimony and other data as may be presented at hearings held by the committee or its sub- committees. All costs of stenographic services and transcripts in connection with a meeting or hearing of a com- mittee shall be paid from the applicable accounts of the House described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X.

(d)(1) Not later than January 2 of each odd-numbered year, a committee shall submit to the House a report on the activities of that committee.

(2) Such report shall include—

1. separate sections summarizing the legislative and oversight activi- ties of that committee  under  this rule and rule X during the Congress;
2. a summary of the oversight plans submitted by the committee under clause 2(d) of rule X;
3. a summary of the actions taken and recommendations made with re- spect to the oversight plans specified in subdivision (B);
4. a summary of any additional oversight activities undertaken by that committee and any rec- ommendations made or actions taken thereon; and
5. a delineation of any hearings held pursuant to clauses 2(n), (o), or (p) of this rule.

(3) After an adjournment sine die of the last regular session of a Congress, or after December 15 of an even-num- bered year, whichever occurs first, the chair of a committee may file the re- port described in subparagraph (1) with the Clerk at any time and without ap- proval of the committee, provided that—

1. a copy of the report has been available to each member of the com- mittee for at least seven calendar days; and
2. the report includes any supple- mental, minority, additional, or dis- senting views submitted by a member of the committee.

Adoption of written rules

2. (a)(1) Each standing committee shall adopt written rules governing its procedure. Such rules—

1. shall be adopted in a meeting that is open to the public unless the committee, in open session and with a quorum present, determines by record vote that all or part of the meeting on that day shall be closed to the public;
2. may not be inconsistent with the Rules of the House or with those provisions of law having the  force and effect of Rules of the House;
3. shall in any event incorporate all of the succeeding provisions  of this clause to the extent applicable; and
4. shall include provisions to gov- ern the implementation of clause 4 as provided in paragraph (f) of such clause.

2. Each committee shall make its rules publicly available in electronic form and submit such rules for publica- tion in the Congressional Record not later than 60 days after the chair of the committee is elected in each odd-num- bered year.
3. A committee may adopt a rule providing that the chair be directed to offer a motion under clause 1 of rule XXII whenever the chair considers it appropriate.

Regular meeting days

(b) Each standing committee shall establish regular meeting days for the conduct of its business, which shall be not less frequent than monthly. Each such committee shall meet for the con- sideration of a bill or resolution pend- ing before the committee or the trans- action of other committee business on all regular meeting days fixed by the committee if notice is given pursuant to paragraph (g)(3).

Additional and special meetings

(c)(1) The chair of each standing com- mittee may call and convene, as the chair considers necessary, additional and special meetings of the committee for the consideration of a bill or resolu- tion pending before the committee or for the conduct of other committee business, subject to such rules as the committee may adopt. The committee shall meet for such purpose under that call of the chair.

(2) Three or more members of a standing committee may file in the of- fices of the committee a written re- quest that the chair call a special meeting of the committee. Such re- quest shall specify the measure or mat- ter to be considered. Immediately upon the filing of the request, the clerk of the committee shall notify the chair of the filing of the request. If the chair does not call the requested special meeting within three calendar days after the filing of the request (to  be held within seven calendar days after the filing of the request) a majority of the members of the committee may file in the offices of the committee their written notice that a special meeting of the committee will be held. The written notice shall specify the  date and hour of the special meeting and the measure or matter to be considered. The committee shall meet on that date and hour. Immediately upon the filing of the notice, the clerk of the com- mittee shall notify all members of the committee that such special meeting will be held and inform them of its date and hour and the measure or matter to be considered. Such notice shall also be made publicly available in electronic form and shall be deemed to satisfy paragraph (g)(3)(A)(ii). Only the meas- ure or matter specified in that notice may be considered at that special meeting.

Temporary absence of chair

(d) A member of the majority party on each standing committee or sub- committee thereof shall be designated by the chair of the full committee as the vice chair of the committee or sub- committee, as the case may be, and shall preside during the absence of the chair from any meeting. If the chair and vice chair of a committee or sub- committee are not present at any meeting of the committee or sub- committee, the ranking majority member who is present shall preside at that meeting.

Committee records

(e)(1)(A) Each committee shall keep a complete record of all committee ac- tion which shall include—

1. in the case of a meeting or hear- ing transcript, a substantially ver- batim account of remarks actually made during the proceedings, subject only to technical, grammatical, and typographical corrections authorized by the person making the remarks involved; and
2. a record of the votes on any question on which a record vote is taken.

(B)(i) Except as provided in item (ii) and subject to paragraph (k)(7), the re- sult of each such record vote shall be made publicly available in electronic form within 48 hours of such record vote. Information so available shall in- clude a description of the amendment, motion, order, or other proposition, the name of each member voting for and each member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or propo- sition, and the names of those members of the committee present but not vot- ing.

(ii) The result of any record vote taken in executive session in the Com- mittee on Ethics may not be made pub- licly available without an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the committee.

(2)(A) Except as provided in subdivi- sion (B), all committee records (includ- ing hearings, data, charts, and files) shall be kept separate and  distinct from the congressional office records of the member serving as its chair. Such records shall be the property of the House, and each Member, Delegate, and the Resident Commissioner shall have access thereto.

(B) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner, other than members of the Committee on Ethics, may  not have access to the records of that com- mittee respecting the conduct of a Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, or employee of  the House without the specific prior per- mission of that committee.

(3) Each committee shall include in its rules standards for availability of records of the committee delivered to the Archivist of the United States under rule VII. Such standards shall specify procedures for orders of the committee under clause 3(b)(3) and clause 4(b) of rule VII, including a re- quirement that nonavailability of a record for a period longer than the pe- riod otherwise applicable under that rule shall be approved by vote of the committee.

(4) Each committee shall make its publications available in  electronic form to the maximum extent feasible.

(5) To the maximum extent prac- ticable, each committee shall—

1. provide audio and video cov- erage of each hearing or meeting for the transaction of business in a manner that allows the public to easily listen to and view the proceedings; and
2. maintain the recordings of such coverage in a manner that is easily accessible to the public.

(6) Not later than 24 hours after the adoption of any amendment, or 48 hours after the disposition or with- drawal of any other amendment, to a measure or matter considered by a committee, the chair of such com- mittee shall cause the text  of  each such amendment to be made publicly available in electronic form.

Prohibition against proxy voting

(f) A vote by a member of a com- mittee or subcommittee  with  respect to any measure or matter may not be cast by proxy.

Open meetings and hearings

(g)(1) Each meeting for the trans- action of business, including the mark- up of legislation, by a standing com- mittee or subcommittee thereof (other than the Committee on Ethics or its subcommittees) shall be open to the public, including to radio, television, and still photography coverage, except when the committee or subcommittee, in open session and with a majority present, determines by record vote that all or part of the remainder of the meeting on that day shall be in execu- tive session because disclosure of mat- ters to be considered would endanger national security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, would tend to defame, degrade, or in- criminate any person, or otherwise would violate a law or rule of the House. Persons, other than members of the committee and such noncommittee Members, Delegates, Resident Commis- sioner, congressional staff, or depart- mental representatives as the com- mittee may authorize, may not be present at a business or markup ses- sion that is held in executive session. This subparagraph does not apply to open committee hearings, which are governed by clause 4(a)(1) of rule X or by subparagraph (2).

(2)(A) Each hearing conducted by a committee or  subcommittee  (other than the Committee on Ethics or its subcommittees) shall be open to the public, including to radio, television, and still photography coverage, except when the committee or subcommittee, in open session and with a majority present, determines by record vote that all or part of the remainder of that hearing on that day shall be closed to the public because disclosure of testi- mony, evidence, or other matters to be considered would endanger national se- curity, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or would vio- late a law or rule of the House.

(B) Notwithstanding the require- ments of subdivision (A), in the pres- ence of the number of members re- quired under the rules of the com- mittee for the purpose of taking testi- mony, a majority of those present may—

1. agree to close the hearing  for the sole purpose of discussing wheth- er testimony or evidence to be re- ceived would endanger national secu- rity, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or would violate clause 2(k)(5); or
2. agree to close the hearing as provided in clause 2(k)(5).

(C) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner may not be excluded from nonparticipatory attendance at a hearing of a committee or sub- committee (other than the Committee on Ethics or its subcommittees) unless the House by majority vote authorizes a particular committee or sub- committee, for purposes of a particular series of hearings on a particular arti- cle of legislation or on a particular subject of investigation, to close its hearings to Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner by the same procedures specified in this sub- paragraph for closing hearings to the public.

(D) The committee or subcommittee may vote by the same procedure de- scribed in this subparagraph to close one subsequent day of hearing, except that the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland Security, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the subcommittees thereof, may vote by the same proce- dure to close up to five additional, con- secutive days of hearings.

(3)(A) The chair of a committee shall announce the date, place, and subject matter of—

1. a committee hearing, which may not commence earlier than one week after such notice; or
2. a committee meeting, which may not commence earlier than the third calendar day (excluding Satur- days, Sundays, or legal holidays ex- cept when the House is in session on such a day) on which members have notice thereof.

(B) A hearing or meeting may begin sooner than specified in subdivision (A) in either of the following cir- cumstances (in which case the chair shall make the announcement specified in subdivision (A) at the earliest pos- sible time):

1. the chair of the committee, with the concurrence of the ranking mi- nority member, determines  that there is good cause; or
2. the committee so determines by majority vote in the presence of the number of members required under the rules of the committee for the transaction of business.

(C) An announcement made under this subparagraph shall be published promptly in the Daily Digest and made publicly available in electronic form.

(D) This subparagraph and subpara- graph (4) shall not apply to the Com- mittee on Rules.

(4) At least 24 hours prior to the com- mencement of a meeting for the mark- up of legislation, or at the time of an announcement under subparagraph (3)(B) made within 24 hours before such meeting, the chair of the committee shall cause the text of such legislation to be made publicly available in elec- tronic form.

