house committee assignment rules

The House’s committees consider bills and issues and oversee agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions.

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• Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump
• Joint Economic Committee
• Joint Committee on the Library
• Joint Committee on Printing
• Joint Committee on Taxation

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• 118th Congress, 2nd Session

Committee Profiles

• Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development
• Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology
• General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit
• Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture
• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
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• Legislative Branch
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• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
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• Intelligence and Special Operations
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• Strategic Forces
• Tactical Air and Land Forces
• Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
• Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
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• Workforce Protections
• Communications and Technology
• Energy, Climate, and Grid Security
• Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials
• Innovation, Data, and Commerce
• Oversight and Investigations
• Capital Markets
• Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion
• Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy
• Housing and Insurance
• National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions
• Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
• Indo-Pacific
• Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia
• Oversight and Accountability
• Western Hemisphere
• Border Security and Enforcement
• Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection
• Emergency Management and Technology
• Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability
• Transportation and Maritime Security
• Modernization
• The Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust
• The Constitution and Limited Government
• Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet
• Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
• Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
• Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight
• Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
• Energy and Mineral Resources
• Federal Lands
• Indian and Insular Affairs
• Water, Wildlife and Fisheries
• Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation
• Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs
• Government Operations and the Federal Workforce
• Health Care and Financial Services
• National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs
• Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic
• Legislative and Budget Process
• Rules and Organization of the House
• Environment
• Investigations and Oversight
• Research and Technology
• Space and Aeronautics
• Contracting and Infrastructure
• Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access
• Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development
• Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations
• Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains
• Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
• Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
• Highways and Transit
• Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
• Water Resources and Environment
• Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
• Economic Opportunity
• Technology Modernization
• Social Security
• Work and Welfare
• Central Intelligence Agency
• Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture
• National Intelligence Enterprise
• National Security Agency and Cyber

• Committee Rules

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COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

118th CONGRESS

A RESOLUTION

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 118-01

Be it resolved , that the Rules of the Committee on House Administration for the 118th Congress are hereby adopted, as follows

Rules of the Committee on House Administration for the 118th Congress

Rule 1— General Provisions

• Should changes be adopted by the House of Representatives to the Rules of the House of Representatives, such new version of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall immediately be incorporated by reference without intervening Committee action.
• Should new or amended statutory requirements imposed on the Committee be adopted, such new or amended requirements shall be immediately incorporated by reference without intervening Committee action.
• A motion to recess from day to day, or to recess subject to the call of the Chairman (within 24 hours), shall be privileged; and
• A motion to dispense with the first reading (in full) of a bill or resolution shall be privileged if printed copies are available.
• Each subcommittee is a part of the Committee and is subject to the authority and direction of the Committee and the Committee Rules, so far as applicable.
• Such hearings shall include a focus on the most egregious examples of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement as documented by any report the Committee has received from a Federal Office of the Inspector General or the Comptroller of the United States.
• The Committee shall hold at least one hearing during any session in which the Committee receives disclaimers of agency financial statements of any Federal agency that it authorizes or such disclaimers from representatives of any such agency.
• The Committee shall hold at least one hearing on issues raised by reports issued by the Comptroller of the United States indicating that Federal programs or operations that the Committee authorizes are at high risk of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement known as the “high-risk list” or the “high-risk series”.
• The committee is authorized at any time to conduct such investigations and studies as it may consider necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its responsibilities under House Rule X, and, subject to the adoption of expense resolutions as required by Rule X, clause 6 of the Rules of the House of Representatives to incur expenses (including travel expenses) in connection therewith.
• A proposed investigative or oversight report shall be considered as read in Committee if it has been available to the members of the Committee for at least 24 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day).
• 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 requirements for approval and filing of the report.
• After an adjournment  sine die  of the last regular session of a Congress, an investigative or oversight report may be filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives 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 fewer than seven calendar days in which to submit such views for inclusion in the report.
• The Committee is authorized to have printed and bound testimony and other data presented at hearings held by the committee or as otherwise determined by the Chairman, and to make such information available to the public. All costs of stenographic services and transcripts in connection with any meeting, hearing, or other activity of the Committee shall be paid from the applicable accounts of the House described in clause 1(k)(1) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
• Separate sections summarizing the legislative and oversight activities of the Committee during the Congress;
• A summary of the authorization and oversight plans submitted by the Committee under clause 2(d) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives;
• A summary of the actions taken and recommendations made with respect to the authorization and oversight plans specified in subparagraph (2), above;
• A summary of any additional oversight activities undertaken by the Committee and any recommendations made or actions taken thereon;
• A delineation of any hearings held pursuant to clauses 2(n), 2(o), or 2 (p) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives; and
• A list of hearings conducted with remote witness participation.
• A copy of the report has been available to each member of the Committee for at least seven calendar days; and
• The report includes any supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views submitted by a member of the Committee.
• The Committee’s Rules shall be made publicly available in electronic form and published in the Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the Committee is organized in each odd-numbered year.
• All words, phrases, and terms of art have the meanings given them in the U.S. Constitution or the Rules of the House of Representatives or, in the alternative, their meanings in usual congressional or parliamentary usage or daily usage.
• “Chairman” means the member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker to lead the Committee on House Administration or, when context requires, the member of the Committee appointed by the Chairman to lead a given subcommittee.
• “Clerk” means the Clerk of the Committee. References to the Clerk of the House will be express.
• “Committee” means the Committee on House Administration of the U.S. House of Representatives or, when context requires, a subcommittee of the Committee.
• “Committee Rules” mean this document, as may be duly amended by the Committee.
• “House of Representatives” or “House” means the U.S. House of Representatives.
• “House Rules” means the Rules of the House of Representatives. When used in the singular, this refers to a specific provision of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