(5)(A) Each committee shall, to the greatest extent practicable, require witnesses who appear before it to sub- mit in advance written statements of proposed testimony and to limit their initial presentations to the committee to brief summaries thereof.

(B) In the case of a witness appearing in a non-governmental capacity, a written statement of proposed testi- mony shall include—

1. a curriculum vitae;
2. a disclosure of any Federal grants or contracts, or contracts, grants, or payments originating with a foreign government, received dur- ing the past 36 months by the witness or by an entity represented by the witness and related to the subject matter of the hearing; and
3. a disclosure of whether the witness is a fiduciary (including, but not limited to, a director, officer, ad- visor, or resident agent) of any orga- nization or entity that has an inter- est in the subject matter of the hear- ing.
3. The disclosure referred to in sub- division (B)(ii) shall include—
   1. the amount and source of each Federal grant (or subgrant  thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof) related to the subject matter of the hearing; and
   2. the amount and country of ori- gin of any payment or contract re- lated to the subject matter of the hearing originating with a foreign government.
4. Such statements, with appro- priate redactions to protect the pri- vacy or security of the witness, shall be made publicly available in elec- tronic form 24 hours before the witness appears to the extent practicable, but not later than one day after the wit- ness appears.

(6)(A) Except as provided in subdivi- sion (B), a point of order does not lie with respect to a measure reported by a committee on the ground that hear- ings on such measure were not con- ducted in accordance with this clause.

(B) A point of order on the ground de- scribed in subdivision (A) may be made by a member of the committee that re- ported the measure if such point of order was timely made and improperly disposed of in the committee.

(7) This paragraph does not apply to hearings of the Committee on Appro- priations  under  clause   4(a)(1)   of rule X.

Quorum requirements

(h)(1) A measure or recommendation may not be reported by a committee unless a majority of the committee is actually present.

(2) Each committee may fix the num- ber of its members to constitute a quorum for taking testimony and receiving evidence, which may  not  be less than two.

(3) Each committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, and the Committee on Ways and Means) may fix the number of its members to con- stitute a quorum for taking any action other than one for which the presence of a majority of the committee is oth- erwise required, which may not be less than one-third of the members.

(4)(A) Each committee may adopt a rule authorizing the chair of a com- mittee or subcommittee—

1. to postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the question of approving a measure or matter or on adopting an amend- ment; and
2. to resume proceedings on a postponed question at any time after reasonable notice.

(B) A rule adopted pursuant to this subparagraph shall provide that when proceedings resume on a postponed question, notwithstanding any inter- vening order for the previous question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to further debate or amend- ment to the same extent as when the question was postponed.

Limitation on committee sittings

(i) A committee may not sit during a joint session of the House and Senate or during a recess when a joint meeting of the House and Senate is in progress.

Calling and questioning of witnesses

(j)(1) Whenever a hearing is con- ducted by a committee on a measure or matter, the minority members of the committee shall be entitled, upon re- quest to the chair by a majority  of them before the completion of the hearing, to call witnesses selected by the minority to testify with respect to that measure or matter during at least one day of hearing thereon.

(2)(A) Subject to subdivisions (B) and (C), each committee shall apply the five-minute rule during the ques- tioning of witnesses in a hearing until such time as each member of the com- mittee who so desires has had an op- portunity to question each witness.

(B) A committee may adopt a rule or motion permitting a specified number of its members to question a witness for longer than five minutes. The time for extended questioning of a witness under this subdivision shall be equal for the majority party and the minor- ity party and may not exceed one hour in the aggregate.

(C) A committee may adopt a rule or motion permitting committee staff for its majority and minority party mem- bers to question a witness for equal specified periods. The time for ex- tended questioning of a witness under this subdivision shall be equal for the majority party and the minority party and may not exceed one hour in the ag- gregate.

Hearing procedures

(k)(1) The chair at a hearing shall an- nounce in an opening statement the subject of the hearing.

(2) A copy of the committee rules and of this clause shall be made available to each witness on request.

(3) Witnesses at hearings may be ac- companied by their own counsel for the purpose of advising them concerning their constitutional rights.

(4) The chair may punish breaches of order and decorum, and of professional ethics on the part of counsel, by cen- sure and exclusion from the hearings; and the committee may cite the of- fender to the House for contempt.

(5) Whenever it is asserted by a mem- ber of the committee that the evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or it is asserted by a witness that the evidence or  testimony  that the witness would give at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or in- criminate the witness—

1. notwithstanding paragraph (g)(2), such testimony or evidence shall be presented in executive ses- sion if, in the presence of the number of members required under the rules of the committee for the purpose of taking testimony, the committee de- termines by vote of a majority of those present that such evidence or testimony may tend to defame, de- grade, or incriminate any person; and
2. the committee shall proceed to receive such testimony in open ses- sion only if the committee, a major- ity being present, determines that such evidence or testimony will not tend to defame, degrade, or incrimi- nate any person.

In either case the committee shall af- ford such person an opportunity volun- tarily to appear as a witness, and re- ceive and dispose of requests from such person to subpoena additional wit- nesses.

(6) Except as provided in subpara- graph (5), the chair shall receive and the committee shall dispose of requests to subpoena additional witnesses.

(7) Evidence or testimony taken in executive session, and proceedings con- ducted in executive session, may be re- leased or used in public sessions only when authorized by the committee, a majority being present.

(8) In the discretion of the com- mittee, witnesses may submit brief and pertinent sworn statements in writing for inclusion in the record. The com- mittee is the sole judge of the perti- nence of testimony and evidence ad- duced at its hearing.

(9) A witness may obtain a transcript copy of the testimony of such witness given at a public session or, if given at an executive session, when authorized by the committee.

Supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views

(l) If at the time of approval of a measure or matter by a committee (other than the Committee on Rules) a member of the committee gives notice of intention to file supplemental, mi- nority, additional, or dissenting views for inclusion in the report to the House thereon, all members shall be entitled to not less than two additional cal- endar days after the day of such notice (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day) to file such written and signed views (including in electronic form) with the clerk of the committee.

Power to sit and act; subpoena power

(m)(1) For the purpose of  carrying out any of its functions and duties under this rule and rule X (including any matters referred to it under clause 2 of rule XII), a committee or sub- committee is authorized (subject to subparagraph (3)(A))—

(A) to sit and act at such times and places within the United States, whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned, and to hold such hearings as it considers necessary; and

(B) to require, by subpoena or oth- erwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspond- ence, memoranda, papers, and docu- ments as it considers necessary.

(2) The chair of the committee, or a member designated by the chair, may administer oaths to witnesses.

(3)(A)(i) Except as provided in sub- division (A)(ii), a subpoena may be au- thorized and issued by a committee or subcommittee under subparagraph (1)(B) in the conduct of an investiga- tion or series of investigations or ac- tivities only when authorized by the committee or subcommittee, a major- ity being present. The power to author- ize and issue subpoenas under subpara- graph (1)(B) may be delegated to the chair of the committee under  such rules and under such limitations as the committee may prescribe. Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the chair of the committee or by a member des- ignated by the committee.

1. In the case of a subcommittee ofthe Committee on Ethics, a subpoena may be authorized and issued only by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members.

(B) A subpoena duces tecum may specify terms of return other than at a meeting or hearing of  the  committee or subcommittee authorizing the sub- poena.

(C) Compliance with a subpoena issued by a committee or sub- committee under subparagraph (1)(B) may be enforced only as authorized or directed by the House.

(D) Subpoenas for documents or tes- timony may be issued to any person or entity, whether governmental, public, or private, within the United States, including, but not limited to, the President, and the Vice President, whether current or former, in a per- sonal or official capacity,  as  well  as the White House, the Office of the President, the Executive Office of the President, and any individual currently or formerly employed in the White House, Office of the President, or Exec- utive Office of the President.

(n)(1) Each standing committee, or a subcommittee thereof, shall hold at least one hearing during each 120-day period following the establishment of the committee on the topic of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in Government programs which that com- mittee may authorize.

(2) A hearing described in subparagraph (1) shall include a focus on the most egregious instances of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement as documented by any report the com- mittee has received from a Federal Of- fice of the Inspector General or the Comptroller General of the United States.

(o) Each committee, or a sub-committee thereof, shall hold at least one hearing in any session in which the committee has received disclaimers of agency financial statements from audi- tors of any Federal agency that the committee may authorize to hear testi- mony on such disclaimers from rep- resentatives of any such agency.

(p) Each standing committee, or a subcommittee thereof, shall hold at least one hearing on issues raised by reports issued by the Comptroller Gen- eral of the United States indicating that Federal programs or operations that the committee may authorize are at high risk for waste, fraud, and mis- management, known as the ‘‘high-risk list’’ or the ‘‘high-risk series.’’

Committee on Ethics

3. (a) The Committee on Ethics has the following functions:

(1) The committee may recommend to the House from time to time such administrative actions as it may con- sider appropriate to establish or en- force standards of official conduct for Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, officers, and employ- ees of the House. A letter of reproval or other administrative action of the committee pursuant to an investiga- tion under subparagraph (2) shall only be issued or implemented as a part of a report required by such sub- paragraph.

(2) The committee may investigate, subject to paragraph (b), an alleged violation by a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House of the Code of Official Conduct or of a law, rule, regulation, or other standard of con- duct applicable to the  conduct  of such Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer,  or  employee in the performance of the duties or the discharge of the responsibilities of such individual. After notice and hearing (unless the right to a hearing is waived by the Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee), the committee shall re- port to the House its findings of fact and recommendations, if any, for the final disposition of any such inves- tigation and such action as the com- mittee may consider appropriate in the circumstances.

(3) The committee may report to the appropriate Federal or State au- thorities, either with the approval of the House or by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the committee, any substantial evidence of a violation by a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House, of a law ap- plicable to the performance of the duties or the discharge of the respon- sibilities of such individual that may have been disclosed in a committee investigation.

(4) The  committee  may  consider the request of a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House for an advi- sory opinion with respect to the gen- eral propriety of any current or pro- posed conduct of such Member, Dele- gate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee. With appropriate dele- tions to ensure the privacy of the person concerned, the  committee may publish such opinion for the guidance of other Members, Dele- gates, the Resident Commissioner, officers, and employees of the House.