Rule 2— Regular and Special Meetings

• The provisions of Rule 9 of these Committee Rules shall apply as applicable to hearings except as described below in this Rule 2.
• The regular meeting date of the Committee on House Administration shall be the second Wednesday of every month when the House is in session in accordance with clause 2(b) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. If the House is not in session on the second Wednesday of the month, the regular meeting date shall be the third Wednesday of that month.
• Additional meetings may be called by the Chairman of the Committee as he deems necessary or at the request of a majority of the members of the Committee in accordance with clause 2(c) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
• The determination of the business to be considered at each meeting shall be made by the Chairman in accordance with clause 2(c) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. A regularly scheduled meeting may be dispensed with, if, in the judgment of the Chair, there is no need for the meeting.
• To the extent practicable, the Chairman shall call to order promptly all scheduled meetings.
• If the Chairman is not present at any meeting of the Committee, the ranking member of the majority party who is present shall preside at the meeting.
• The Chairman shall make public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of any meeting to be conducted on any measure or matter. Such meetings shall not commence earlier than the third calendar day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day) on which members of the Committee have notice thereof.
• If the Chairman, with the concurrence of the ranking minority member, determines that there is good cause to schedule or to begin sooner a meeting of the Committee (or if the Committee so determines by majority vote, a quorum being present), the Chair shall make the announcement at the earliest possible date. The announcement shall be made available publicly in electronic form and published in the Daily Digest.
• The Chairman shall make available publicly in electronic form at least 24 hours before a meeting of the Committee the text of any legislation, resolution, regulation, or other document to be marked up, provided that the text of any legislation, resolution, regulation, or other document to be marked up at a hearing announced with fewer than 24 hours’ notice pursuant to pursuant to Paragraph (d), above, shall be made available publicly with such announcement.

Rule 3— Open Meetings

• As required by clause 2(g) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, each meeting for the transaction of business, including for the mark-up of legislation by the Committee, shall be open to the public except when the Committee in open session and with a quorum present determines by record vote that all or part of the remainder of the meeting on that day shall be closed to the public because disclosure of matters to be considered would endanger national security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, would tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or would otherwise violate any relevant law or the Rules of the House of Representatives.
• No person other than members of the Committee and such congressional staff and such other persons as the Committee may authorize shall be present in any Committee meeting that has been closed to the public.
• The Committee may vote by the same procedure described above in Paragraph (a) to close one subsequent day of hearing.

Rule 4— Records and Roll Calls

• A record vote shall be held if requested by any member of the Committee.
• The result of each record vote in any meeting of the Committee shall be available for inspection by the public at reasonable times at the Committee offices, including a description of the amendment, motion, order, or other proposition voted upon, the name of each member voting for and against such proposition, and a list of the members present but not voting.
• The Chairman shall make available publicly in electronic form the record of the votes on any question on which a record vote is demanded not later than 48 hours after such vote is taken (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day). Such record shall include a description of the amendment, motion, order, or other proposition voted upon, the name of each member voting for and against such proposition, and a list of the members present but not voting.
• The Chairman shall make available publicly in electronic form the text of any amendment to a measure or matter adopted by the Committee not later than 24 hours after such amendment is adopted.
• Subject to subparagraph (2), below, the Chairman may postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an amendment. The Chair may resume proceedings on a postponed request at any time.
• In exercising postponement authority under subparagraph (1), above, the Chairman shall take all reasonable steps necessary to notify members of the resumption of proceedings on any postponed record vote.
• When proceedings resume on a postponed question, notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to further debate or amendment to the same extent as before the question was postponed.
• All Committee hearings, records, data, and files shall be kept separate and distinct from the congressional office records of the Chairman and shall constitute property of the House of Representatives and, pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives, all members of the House of Representatives shall have access thereto.
• Committee records that are held at the National Archives shall be made available pursuant to Rule VII of the Rules of the House of Representatives. The Chairman shall notify the ranking minority member of any decision to withhold a record pursuant to such Rule for disposition upon written request of any Committee member.
• To the maximum extent feasible, the Committee shall make its publications available in electronic form, keeping in mind the importance of accessibility standards and machine-readable formats to the Committee’s openness and transparency goals.
• Unless the Chairman, in consultation with the ranking minority member, deems it appropriate, the Committee shall not conduct business by poll.

Rule 5— Proxies and Remote Participation

• No vote by any member of the Committee may be cast other than in person at the location where the Committee is sitting, including, but not limited to, through the use of a remote participation software platform, by proxy, or through other means.
• such witness is appearing in a non-governmental capacity;
• such witness is not appearing in response to a subpoena (unless both the Chairman and the Majority Leader authorize such testimony in writing and publish their authorization in the Congressional Record);
• the testimony of such witness is necessary; and
• such witness is only available to participate if such authorization to appear remotely is granted due to extreme hardship or other exceptional circumstances.
• a letter from the chair detailing the necessity of allowing the witness to participate remotely;
• a description of why the witness could not participate in person;
• an explanation of why such testimony was necessary for purposes of fulfilling Congress’ Article I responsibility; and
• a letter from the Majority Leader approving such remote participation.
• The witness should conduct a pre-hearing technology test with staff designated for this purpose by the Chairman to ensure that the witness will have sufficient internet access during the hearing and to minimize the possibility of any technical issues.
• Any text-based or private messaging function in the remote participation software platform must be disabled unless it is used to provide technical support to the witness. Such support conversations may be excluded from the public video stream and will not be considered a committee record.
• Only witnesses approved for remote participation may have participatory access on the remote participation software platform.
• A witness participating remotely should appear before a non-partisan, professionally appropriate background that is minimally distracting to members and to other witnesses to the greatest extent possible. The Chairman reserves the authority to enforce rules of decorum for all committee proceedings.
• A witness participating remotely shall be visible on-screen within the remote participation software platform until excused by the Chairman. Further, such witness must agree to remain on the remote participation software platform until excused by the Chairman.
• A witness participating remotely shall disclose to the Chairman and ranking minority member any additional individual(s) present with such witness but not visible on screen.
• Counsel for a witness participating remotely shall be allowed access to the remote participation software platform if they are not in the physical presence of such witness. It is recommended that counsel facilitate a separate secure line of communication with the witness. A witness may not be unmuted by any other individual and should be allowed to use such secure line of communication while testifying to confer with counsel.
• A witness may not allow an individual not invited to testify to speak on the platform. The Chairman may only provide an exception when the other individual is necessary to facilitate the witness’s participation in the hearing (including for translation services).
• The Chairman may not authorize remote participation by more than one witness at a committee hearing without the written approval of the Majority Leader published in the Congressional Record.
• The regulations described in Paragraph (b), above, are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. A copy of such regulations in effect as of the date of the Committee’s adoption of these Rules is printed above solely for convenience but shall in no way control in the event of a conflict with the regulations adopted by the Committee on Rules. Further, should the Committee on Rules adopt changes to such regulations or new regulations pertaining to this subject matter, such regulations shall immediately and without intervening action be made part of the Committee Rules by this reference as if fully set forth herein, replacing the previous version. In such case, adoption by the Committee on Rules shall be sufficient notice to all members of the Committee of this change.