(5) The committee may consider the request of a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House for a written waiver in exceptional circumstances with respect to clause 4 of rule XXIII.

(6)(A) The committee shall offer annual ethics training to each Mem- ber, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, and employee of the House. Such training shall—

(i) involve the classes of employees for whom the committee determines such training to be appropriate; and

(ii) include such knowledge of the Code of Official Conduct and related House rules as may be determined appropriate by the committee.

(B)(i) A new Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall receive training under this paragraph not later than 60 days after beginning service to the House.

(ii) Not later than January 31 of each year, each Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, and employee of the House shall file a certification  with  the  committee that the Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer or employee attended ethics training in the last year as established by this subpara- graph.

(b)(1)(A) Unless approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members, the Committee on  Ethics may not report a resolution, report, recommendation, or advisory opinion relating to the official conduct of a Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, or employee of the House, or, except as provided in subparagraph (2), undertake an investigation of such conduct.

(B)(i) Upon the receipt of information offered as a complaint that is in com- pliance with this rule and the rules of the committee, the chair and ranking minority member jointly may appoint members to serve as an investigative subcommittee.

(ii) The chair and ranking minority member of the committee jointly may gather additional information con- cerning alleged conduct that is the basis of a complaint or of information offered as a complaint until they have established an investigative sub- committee or either of them has placed on the agenda of the committee the issue of whether to establish an inves- tigative subcommittee.

(2) Except in the case of an investigation undertaken by the committee on its own initiative, the committee may undertake an investigation relating to the official conduct of an individual Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, or employee of  the House only—

(A) upon receipt of information of- fered as a complaint, in writing and under oath, from a Member, Dele- gate, or Resident Commissioner and transmitted to the  committee  by such Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner;

(B) upon receipt of information of- fered as a complaint, in writing and under oath, from a person not a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner provided that a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner certifies in writing to the committee that such Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner believes the in- formation is submitted in good faith and warrants the review and consid- eration of the committee; or

(C) upon receipt of a report regard- ing a referral from the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics. If a complaint is not disposed of within the applicable periods set forth in the rules of the Committee on Ethics, the chair and ranking minority member shall establish jointly an investigative subcommittee and forward the complaint, or any portion thereof, to that subcommittee for its consideration. However, if at any time during those periods either the chair or ranking minority member places on the  agenda the issue of whether to establish an investigative subcommittee, then an in- vestigative subcommittee may be established only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the committee.

(3) The committee may not undertake an investigation of an alleged vio- lation of a law, rule, regulation, or standard of conduct that was not in ef- fect at the time of the alleged viola- tion. The committee may not under- take an investigation of such an al- leged violation that  occurred  before the third previous Congress unless the committee determines that the alleged violation is directly related to an alleged violation that occurred in a more recent Congress.

(4) A member of the committee shall be ineligible to participate as a mem- ber of the committee in a committee proceeding relating to the member’s of- ficial conduct. Whenever a member of the committee is ineligible to act as a member of the committee under the preceding sentence, the Speaker shall designate a Member, Delegate, or Resi- dent Commissioner from the same po- litical party as the ineligible member to act in any proceeding of the com- mittee relating to that conduct.

(5) A member of the committee may seek disqualification from partici- pating in an investigation of the con- duct of a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House upon the submission in writ- ing and under oath of an affidavit of disqualification stating that the mem- ber cannot render an impartial and un- biased decision in the case in which the member seeks to be disqualified. If the committee approves and accepts such affidavit of disqualification, the chair shall so notify the Speaker and request the Speaker to designate a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner from the same political party as the disqualifying member to act in any proceeding of the  committee  relating to that case.

(6) Information or testimony received, or the contents of a complaint or the fact of its filing, may not be publicly disclosed by any committee or staff member unless specifically au- thorized in each instance by a vote of the full committee.

(7) The committee shall have the functions designated in titles I and V of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, in sections 7342, 7351, and 7353 of title 5, United States Code, and in clause 11(g)(4) of rule X.

(8)(A) Except as provided by subdivi- sions (B), (C), and (D), not later than 45 calendar days or 5 legislative days, whichever is later, after receipt of a written report and any findings and supporting documentation regarding a referral from the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics or of a referral of the matter from the board pursuant to a request under paragraph (r), the chair of the Committee on Ethics shall make public the written report and findings of the board unless the chair and rank- ing member, acting jointly, decide or the committee votes to withhold such information for not more than one ad- ditional period of the same duration, in which case the chair shall—

1. upon the termination of such additional period, make public the written report and findings; and
2. upon the day of such decision or vote, make a public statement that the matter, relating to the referral made by the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics regarding the Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- sioner, officer, or employee of the House who is the subject of the appli- cable referral, has been extended.

At least one calendar day before the committee makes public any written report and findings of the board, the chair shall notify such board and the applicable Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of that fact and transmit to such indi- vidual a copy of the statement on the committee’s disposition of, and any committee report on, the matter.

(B)(i) Notwithstanding subdivision (A)(i), if the committee votes to dis- miss a matter which is the subject of a referral from the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics, the committee is not required to make public the writ- ten report and findings described in such subdivision unless the commit- tee’s vote is inconsistent with the rec- ommendation of the board. For pur- poses of the previous sentence, a vote by the committee to dismiss a matter is not inconsistent with a report from the board respecting the matter as un- resolved due to a tie vote.

(ii) Notwithstanding subdivision (A)(ii), if the board transmits a report respecting any matter with a rec- ommendation to dismiss or as unre- solved due to a tie vote, and the the matter is extended for an additional period as provided in subdivision (A), the committee is not required to make a public statement that the matter has been extended.

(iii) Except as provided by subdivi- sion (E), if the committee establishes an investigative subcommittee respect- ing any such matter, then the report and findings of the board shall not be made public until the conclusion of the investigative subcommittee  process and the committee shall issue a public statement of the establishment of an investigative subcommittee, which statement shall include the name  of the applicable Member, Delegate, Resi- dent Commissioner, officer, or em- ployee, and shall set forth the alleged violation. If any such investigative subcommittee does not conclude its re- view within one year after the board transmits a report respecting any mat- ter, then the committee shall make public the report and upon the expira- tion of the Congress in which the re- port is made public, the  committee shall make public any findings.

(C)(i) If, after receipt of a written re- port and any findings and supporting documentation regarding a referral from the board of the Office of Congres- sional Ethics or of a referral of the matter from the board pursuant to a request under paragraph (r), the com- mittee agrees to a request from an ap- propriate law enforcement or regu- latory authority to defer taking action on the matter—

(I) notwithstanding subdivision (A)(i), the committee is not required to make public the written  report and findings described in such sub- division, except that if the rec- ommendation of the board with re- spect to the report is that the matter requires further review, the committee shall make public the written report but not the findings; and

(II) before the end of the first day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) after the day  that the committee agrees to the request, the committee shall make a public statement that it is deferring taking action on the matter at the request of such authority.

(ii) If, upon the expiration of the one- year period that begins on the date the committee makes the public statement described in item (i)(II), the committee has not acted on the matter, the com- mittee shall make a new public state- ment that it is still deferring taking action on the matter, and shall make a new statement upon the expiration of each succeeding one-year period during which the committee has not acted on the matter.

(D) The committee may not receive any referral from the board of the Of- fice of Congressional Ethics within 60 days before a Federal, State, or local election in which the subject of the re- ferral is a candidate. The committee may delay any reporting requirement under this subparagraph that falls within that 60-day period until the end of such period and in that case, for pur- poses of subdivision (A), days within the 60-day period shall not be counted.

(E) If, at the close of any applicable period for a reporting requirement under this subparagraph with respect to a referral from the board of the Of- fice of Congressional Ethics, the vote of the committee is a tie or the com- mittee fails to act, the report and the findings of the board shall be made public by the committee, along with a public statement by the chair explain- ing the status of the matter.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding clause 2(g)(1) of rule XI, each meeting of the Com- mittee on Ethics or a subcommittee thereof shall occur in executive session unless the committee or sub- committee, by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members, opens the meeting to the public.

(2) Notwithstanding clause 2(g)(2) of rule XI, each hearing of an adjudica- tory subcommittee or sanction hearing of the Committee on Ethics shall be held in open session unless the com- mittee or subcommittee, in open ses- sion by an affirmative vote of a major- ity of its members, closes all or part of the remainder of the hearing on that day to the public.

(d) Before a member, officer, or employee of the Committee on Ethics, in- cluding members of a subcommittee of the committee selected under clause 5(a)(4) of rule X and shared staff, may have access to information that is con- fidential under the rules of the com- mittee, the following oath (or affirma- tion) shall be executed:

‘‘I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will not disclose, to any person or entity outside the Committee on Ethics, any information received in the course of my service with the committee, except as authorized by the committee or in accordance with its rules.’’

Copies of the executed oath shall be re- tained by the Clerk as part of the records of the House. This paragraph establishes a standard of conduct with- in the meaning of paragraph (a)(2). Breaches of confidentiality shall be in- vestigated by the Committee on Ethics and appropriate action shall be taken.

(e)(1) If a complaint or information offered as a complaint is deemed frivo- lous by an affirmative vote of a major- ity of the members of the Committee on Ethics, the committee may take such action as it, by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members, considers appropriate circumstances.

(2) Complaints filed before the One Hundred Fifth Congress may not be deemed frivolous by the Committee on Ethics.

Committee agendas

(f) The committee shall adopt rules providing that the chair shall establish the agenda for meetings of the com- mittee, but shall not preclude the ranking minority member from placing any item on the agenda.