Rule 6— Power to Sit and Act; Subpoena Power

• 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
• to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and/or the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, documents, and other materials, whether tangible or intangible, that the Committee deems necessary.
• The Chairman or any member of the Committee designated by the Chairman, may administer oaths to any witnesses.
• A subpoena may be authorized and issued by the Chairman in accordance with clause 2(m) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives in the conduct of any investigation or activity or series of investigations or activities within the jurisdiction of the Committee.
• Following authorization and issuance of such subpoena, the Chairman shall notify the ranking minority member and shall provide such member a full copy of the proposed subpoena, including any proposed document schedule, at that time.
• A subpoena  duces tecum  may specify terms of return other than at a meeting or hearing the Committee.
• The Committee may issue subpoenas for documents or testimony to any person or entity, whether governmental, public, or private, within the United States, including, but not limited to, the President, Vice President, whether current or former, in a personal 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 Executive Office of the President.

Rule 7— Quorums

• No measure or recommendation shall be reported to the House unless a majority of the Committee is actually present.
• For purposes of taking any action other than reporting any measure, issuance of subpoena, closing meetings, promulgating Committee orders or regulations, or changing the Rules of the Committee, one-third of the members of the Committee actually present shall constitute a quorum.
• For purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence, two members actually present shall constitute a quorum.

Rule 8— Amendments

• Any amendment offered to any pending legislation before Committee must be made available in written form. If such amendment is not available in written form, the Chairman will allow an appropriate period of time for the provision thereof.
• In general, members of the Committee shall endeavor to submit all amendments electronically. If such amendment is not available in electronic form, the Chairman will allow an appropriate period of time for the creation thereof.
• Amendments submitted in writing and electronically at least 24 hours before the Committee’s consideration of the measure or matter.
• Amendments submitted in writing and electronically but fewer than 24 hours before the Committee’s consideration of the measure or matter.
• Amendments submitted in writing but not electronically.

Rule 9— Hearing Procedures

• The provisions of Rule 2 of the Committee Rules shall apply as applicable to hearings except as described below in this Rule 9.
• The Chairman shall make public announcement of the date, time, place, and subject matter of any hearing to be conducted on any measure or matter at least seven days before the commencement of that hearing.
• Pursuant to Committee precedent, this requirement shall be fulfilled if the Chairman permits the minority members of the Committee to call at least one witness during at least one day of hearings on a measure or matter, even if the minority members of the Committee choose not to call a witness.
• This provision shall not apply to the Subcommittee on Modernization.
• Pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(B) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the five-minute period for questioning a witness by any one member may be extended.
• Pursuant to Committee precedent, the Chair may decline to extend a member’s time for questioning.
• The Chairman shall establish a reasonable order for the questioning of witness by members of the Committee.
• Pursuant to clause 2(j)(2)(C) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, Committee may adopt a motion permitting committee staff for its majority and minority party members to question a witness for equal specified periods. The time for extended questioning of a witness under this paragraph shall be equal for the majority party and the minority party and shall not exceed one hour in the aggregate.
• Pursuant to clause 2(g)(C) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, a member of the House of Representatives may not be excluded from nonparticipatory attendance at a hearing of the Committee unless the House by majority vote authorizes the Committee to close certain proceedings to members of the House who are not members of the Committee.
• An accurate and up-to-date curriculum vitae;
• 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
• The amount and country of origin of any payment or contract related to the subject matter of the hearing originating with a foreign government.
• A disclosure of whether the witness is a fiduciary (including, but not limited to, a director, officer, advisor, or resident agent) of any organization or entity that has an interest in the subject matter of the hearing.
• Such submissions by non-governmental witnesses, with appropriate redactions to protect the privacy or security of the witness, shall be made available publicly in electronic form 24 hours before the witness appears to the extent practicable, but not later than one day after the witness appears.
• All witnesses who appear before the Committee shall limit their initial presentations to the Committee to brief summaries of their testimony.
• Pursuant to clause 5 of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Chairman may, in his discretion, choose to reimburse witnesses who demonstrate extreme indigency or who would otherwise not be able to appear before the Committee for actual expenses of travel to or from the place of examination, provided that the witness is not local to the place of examination.
• The Chairman shall announce in an opening statement the subject of a hearing’s investigation.
• A copy of the Committee Rules and clause 2(k) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall be made available to each witness.
• Witnesses at hearings may be accompanied by their own counsel for the purpose of advising them concerning their constitutional rights.
• The Chair may punish breaches of order and decorum and of breaches of professional ethics on the part of counsel by censure and exclusion from hearings. The Committee may cite the offender to the House for contempt.
• Notwithstanding clause 2(g) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, such testimony or evidence shall be presented in executive session if, in the presence of at least two members actually present, the committee determines by majority vote that such evidence or testimony may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person; and
• The committee shall proceed to receive such testimony in open session only if the committee, a majority being present, determines that such evidence or testimony will not tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person. In either case, the committee shall afford such person an opportunity voluntarily to appear as a witness and receive and dispose of requests from such person to subpoena additional witnesses.
• Except as provided in subparagraph (5), above, the Chairman shall receive and the Committee shall dispose of requests to subpoena additional witnesses.
• Evidence or testimony taken in executive session and proceedings conducted in executive session may be released or used in public sessions only when authorized by the Committee, a majority being present.
• In the discretion of the committee, witnesses may submit brief and pertinent sworn statements for inclusion in the record. The Committee is the sole judge of the pertinence of testimony and evidence adduced at its hearing.
• A witness may obtain a transcript copy of the testimony such witness given at a public session or, if given at an executive session, when authorized by the Committee.

Rule 10— Procedures for Reporting Measures or Matters

(a) (1) The Chairman shall report or cause to be reported promptly to the House of Representatives any measure approved by the Committee and to take or cause to be taken all steps necessary to bring such measure to a vote.

(2) In any event, the Committee’s report on a measure that has been approved by the Committee shall be filed within seven calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day) after the day on which there has been filed with the Clerk of the Committee a written request, signed by a majority of the members of the Committee, for the reporting of that measure. Upon the filing of any such request, the Clerk of the committee shall transmit immediately to the Chairman notice of the filing of such request.

(b) (1) No measure or recommendation shall be reported to the House unless a majority of the Committee is actually present.

(2) With respect to each record vote on a motion to report any measure or matter of a public character and on any amendment offered to such measure or matter, the total number of votes case for and against, the names of those members voting for and against, and the specific votes of those members, whether for or against, shall be included in the Committee report on the measure or matter.