Committee staff

(g)(1) The committee shall  adopt rules providing that—

(A) the staff be assembled and re- tained as a professional, nonpartisan staff;

(B) each member of the staff shall be professional and demonstrably qualified for the position for which hired;

(C) the staff as a whole and each member of the staff shall perform all official duties in a nonpartisan man- ner;

(D) no member of the staff shall en- gage in any partisan political activ- ity directly affecting any congres- sional or presidential election;

(E) no member of the staff or out- side counsel may accept public speaking engagements or write for publication on any subject that is in any way related to the employment or duties with the committee of such individual without specific prior ap- proval from the chair and ranking minority member; and

(F) no member of the staff or out- side counsel may make public, unless approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the com- mittee, any information,  document, or other material that is confiden- tial, derived from executive session, or classified and that is obtained dur- ing the course of employment with the committee.

(2) Only subdivisions (C), (E), and (F) of subparagraph (1) shall  apply  to shared staff.

(3)(A) All staff members shall be ap- pointed by an affirmative vote of a ma- jority of the members of the committee. Such vote shall occur at  the first meeting of the membership of the committee during each Congress and as necessary during the Congress.

(B) Subject to the approval of the Committee on House Administration, the committee may retain counsel not employed by the House of Representa- tives whenever the committee deter- mines, by an affirmative vote of a ma- jority of the members of the com- mittee, that the retention of outside counsel is necessary and appropriate.

(C) If the committee determines that it is necessary to retain staff members for the purpose of a particular inves- tigation or other proceeding, then such staff shall be retained only for the du- ration of that particular investigation or proceeding.

(D) Outside counsel may be dismissed before the end of a contract between the committee and such counsel only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the committee.

(4) In addition to any other staff pro- vided for by law, rule, or other author- ity, with respect to the committee, the chair and ranking minority member each may appoint one individual as a shared staff member from the respec- tive personal staff of the chair or rank- ing minority member to perform serv- ice for the committee. Such  shared staff may assist the chair or ranking minority member on any sub- committee on which the chair or rank- ing minority member serves.

Meetings and hearings

(h) The committee shall adopt rules providing that—

(1) all meetings or hearings of the committee or any subcommittee thereof, other than any hearing held by an adjudicatory subcommittee or any sanction hearing held by the committee, shall occur in executive session unless the committee or sub- committee by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members opens the meeting or hearing to the public; and

(2) any hearing held by an adjudicatory subcommittee or any sanction hearing held by the committee shall be open to the public unless the com- mittee or subcommittee by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members closes the hearing to the public.

Public disclosure

(i) The committee shall adopt rules providing that, unless otherwise deter- mined by a vote of the committee, only the chair or ranking minority member, after consultation with  each  other, may make public statements regarding matters before the committee or any subcommittee thereof.

Requirements to constitute a complaint

(j) The committee shall adopt rules regarding complaints to provide that whenever information offered as a com- plaint is submitted to the committee, the chair and ranking minority mem- ber shall have 14 calendar days or five legislative days, whichever  is  sooner, to determine whether the information meets the requirements of the rules of the committee for what constitutes a complaint.

Duties of chair and ranking minority member regarding properly filed complaints

(k)(1) The committee shall  adopt rules providing that whenever  the chair and ranking minority member jointly determine that information submitted to the committee meets the requirements of the rules of the com- mittee for what constitutes a com- plaint, they shall have 45 calendar days or five legislative days, whichever is later, after that determination (unless the committee by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members votes oth- erwise) to—

(A) recommend to the committee that it dispose of the complaint, or any portion thereof, in any manner that does not require action by the House, which may include dismissal of the complaint or resolution of the complaint by a letter to the Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, of- ficer, or employee of the House against whom the complaint is made;

(B) establish an investigative sub- committee; or

(C) request that the committee ex- tend the applicable 45-calendar day or five-legislative day period by one additional 45-calendar day period when they determine more time is necessary in order to make a rec- ommendation under subdivision (A).

(D) The committee shall adopt rules providing that if the chair and ranking minority member jointly  determine that information submitted to the committee meets the requirements of the rules of the committee for what constitutes a complaint, and the com- plaint is not disposed of within the ap- plicable time periods under subpara- graph (1), then they shall establish an investigative subcommittee and for- ward the complaint, or any portion thereof, to that subcommittee for its consideration. However, if, at any time during those periods, either the chair or ranking minority member places on the agenda the issue of whether to es- tablish an investigative subcommittee, then an investigative subcommittee may be established only by an affirma- tive vote of a majority of the members of the committee.

Duties of chair and ranking minority member regarding information not constituting a complaint

(1) The committee shall adopt rules providing that whenever the chair and ranking minority member jointly de- termine that information submitted to the committee does not meet the re- quirements of the rules of the com- mittee for what constitutes a com- plaint, they may—

(1) return the information to the complainant with a statement that it fails to meet the requirements of the rules of the committee for what con- stitutes a complaint; or

(2) recommend to the committee that it authorize  the  establishment of an investigative subcommittee.

Investigative and adjudicatory subcommittees

(n) The committee shall adopt rules providing that—

(1)(A) an investigative sub- committee shall be composed of four Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner (with equal represen- tation from the majority and minor- ity parties) whenever such a sub- committee is established pursuant to the rules of the committee;

(B) an adjudicatory subcommittee shall be composed of the members of the committee who did not serve on the pertinent investigative sub- committee (with equal representa- tion from the majority and minority parties) whenever such a sub- committee is established pursuant to the rules of the committee; and

(C) notwithstanding any other pro- vision of this clause, the chair and ranking minority member of the committee may consult with an in- vestigative subcommittee either on their own initiative or on the initia- tive of the subcommittee, shall have access to information before a sub- committee with which they so con- sult, and shall not thereby be pre- cluded from serving as full, voting members of any adjudicatory sub- committee;

(2) at the time of appointment, the chair shall designate one member of a subcommittee to serve as chair and the ranking minority member shall designate one member of the sub- committee to serve as the ranking minority member; and

(3) the chair and ranking minority member of the committee may serve as members of an investigative sub- committee, but may not serve as non-voting, ex officio members.

Standard of proof for adoption of statement of alleged violation

(n) The committee shall adopt rules to provide that an investigative sub- committee may adopt a statement of alleged violation only if it determines by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the subcommittee that there is substantial reason to believe that a violation of the Code of Official Conduct, or of a law, rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct applicable to the performance of official duties or the discharge of official responsibilities by a Member, Delegate, Resident Com- missioner, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives, has oc- curred.

Subcommittee powers

(o)(1) The committee shall  adopt rules providing that an investigative subcommittee or an adjudicatory sub- committee may authorize and issue subpoenas only when authorized by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the subcommittee.

(2) The committee shall adopt rules providing that an investigative sub- committee may, upon an affirmative vote of a majority of its members, expand the scope of its  investigation when approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the committee.

(3) The committee shall adopt rules to provide that—

(A) an investigative subcommittee may, upon an affirmative vote of a majority of its members, amend its statement of alleged violation any- time before the statement of alleged violation is transmitted to the com- mittee; and

(B) if an investigative sub- committee amends its statement of alleged violation, the  respondent shall be notified in writing and shall have 30 calendar days from the date of that notification to file an answer to the amended statement of alleged violation.

Due process rights of respondents

(p) The committee shall adopt rules to provide that—

(1) not less than 10 calendar days before a scheduled vote by an inves- tigative subcommittee on a state- ment of alleged violation, the sub- committee shall provide the respond- ent with a copy of the statement of alleged violation it intends to adopt together with all evidence it intends to use to prove those charges which it intends to adopt, including docu- mentary evidence, witness testi- mony, memoranda of witness inter- views, and physical evidence, unless the subcommittee by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members de- cides to withhold certain evidence in order to protect a witness; but if such evidence is withheld, the sub- committee shall inform the respond- ent that evidence is being withheld and of the count to which such evi- dence relates;

(2) neither the respondent nor the counsel of the respondent shall, di- rectly or indirectly, contact the sub- committee or any member thereof during the period of time set forth in paragraph (1) except for the sole pur- pose of settlement discussions where counsel for the respondent and the subcommittee are present;

(3) if, at any time after the issuance of a statement of alleged violation, the committee or any sub- committee thereof determines that it intends to use evidence not provided to a respondent under paragraph (1) to prove the charges contained in the statement of alleged  violation  (or any amendment thereof), such evi- dence shall be made immediately available to the respondent, and it may be used in any further pro- ceeding under the rules of the com- mittee;

(4) evidence provided pursuant to paragraph (1) or (3) shall be made available to the respondent and the counsel of the respondent only after each agrees, in writing, that no docu- ment, information, or other mate- rials obtained pursuant to that para- graph shall be made public until—

(A) such time as a statement of alleged violation is made public by the committee if the  respondent has waived the adjudicatory hear- ing; or

(B) the commencement of an ad- judicatory hearing if the respond- ent has not waived an adjudicatory hearing; but the failure of respondent and the counsel of the respondent to so agree in writing, and their consequent fail- ure to receive the evidence, shall not preclude the issuance of a statement of alleged violation at the end of the period referred to in paragraph (1);

(5) a respondent shall receive writ- ten notice whenever—

(A) the chair and ranking minor- ity member determine that infor- mation the committee has received constitutes a complaint;

(B) a complaint or allegation is transmitted to an investigative subcommittee;

(C) an investigative sub- committee votes to authorize its first subpoena or to take testimony under oath, whichever occurs first;

(D) an investigative sub- committee votes to expand the scope of its investigation; or

(E) the committee or an inves- tigative subcommittee determines to take into evidence the trial transcript or  exhibits  admitted into evidence at a criminal trial pursuant to subparagraph (9);

(6) whenever an investigative sub- committee adopts a statement of al- leged violation and a respondent en- ters into an agreement with that sub- committee to settle a complaint on which that statement is based, that agreement, unless the respondent re- quests otherwise, shall be in writing and signed by the respondent and re- spondent’s counsel, the chair and ranking minority member of the sub- committee, and the outside counsel, if any;

(7) statements or information derived solely from a respondent or the counsel of a respondent during any settlement discussions between the committee or a subcommittee there- of and the respondent shall not be in- cluded in any report of the sub- committee or the committee or oth- erwise publicly disclosed without the consent of the respondent;

(8) whenever a motion to establish an investigative subcommittee does not prevail, the committee shall promptly send a letter to the re- spondent informing the respondent of such vote; and

(9) in any investigation permitted by House or committee rules, in addi- tion to any other evidence which the committee or an investigative sub- committee may consider, if the re- spondent has been convicted by a court of record for a crime which is related to the subject of the inves- tigation, the committee or investiga- tive subcommittee may take into evidence the trial transcript and all exhibits admitted into evidence  at the trial.

Committee reporting requirements

(q) The committee shall adopt rules to provide that—

(1) whenever an investigative sub- committee does not adopt a state- ment of alleged violation and trans- mits a report to that effect to the committee, the  committee  may  by an affirmative vote of a majority of its members transmit such report to the House of Representatives;

(2) whenever an investigative sub- committee adopts a statement of al- leged violation, the respondent ad- mits to the violations set forth  in such statement, the respondent waives the right to an adjudicatory hearing, and the respondent’s waiver is approved by the committee—

(A) the subcommittee shall pre- pare a report for transmittal to the committee, a final draft of which shall be provided to the respondent not less than 15 calendar days be- fore the subcommittee votes on whether to adopt the report;

(B) the respondent may submit views in writing regarding the final draft to the subcommittee within seven calendar days of receipt of that draft;

(C) the subcommittee shall trans- mit a report to the committee re- garding the statement of alleged violation together with any views submitted by the respondent pursu- ant to subdivision (B), and the com- mittee shall make the report to- gether with the respondent’s views available to the public before the commencement of any sanction hearing; and

(D) the committee shall by an af- firmative vote of a majority of its members issue a report and trans- mit such report to the House of Representatives, together with the respondent’s views previously sub- mitted pursuant to subdivision (B) and any additional views respond- ent may submit for attachment to the final report; and

(E) members of the committee shall have not less than 72 hours to review any report transmitted to the com- mittee by an investigative sub- committee before both the com- mencement of a sanction hearing and the committee vote on whether to adopt the report.

(r) Upon receipt of any written notifi- cation from the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics that the board is undertaking a review of any alleged conduct of any Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or em- ployee of the House and if the com- mittee is investigating such  matter, the committee may at any time so no- tify the board and request that the board cease its review and refer the matter to the committee for its consid- eration. If at the end of the applicable time period (including any permissible extension) the committee has not reached a final resolution of the matter or has not referred the matter to the appropriate Federal or State authori- ties, the committee shall so notify the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics in writing. The committee may not request the same matter from the board more than one time.

(s) The committee may not take any action that would deny any person any right or protection provided under the Constitution of the United States.

Audio and visual coverage of committee proceedings

4. (a) The purpose of this clause is to provide a means, in conformity with acceptable standards of dignity, pro- priety, and decorum, by which com- mittee hearings or committee meet- ings that are open to the public may be covered by audio and visual means—

(1) for the education, enlighten- ment, and information of the general public, on the basis of accurate and impartial news coverage, regarding the operations, procedures, and prac- tices of the House as a legislative and representative body, and regarding the measures, public issues,  and other matters before the House and its committees, the consideration thereof, and the action taken there- on; and

(2) for the development of the perspective and understanding of the general public with respect to  the role and function of the House under the Constitution as an institution of the Federal Government.

(b) In addition, it is the intent of this clause that audio and video recordings of any coverage under this clause may not be used for any partisan political campaign purpose or be made available for such use.

(c) It is, further, the intent of this clause that the general conduct of each meeting (whether of a hearing or other- wise) covered under authority of this clause by audio or visual means, and the personal behavior of the committee members and staff, other Government officials and personnel, witnesses, tele- vision, radio, and press media per- sonnel, and the general public at the hearing or other meeting, shall be in strict conformity with and observance of the acceptable standards of dignity, propriety, courtesy, and decorum tradi- tionally observed by the House in its operations, and may not be such as to—

(1) distort the objects and purposes of the hearing or other meeting  or the activities of committee members in connection with that hearing or meeting or in connection with the general work of the committee or of the House; or

(2) cast discredit or dishonor on the House, the committee, or a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner or bring the House, the committee, or a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner into disrepute.

(d) The coverage of committee hear- ings and meetings by audio and visual means shall be permitted and con- ducted only in strict conformity with the purposes, provisions, and require- ments of this clause.

(e) Whenever a hearing or meeting conducted by a committee or sub- committee is open to the public, those proceedings shall be open to coverage by audio and visual means. A com- mittee or subcommittee chair may not limit the number of television or still cameras to fewer than two representa- tives from each medium (except for le- gitimate space or safety consider- ations, in which case pool coverage shall be authorized).

(f) Written rules adopted by each committee pursuant to  clause 2(a)(1)(D) shall contain provisions to the following effect:

(1) If audio or visual coverage  of the hearing or meeting is to be pre- sented to the public as live coverage, that coverage shall be conducted and presented without commercial spon- sorship.

(2) The allocation among the tele- vision media of the positions or the number of television cameras per- mitted by a committee or sub- committee chair in a hearing or meeting room shall be in accordance with fair and equitable procedures devised by the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Cor- respondents’ Galleries.

(3) Television cameras shall be placed so as not to obstruct in any way the space between a witness giv- ing evidence or testimony and any member of the committee or the visi- bility of that witness and that mem- ber to each other.

(4) Television cameras shall oper- ate from fixed positions but may not be placed in positions that obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing or meeting by the other media.

(5) Equipment necessary for cov- erage by the television and radio media may not be installed in, or re- moved from, the hearing or meeting room while the committee is in ses- sion.

(6)(A) Except as provided in sub- division (B), floodlights, spotlights, strobelights, and flashguns may not be used in providing any method of coverage of the hearing or meeting.

(B) The television media may in- stall additional lighting in a hearing or meeting room, without cost to the Government, in order to raise the ambient lighting level in a hearing or meeting room to the lowest level necessary to provide adequate tele- vision coverage of a hearing or meet- ing at the current state of the art of television coverage.

(7) If requests are made by more of the media than will be permitted by a committee or subcommittee chair for coverage of a hearing or meeting by still photography, that coverage shall be permitted on the basis of a fair and equitable pool arrangement devised by the Standing Committee of Press Photographers.

(8) Photographers may not position themselves between the witness table and the members of the committee at any time during the course of a hear- ing or meeting.

(9) Photographers may not place themselves in positions that obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing by the other media.

(10) Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media shall be currently accredited to the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Galleries.

(11) Personnel providing coverage by still photography shall be cur- rently accredited to the Press Pho- tographers’ Gallery.

(12) Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media and by still photography shall conduct themselves and their coverage activi- ties in an orderly and unobtrusive manner.

Pay of witnesses

5. Witnesses appearing before the House or any of its committees shall be paid the same per diem rate as estab- lished, authorized, and regulated  by the Committee on House Administra- tion for Members, Delegates, the Resi- dent Commissioner, and employees of the House, plus actual expenses of trav- el to or from the place of examination. Such per diem may not be paid when a witness has been summoned at the place of examination.

Unfinished business of the session

6. All business of the House at the end of one session shall be resumed at the commencement of the next session of the same Congress in the same man- ner as if no adjournment had taken place.

RULE XII, RECEIPT AND REFERRAL OF MEASURES AND MATTERS

Messages

1. Messages received from the Senate, or from the President, shall be entered on the Journal and published in the Congressional Record of the pro- ceedings of that day.

Referral

2. (a) The Speaker shall refer each bill, resolution, or other matter that relates to a subject listed under a standing committee named in clause 1 of rule X in accordance with the provi- sions of this clause.

(b) The Speaker shall refer matters under paragraph (a) in such manner as to ensure to the maximum extent fea- sible that each committee that has ju- risdiction under clause 1 of rule X over the subject matter of a provision there- of may consider such provision and re- port to the House thereon. Precedents, rulings, or procedures in effect before the Ninety-Fourth Congress shall be applied to referrals under this clause only to the extent that they will contribute to the achievement of the ob- jectives of this clause.

(c) In carrying out paragraphs (a) and (b) with respect to the referral of a matter, the Speaker—

1. shall designate a committee of primary jurisdiction (except where the Speaker determines that extraor- dinary circumstances justify review by more than one committee as though primary);
2. may refer the matter to one or more additional committees for con- sideration in sequence, either ini- tially or after the matter has been reported by the committee of pri- mary jurisdiction;
3. may refer portions of the matter reflecting different subjects and ju- risdictions to one or more additional committees;
4. may refer the matter to a spe- cial, ad hoc committee appointed by the Speaker with the approval of the House, and including members of the committees of jurisdiction, for the specific purpose of considering that matter and reporting to the House thereon;
5. may subject a referral to appro- priate time limitations; and
6. may make such other provision as may be considered appropriate.

(d) A bill for the payment or adju- dication of a private claim against the Government may not be referred to a committee other than the  Committee on Foreign Affairs or  the  Committee on the Judiciary, except by unanimous consent.

Petitions, memorials, and private bills

3. If a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner has a petition, memo- rial, or private bill to present, the Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner shall sign it, deliver it to the Clerk, and may specify the reference or disposition to be made thereof. Such petition, memorial, or private bill (ex- cept when judged by the Speaker to be obscene or insulting) shall be entered on the Journal with the name of the Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner presenting it and shall be printed in the Congressional Record.

4. A private bill or private resolution (including an omnibus claim or pension bill), or amendment thereto, may not be received or considered in the House if it authorizes or directs—

1. the payment of money for prop- erty damages, for personal injuries or death for which suit may be insti- tuted under the Tort Claims Proce- dure provided in title 28, United States Code, or for a pension (other than to carry out a provision of law or treaty stipulation);
2. the construction of a bridge across a navigable stream; or
3. the correction of a military or naval record.

Prohibition on commemorations

5. (a) A bill or resolution, or an amendment thereto, may not be introduced or considered in the House if it establishes or expresses a commemoration.

(b) In this clause the term ‘‘com- memoration’’ means a remembrance, celebration, or recognition for any pur- pose through the designation of a spec- ified period of time.

Excluded matters

1. A petition, memorial, bill, or reso- lution excluded under this rule shall be returned to the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner from whom it was received. A petition or private bill that has been inappropriately referred may, by direction of the committee having possession of it, be properly re- ferred in the manner originally pre- sented. An erroneous reference of a pe- tition or private bill under this clause does not confer jurisdiction on a com- mittee to consider or report it.

Sponsorship

2. (a) Bills, memorials, petitions, and resolutions, endorsed with the names of Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner introducing them, may be delivered to the Speaker to be re- ferred. The titles and references of all bills, memorials, petitions, resolutions, and other documents referred under this rule shall be entered on the Jour- nal and printed in the Congressional Record. An erroneous reference may be corrected by the House in accordance with rule X on any day immediately after the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by unanimous consent or motion. Such a motion shall be privileged if of- fered by direction of a committee to which the bill has been erroneously re- ferred or by direction of a committee claiming jurisdiction and shall be de- cided without debate.

(b)(1) The sponsor of a public bill or public resolution may name cospon- sors. The name of a cosponsor added after the initial printing of a bill or resolution shall appear in the next printing of the bill or resolution on the written request of the sponsor. Such a request may be submitted to the Speaker at any time until the last committee authorized to consider and report the bill or resolution reports it to the House or is discharged from its consideration.

2. The name of a cosponsor of a bill or resolution may be deleted only by a demand from the floor made by the Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner whose name is to be deleted, or by a unanimous-consent request from the sponsor. The Speaker may only entertain such a demand or re- quest until the last committee author- ized to consider and report the bill or resolution reports it to the House or is discharged from its consideration. The Speaker may not entertain a request to delete the name of the sponsor of a bill or resolution. A deletion shall be indi- cated by date in the next printing of the bill or resolution.

3. The addition or deletion of the name of a cosponsor of a bill or resolu- tion shall  be entered  on the Journal and printed in the Congressional Record of that day.

4. A bill or resolution shall be re- printed on the written request of the sponsor. Such a request may be sub- mitted to the Speaker only when 20 or more cosponsors have been added since the last printing of the bill or resolu- tion.

5. When a bill or resolution is intro- duced ‘‘by request,’’ those words shall be entered on the Journal and printed in the Congressional Record.

(c)(1) A bill or joint resolution may not be introduced unless the sponsor submits for printing in the Congres- sional Record a statement citing as specifically as practicable the power or powers granted to Congress in the Con- stitution to enact the bill or joint reso- lution. The statement shall appear in a portion of the Record designated for that purpose and be made publicly available in electronic form by the Clerk.

(2) Before consideration of a Senate bill or joint resolution, the chair of a committee of jurisdiction may submit the statement required under subpara- graph (1) as though the chair were the sponsor of the Senate bill or joint reso- lution.

Executive communications

3. Estimates of appropriations and all other communications from the execu- tive departments intended for the con- sideration of any committees of the House shall be addressed to the Speak- er for referral as provided in clause 2 of rule XIV.

RULE XIII, CALENDARS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

Calendars

1. (a) All business reported by com- mittees shall be referred to one of the following three calendars:

1. A Calendar of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, to which shall be referred pub- lic bills and public resolutions rais- ing revenue, involving a tax  or charge on the people, directly or indi- rectly making appropriations of money or property or requiring such appropriations to be made, author- izing payments out of appropriations already made, or releasing any liabil- ity to the United States for money or property.
2. A House Calendar, to which shall be referred all public bills and public resolutions not requiring re- ferral to the Calendar of the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
3. A Private Calendar as provided in clause 5 of rule XV, to which shall be referred all private bills and pri- vate resolutions.

(b) There is established a Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees as provided in clause 2 of rule XV.

(c) There is established a Consensus Calendar as provided in clause 7 of rule XV.

Filing and printing of reports

2. (a)(1) Except as provided in sub- paragraphs (2) and (3), all reports of committees (other than those  filed from the floor) shall be delivered to the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar under the direction of the Speaker in accordance with clause

1. The title or subject of each report shall be entered on the Journal and printed in the Congressional Record.

2. A bill or resolution reported ad- versely (other than those filed as privi- leged) shall be laid on the table unless a committee to which the bill or reso- lution was referred requests at  the time of the report its referral to an ap- propriate calendar under clause 1 or unless, within three days thereafter, a Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- missioner makes such a request.
3. All reports of committees may be delivered to the Clerk in electronic form.

(b)(1) It shall be the duty of the chair of each committee to report or cause to be reported promptly to the House a measure or matter approved by the committee and to take or cause to be taken steps necessary to bring the measure or matter to a vote.

(2) In any event, the report of a com- mittee on a measure that has been ap- proved by the committee shall be filed within seven calendar days (exclusive of days on which the House is not in session) after the day on which a writ- ten request for the filing of the report, signed by a majority of the members of the committee, has been filed with the clerk of the committee. The  clerk  of the committee shall immediately no- tify the chair of the filing of such a re- quest. This subparagraph does not apply to a report of the Committee on Rules with respect to a rule, joint rule, or order of business of the House, or to the reporting of a resolution of inquiry addressed to the head of an executive department.

(c) All supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views filed under clause 2(l) of rule XI by one or more members of a committee shall be in- cluded in, and shall be a part of, the re- port filed by the committee with re- spect to a measure or matter. When time guaranteed by clause 2(l) of rule XI has expired (or, if sooner, when all separate views have been received), the committee may arrange to file its re- port with the Clerk not later than one hour after the expiration of such time. This clause and provisions of clause 2(l) of rule XI do not preclude the imme- diate filing or printing of a committee report in the absence of a timely re- quest for the opportunity to file sup- plemental, minority, additional, or dis- senting views as provided in clause 2(l) of rule XI.

Content of reports

3. (a)(1) Except as provided in sub- paragraph (2), the report of a  com- mittee on a measure or matter shall be printed in a single volume that—

1. shall include all supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views that have been submitted by the time of the filing of the report; and
2. shall bear on its cover a recital that any such supplemental, minor- ity, additional, or dissenting views (and any material submitted under paragraph (c)(3)) are included as part of the report.

(2) A committee may file a supplemental report for the correction of a technical error in its  previous  report on a measure or matter. A supple- mental report only correcting errors in the depiction of record votes under paragraph (b) may be filed under this subparagraph and shall not be subject to the requirement in clause 4 or clause 6 concerning the availability of re- ports.

(b) With respect to each record vote on a motion to report a measure or matter of a public nature, and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter, the total number of votes cast for and against, and the names of mem- bers voting for and against, shall be in- cluded in the committee report. The preceding sentence does not apply to votes taken in executive session by the Committee on Ethics, and applies only to the maximum extent practicable to a report by the Committee on Rules on a rule, joint rule, or the order of business.

(c) The report of a committee on a measure that has been approved by the committee shall include, separately set out and clearly identified, the following:

(1) Oversight findings and rec- ommendations under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X.

(2) The statement required by sec- tion 308(a) of the Congressional Bud get Act of 1974, except that an esti- mate of new budget authority shall include, when practicable, a compari- son of the total estimated funding level for the relevant programs to the appropriate levels under current law.

(3) An estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the Con- gressional Budget Office under sec- tion 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if timely submitted to the committee before the filing of the re- port.

(4) A statement of general perform- ance goals and objectives, including outcome-related goals and objectives, for which the measure authorizes funding.

(5) On a bill or joint resolution that establishes or reauthorizes a Federal program, a statement indicating whether any such program is known to be duplicative of another such pro- gram, including at a minimum an ex- planation of whether any such pro- gram was included in a report to Con- gress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or whether the most re- cent Catalog of Federal Domestic As- sistance (published pursuant to sec- tion 6104 of title 31, United States Code) identified other programs re- lated to the program established or reauthorized by the measure.

(6)(A) On a bill or joint resolution to be considered pursuant to a special order of business reported by the Committee on Rules—

1. a list of related committee and subcommittee hearings; and
2. a designation of at least one committee or subcommittee hear- ing that was used to develop or consider such bill or joint resolu- tion.

(B) Subdivision (A) shall not apply to a bill or joint resolution—

1. continuing appropriations for a fiscal year; or
2. containing an emergency des- ignation under section 251(b)(2) or section 252(e) of the Balanced Budg- et and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

(d) Each report of a committee on a public bill or public joint resolution shall contain the following:

(1)(A) An estimate by the com- mittee of the costs that would be in- curred in carrying out the  bill  or joint resolution in the fiscal year in which it is reported and in each of the five fiscal years following that fiscal year (or for the authorized du- ration of any program authorized by the bill or joint resolution  if  less than five years);

(B) a comparison of the estimate of costs described in subdivision (A) made by the committee with any es- timate of such costs made by a Gov- ernment agency and submitted to such committee; and

(C) when practicable, a comparison of the total estimated funding level for the relevant programs with the appropriate levels under current law.

(2)(A) In subparagraph (1) the term ‘‘Government agency’’ includes any department, agency, establishment, wholly owned Government corpora- tion, or instrumentality of the Fed- eral Government or the government of the District of Columbia.

(B) Subparagraph (1) does not apply to the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on House Administra- tion, the Committee on Rules, or the Committee on Ethics, and does not apply when a cost estimate and com- parison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congres- sional Budget Act of 1974 has been in- cluded in the report under paragraph (c)(3).

(e)(1) Whenever a committee reports a bill or joint resolution proposing to repeal or amend a statute or part thereof, it shall include in its report or in an accompanying document (show- ing by appropriate typographical de- vices the omissions and insertions pro- posed)—

1. the entire text of each section of a statute that is proposed to be re- pealed; and
2. a comparative print of each amendment to the entire text of a section of a statute that the bill or joint resolution proposes to make.

(2) If a committee reports a bill or joint resolution proposing to repeal or amend a statute or part thereof with a recommendation that the bill or joint resolution be amended, the compara- tive print required by subparagraph (1) shall reflect the changes in  existing law proposed to be made by the bill or joint resolution as proposed to be amended.

(f)(1) A report of the Committee on Appropriations on a general appropria- tion bill shall include—

(A) a concise statement describing the effect of any provision of the ac- companying bill that directly or indi- rectly changes the application of ex- isting law; and

(B) a list of all appropriations con- tained in the bill for expenditures not currently authorized by law for the period concerned (excepting classi- fied intelligence or national security programs, projects, or activities), along with a statement of the last year for which such expenditures were authorized, the level of expendi- tures authorized for that year, the actual level of expenditures for that year, and the level of appropriations in the bill for such expenditures.

(2) Whenever the Committee on Ap- propriations reports a bill or joint reso- lution including matter specified in clause 1(b)(2) or (3) of rule X, it shall include—

1. in the bill or joint resolution, separate headings for ‘‘Rescissions’’ and ‘‘Transfers of Unexpended Bal- ances’’; and
2. in the report of the committee, a separate section listing such rescis- sions and transfers.

(g) Whenever the Committee on Rules reports a resolution proposing to repeal or amend a standing rule of the House, it shall include in its report or in an accompanying document—

1. the text of any rule or part thereof that is proposed to be re- pealed; and
2. a comparative print of any part of the resolution proposing to amend the rule and of the rule or part there- of proposed to be amended, showing by appropriate typographical devices the omissions and insertions pro- posed.

(h) It shall not be in order to consider a bill or joint resolution  reported  by the Committee on Ways and Means that proposes to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 unless—

1. the report includes a tax complexity analysis prepared by  the Joint Committee on Taxation in accordance with section 4022(b) of the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998; or
2. the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means causes such a tax complexity analysis to be printed in the Congressional Record before con- sideration of the bill or joint resolution.

Availability of reports

4. (a)(1) Except as specified in sub- paragraph (2), it shall not be in order to consider in the House a measure or matter reported by a committee until the proposed text of each report (ex- cept views referred to in clause 2(l) of rule XI) of a committee on that meas- ure or matter has been available to Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner for 72 hours.

(2) Subparagraph (1) does not apply to—

1. a resolution providing a rule, joint rule, or order of business re- ported by the Committee on Rules considered under clause 6;
2. a resolution providing amounts from the applicable accounts de- scribed in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X re- ported by the Committee on House Administration considered under clause 6 of rule X;
3. a resolution presenting a ques- tion of the privileges of the House re- ported by any committee;
4. a measure for the declaration of war, or the declaration of a national emergency, by Congress; and
5. a measure providing for the dis- approval of a decision, determina- tion, or action by a Government agency that would become, or con- tinue to be, effective unless dis- approved or otherwise invalidated by one or both Houses of Congress. In this subdivision the term ‘‘Govern- ment agency’’ includes any depart- ment, agency, establishment, wholly owned Government corporation, or instrumentality of the Federal Gov- ernment or of the government of the District of Columbia.

(b) A committee that reports a measure or matter shall make every reason- able effort to have its hearings thereon (if any) printed and available for dis- tribution to Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner before the consideration of the measure or matter in the House.

Privileged reports, generally

5. (a) The following committees shall have leave to report at any time on the following matters, respectively:

1. The Committee on Appropria- tions, on general appropriation bills and on joint resolutions continuing appropriations for a fiscal year after September 15 in the preceding fiscal year.
2. The Committee on the Budget, on the matters required to be re- ported by such committee under ti- tles III and IV of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
3. The Committee on House Ad- ministration, on enrolled bills, on contested elections, on matters re- ferred to it concerning printing  for the use of the House or the two Houses, on expenditure of the appli- cable accounts of the House described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X, and on matters relating to preservation and availability of noncurrent records of the House under rule VII.
4. The Committee on Rules, on rules, joint rules, and the order of business.
5. The Committee on Ethics, on resolutions recommending action by the House with respect to a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, of- ficer, or employee of the House as a result of an investigation by the committee relating to the official conduct of such Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee.

(b) A report filed from the floor, pursuant to clause 2(a)(3), or pursuant to clause 2(c), as privileged under para- graph (a) may be called up as a privi- leged question by direction of the re- porting committee, subject to any re- quirement concerning  its  availability to Members, Delegates, and the Resi- dent Commissioner under clause 4 or concerning the timing of its consider- ation under clause 6.

Privileged reports by the Committee on Rules

5. (a) A report by the Committee on Rules on a rule, joint rule, or the order of business may not be called up for consideration on the same day it is pre- sented to the House except—

1. when so determined by a vote of two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being present;
2. in the case of a resolution pro- posing only to waive a requirement of clause 4 or of clause 8 of rule XXII concerning the availability of re- ports; or
3. during the last three days of a session of Congress.

(b) Pending the consideration of a re- port by the Committee on Rules on a rule, joint rule, or the order of busi- ness, the Speaker may entertain one motion that the House adjourn  but may not entertain any other dilatory motion until the report shall have been disposed of.

(c) The Committee on Rules may not report a rule or order that would pre- vent the motion to recommit a bill or joint resolution from being made as provided in clause 2(b) of rule XIX, if offered by the Minority Leader or a designee, except with respect to a Sen- ate bill or joint resolution  for  which the text of a House-passed measure has been substituted.

(d) The Committee on Rules shall present to the House reports con- cerning rules, joint rules, and the order of business, within three legislative days of the time when they are or- dered. If such a report is not considered immediately, it shall be referred to the calendar. If such a report on the cal- endar is not called up by the member of the committee who filed the report within seven legislative days, any member of the committee may call it up as a privileged question on the day after the calendar day on which the member announces to the House inten- tion to do so. The Speaker shall recog- nize a member of the committee who seeks recognition for that purpose.

(e) An adverse report by the Com- mittee on Rules on a resolution pro- posing a special order of business for the consideration of a public bill or public joint resolution may  be  called up as a privileged question by a Mem- ber, Delegate, or Resident Commis- sioner on the second and fourth Mon- days of a month.

(f) If the House has adopted a resolu- tion making in order a motion to con- sider a bill or resolution, and such a motion has not been offered within seven calendar days thereafter, such a motion shall be privileged if offered by direction of all reporting committees having initial jurisdiction of the bill or resolution.

(g) Whenever the Committee on Rules reports a resolution providing for the consideration of a measure, it shall to the maximum extent possible speci- fy in the accompanying report any waiver of a point of order against the measure or against its consideration.

Resolutions of inquiry

7. A report on a resolution of inquiry addressed to the head of an executive department may be filed from the floor as privileged. If such a resolution is not reported to the House within 14 legisla- tive days after its introduction, a mo- tion to discharge a committee from its consideration shall be privileged.

RULE XIV, ORDER AND PRIORITY OF BUSINESS

1. The daily order of business (unless varied by the application of other rules and except for the disposition of mat- ters of higher precedence) shall be as follows:

First. Prayer by the Chaplain.

Second. Reading and approval of the Journal, unless postponed under clause 8 of rule XX.

Third. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Fourth. Correction of reference of public bills.

Fifth. Disposal of business on the Speaker’s table as provided in clause 2.

Sixth. Unfinished business as pro- vided in clause 3.

Seventh. The morning hour for the consideration of bills called up by committees as provided in clause 4.

Eighth. Motions that the House re- solve into the Committee of  the Whole House on the state of the Union subject to clause 5.

Ninth. Orders of the day.

2. Business on the Speaker’s table shall be disposed of as follows:

1. Messages from the President shall be referred to the appropriate committees without debate.
2. Communications addressed to the House, including reports and communications from heads of de- partments and bills, resolutions, and messages from the Senate, may be re- ferred to the appropriate committees in the same manner and with the same right of correction as  public bills and public resolutions presented by Members, Delegates, or the Resi- dent Commissioner.
3. Motions to dispose of Senate amendments on the Speaker’s table may be entertained as provided in clauses 1, 2, and 4 of rule XXII.
4. Senate bills and resolutions sub- stantially the same as House mea sures already favorably reported and not required to be considered in the Committee of the Whole House  on the state of the Union may be dis- posed of by motion. Such a motion shall be privileged if offered by direc- tion of all reporting committees hav- ing initial jurisdiction of the House measure.

3. Consideration of unfinished business in which the House may have been engaged at an adjournment, except business in the morning hour and pro- ceedings postponed under clause 8 of rule XX, shall be resumed as soon as the business on the Speaker’s table is finished, and at the same time  each day thereafter until disposed of. The consideration of all other unfinished business shall be resumed whenever the class of business to which it belongs shall be in order under the rules.

4. After the unfinished business has been disposed of, the Speaker shall call each standing committee in regular order and then select committees. Each committee when named may call up for consideration a bill or resolution re- ported by it on a previous day and on the House Calendar. If the Speaker does not complete the call of the com- mittees before the House passes to other business, the next call shall re- sume at the point it left off, giving preference to the last bill or resolution under consideration. A committee that has occupied the call for two days may not call up another bill or resolution until the other committees have been called in their turn.

5. After consideration of bills or resolutions under clause 4 for one hour, it shall be in order, pending consideration thereof, to entertain a motion that the House resolve into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union or, when authorized by a com- mittee, that the House resolve into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to consider a par- ticular bill. Such a motion shall be subject to only one amendment desig- nating another bill. If such a motion is decided in the negative, another such motion may not be considered until the matter that was pending when such motion was offered is disposed of.

6. All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided by a majority without debate.

RULE XV, BUSINESS IN ORDER ON SPECIAL DAYS

Suspensions

1. (a) A rule may not be suspended ex- cept by a vote of two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being present. The Speaker may not enter- tain a motion that the House suspend the rules except on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and during the last six days of a session of Congress.

(b) Pending a motion that the House suspend the rules, the Speaker may en- tertain one motion that the House ad- journ but may not entertain any other motion until the vote is taken on the suspension.

(c) A motion that the House suspend the rules is debatable for 40 minutes, one-half in favor of the motion and one-half in opposition thereto.

Discharge motions

2. (a)(1) A Member may present to the Clerk a motion in writing to discharge—

1. a committee from consider- ation of a public bill or public resolu- tion that has been referred to it for 30 legislative days; or
2. the Committee on Rules from consideration of a resolution that has been referred to it for seven legisla- tive days and that proposes a special order of business for the consider- ation of a public bill or public resolu- tion that has been reported by a com- mittee or has been referred to a com- mittee for 30 legislative days.

(2) Only one motion may be presented for a bill or resolution. A Member may not file a motion to discharge the Com- mittee on Rules from consideration of a resolution providing for the consider- ation of more than one public bill or public resolution or admitting or ef- fecting a nongermane amendment to a public bill or public resolution.

(b) A motion presented under para- graph (a) shall be placed in the custody of the Clerk, who shall arrange a con- venient place for the signatures of Members. A signature may be with- drawn by a Member in writing at any time before a motion is entered on the Journal. The Clerk shall make the sig- natories a matter of public record, causing the names of the Members who have signed a discharge motion during a week to be published in a portion of the Congressional Record designated for that purpose on the last legislative day of the week and making cumu- lative lists of such names  available each day for public inspection in an ap- propriate office of the House. The Clerk shall devise a means for making such lists available to offices of the House and to the public in electronic form. When a majority of the total member- ship of the House shall have signed the motion, it shall be entered on the Jour- nal, published with the signatories thereto in the Record, and referred to the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees.

(c)(1) A motion to discharge that has been on the calendar for at least seven legislative days (except during the last six days of a session of Congress) shall be privileged only at a time or place, designated by the Speaker, in the legis- lative schedule within two legislative days after the day on which a Member whose signature appears thereon an- nounces to the House an intention to offer the motion. When such a motion is called up, the House shall proceed to its consideration under this paragraph without intervening motion except one motion to adjourn. Privileged motions to discharge shall have precedence in the order of their entry on the Journal.

(2) When a motion to discharge is called up, the bill or resolution to which it relates shall be read by title only. The motion is debatable for 20 minutes, one-half in favor of the mo- tion and one-half in opposition thereto.

(d)(1) If a motion prevails to  dis- charge the Committee on Rules from consideration of a resolution, the House shall immediately consider the resolution, pending which the Speaker may entertain one motion that the House adjourn but may not entertain any other dilatory motion until the resolution has been disposed of. If the resolution is adopted, the House shall immediately proceed to its execution.

(2) If a motion prevails to discharge a committee from consideration of a public bill or public resolution, a mo- tion that the House proceed to the im- mediate consideration of such bill or resolution shall be privileged if offered by a Member whose signature appeared on the motion to discharge. The mo- tion to proceed is not debatable. If the motion to proceed is adopted, the bill or resolution shall be considered imme- diately under the general rules of the House. If unfinished before adjourn- ment of the day on which it is called up, the bill or resolution shall remain the unfinished business until it is dis- posed of. If the motion to proceed is re- jected, the bill or resolution shall be referred to the appropriate calendar, where it shall have the same status as if the committee from which it was dis- charged had duly reported it to the House.

(e)(1) When a motion to discharge originated under this clause has once been acted on by the House, it shall not be in order to entertain during the same session of Congress—

1. a motion to discharge a com- mittee from  consideration  of  that bill or resolution or of any other bill or resolution that, by relating in sub- stance to or dealing with the same subject matter, is substantially the same; or
2. a motion to discharge the Com- mittee on Rules  from  consideration of a resolution providing a special order of business for the consider- ation of that bill or resolution or of any other bill or resolution that, by relating in substance to or dealing with the same subject matter, is sub- stantially the same.

(2) A motion to discharge on the Cal- endar of Motions to Discharge Commit- tees that is rendered out of order under subparagraph (1) shall be stricken from that calendar.

Adverse report by the Committee on Rules, second and fourth Mondays

3. An adverse report by the Com- mittee on Rules on a resolution proposing a special order of business for the consideration of a public bill or public joint resolution may  be  called up under clause 6(e) of rule XIII as a privileged question by a Member, Dele- gate, or Resident Commissioner on the second and fourth Mondays of a month.

4. (RESERVED.)

Private Calendar

5. (a) On the first Tuesday of a month, the Speaker shall direct the Clerk to call the bills and resolutions on the Private Calendar after disposal of such business on the Speaker’s table as requires reference only. If two or more Members, Delegates, or the Resi- dent Commissioner object to the con- sideration of a bill or resolution so called, it shall be recommitted to the committee that reported it. No other business shall be in order before com- pletion of the call of the Private Cal- endar on this day unless two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being present, agree to a motion that the House dispense with the call.

(b)(1) On any day, after the disposal of such business on the Speaker’s table as requires reference only, the Speaker may direct the Clerk to call any bill or resolution that has been on the Private Calendar for at least seven days, but only on the second legislative day after the legislative day on which the Speak- er or a designee announces to the House an intention to do so. Preference shall be given to omnibus bills con- taining the texts of bills or resolutions that have previously been objected to on a call of the Private  Calendar.  If two or more Members, Delegates,  or the Resident Commissioner object to the consideration of a bill or resolution so called (other than an omnibus bill), it shall be recommitted to the com- mittee that reported it. Two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being present, may adopt a motion that the House dispense with the call on this day.

(2) Omnibus bills shall be read for amendment by paragraph. No amend- ment shall be in order except to strike or to reduce amounts of money or to provide limitations. An item or matter stricken from an omnibus bill may not thereafter during the same session of Congress be included in an omnibus bill. Upon passage such an omnibus bill shall be resolved into the several bills and resolutions of which it is com- posed. The several bills and resolu- tions, with any amendments  adopted by the House, shall be engrossed, when necessary, and otherwise considered as passed severally by the House as dis- tinct bills and resolutions.

(c) The Speaker may not entertain a reservation of the right to object to the consideration of a bill or resolution under this clause. A bill or resolution considered under this clause shall be considered in the House as in the Com- mittee of the Whole. A motion to dis- pense with the call of the Private Cal- endar under this clause shall be privi- leged. Debate on such a motion shall be limited to five minutes in support and five minutes in opposition.

Calendar Call of Committees, Wednesdays

6. (a) On Wednesday of each week, business shall not be in order before completion of the call of those commit- tees (except as provided by clause 4 of rule XIV) whose chair, or other mem- ber authorized by the committee, has announced to the House a request for such call on the preceding legislative day.

(b) A bill or resolution on either the House or the Union Calendar, except bills or resolutions that are privileged under the Rules of the House, may be called under this clause. A bill or reso- lution called up from the Union Cal- endar shall be considered in the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the state of the Union without motion, subject to clause 3 of rule XVI. General debate on a measure considered under this clause shall be confined to the measure and may not exceed two hours equally divided between a proponent and an op- ponent.

(c) This clause does not apply during the last two weeks of a session of Con- gress.

(d) Precedents, rulings, or procedures in effect before the One Hundred Elev- enth Congress regarding the priority of business and the availability of other business on Wednesday shall be applied only to the extent consistent with this clause.

Consensus Calendar

7. (a)(1) At least once during any week in which the House convenes, the House shall consider a measure on the Consensus Calendar as designated by the Speaker.

(2) This paragraph does not apply be- fore March 1 of an odd-numbered year or after September 30 of an even-num- bered year.

(b)(1) The sponsor of a measure that has accumulated 290 cosponsors and has not been reported by the com- mittee of primary jurisdiction may present to the Clerk a motion in writ- ing to place that measure on the Con- sensus Calendar.

(2) A proper motion presented under subparagraph (1) shall be placed in the custody of the Clerk, and shall appear in a portion of the  Congressional Record designated for that  purpose. The Clerk shall maintain a cumulative list of such motions, and shall make such list publicly available in elec- tronic form.

(3) A motion presented under sub- paragraph (1) shall be considered as withdrawn if the measure is reported by the committee of primary jurisdic- tion prior to its placement on the Con- sensus Calendar.

(c) After a measure has maintained at least 290 cosponsors for a cumulative period of 25 legislative days after the presentation of a motion under para- graph (b)(1), the measure shall be placed on the Consensus Calendar. Such measure shall remain on the Con- sensus Calendar until it is—

1. considered in the House; or
2. reported by the committee of primary jurisdiction.

RULE XVI, MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS

Motions

1. Every motion entertained by the Speaker shall be reduced to writing on the demand of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner and, unless it is withdrawn the same day, shall be en- tered on the Journal with the name of the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner offering it. A dilatory motion may not be entertained by the Speaker.

Withdrawal

2. When a motion is entertained, the Speaker shall state it or cause it to be read aloud by the Clerk before it is de- bated. The motion then shall be in the possession of the House but may be withdrawn at any time before a deci- sion or amendment thereon.

Question of consideration

3. When a motion or proposition is entertained, the question, ‘‘Will the House now consider it?’’ may  not  be put unless demanded by a Member, Del- egate, or Resident Commissioner.

Precedence of motions

4. (a) When a question is under de- bate, only the following motions may be entertained (which shall have prece- dence in the following order):

1. To adjourn.
2. To lay on the table.
3. For the previous question.
4. To postpone to a day certain.
5. To refer.
6. To amend.
7. To postpone indefinitely.

(b) A motion to adjourn, to  lay  on the table, or for the previous question shall be decided without debate. A mo- tion to postpone to a day certain, to refer, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, may not be allowed again on the same day at the same stage of the question.

(c)(1) It shall be in order at any time for the Speaker, in the  discretion  of the Speaker, to entertain a motion—

1. that the Speaker be authorized to declare a recess; or
2. that when the House adjourns it stand adjourned to a day and time certain.

(2) Either motion shall be of equal privilege with the motion to adjourn and shall be decided without debate.

Divisibility

5. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a question shall be divided on the demand of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner before the question is put if it includes propo- sitions so distinct in substance  that, one being taken away, a substantive proposition remains.

(b)(1) A motion or resolution to elect members to  a standing  committee  of the House, or to a joint standing com- mittee, is not divisible.