(c) The Committee’s report on a measure or matter that has been approved by the Committee shall include the matters required by clause 3(c) of Rule XII of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

(d) If, at the time any measure or matter is ordered reported by the Committee, any member of the Committee gives notice of intention to file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views, that member shall be entitled to no fewer than two additional calendar days (not to include Saturdays or Sundays or legal holidays unless the House is in session on such a day) to file such views in writing and signed by such member with the Clerk of the Committee. All such views so filed by one or more members of the Committee shall be included within and shall be part of the Committee’s report on such measure or matter. The Committee’s report with respect to such measure or matter shall be produced electronically and be printed in a single volume (unless practicality requires additional volumes) that

(1) Shall include all supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views as far as practicable in the form submitted by the time of the filing of the report; and

(2) Shall bear upon its cover a recital that any such supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views (and any material submitted under paragraph (c), above) are included as part of the report. This subparagraph does not preclude

i. The immediate filing or printing of a Committee report unless timely request for the opportunity to file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views has been made as provided in paragraph (c), above;

ii. The filing of any supplemental report upon any measure or matter that may be required for the correction of any technical error in a previous report made by the Committee upon that measure or matter.

(3) Shall, when appropriate, contain the documents required by clause 3(e) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

(e) The Chairman is directed to offer a motion under clause 1 of Rule XXII of the Rules of the House of Representatives whenever the Chairman considers it appropriate. The Chairman shall notify the ranking minority member of his decision.

(f) If the Committee has held hearings on a measure or matter to be considered in the House, the Committee shall make every reasonable effort to have such hearings published and available to members of the House prior to such consideration.

(g) The Chairman may designate any majority member of the Committee to manage time during the consideration of a bill or resolution by the House.

Rule 11— Committee Oversight

• The Committee shall conduct oversight of matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee in accordance with clauses 2 and 4 of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
• Pursuant to clause 2(d) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee shall no later than March 1 adopt at a meeting open to the public and with a quorum present its Authorization and Oversight plan for that Congress.

Rule 12— Review of Continuing Programs; Budget Act Provisions

• The Committee shall, in its consideration of all bills and joint resolutions of public character within its jurisdiction, ensure that appropriation for continuing programs and activities of the Federal Government will be made annually to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with the nature, requirement, and objectives of the programs and activities involved.
• The Committee shall review from time to time each continuing program within its jurisdictions for which appropriations are not made annually in order to ascertain whether such program could be modified so that appropriations therefore would be made annually.
• Its views and estimates with respect 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
• An estimate of the total amounts of new budget authority and budget outlays resulting thereform, to be provided or authorized in all bills and resolutions within its jurisdiction that it intends to be effective during that fiscal year.
• Whenever the Committee is directed in a concurrent resolution on the budget to determine and recommend changes in laws, bills, or resolutions under the reconciliation process, it shall promptly make such determination and recommendations and report a reconciliation bill or resolution (or both) to the House of Representatives or submit such recommendations to the Committee on the Budget in accordance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Rule 13— A Transparent and Open Committee

• The Chairman shall maintain an official Committee website for the purpose of furthering the Committee’s legislative and oversight responsibilities and other activities, including communicating information about the Committee’s activities to members of the Committee, to other members of the House of Representatives, and to the public. The ranking minority member may maintain a similar website for the same purpose, including communicating information about the activities of the minority members to members of the Committee, to other members of the House of Representatives, and to the public.
• For the education, enlightenment, and information of the general public, on the basis of accurate and impartial news coverage, regarding the operations, procedures, and practices 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 thereof; and
• 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.
• The Committee may not limit the number of television or still cameras to fewer than two representatives from each medium (except for legitimate space or safety considerations, in which case pool coverage shall be authorized).
• Pursuant to clause 4(b) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, no audio or video recordings of Committee proceedings may be used or made available for any partisan political campaign purpose.
• 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
• 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.
• If audio or visual coverage of Committee proceedings is to be presented to the public as live coverage, that coverage shall be conducted without commercial sponsorship.
• The allocation among the television media of the positions or the number of television cameras permitted by the Chairman in a Committee hearing or meeting room shall be in accordance with fair and equitable procedures devised by the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Galleries.
• Television cameras shall be placed so as not to obstruct in any way the space between a witness giving evidence or testimony and any member of the Committee or the visibility of that witness and that member to each other.
• Television cameras shall operate from fixed positions but may not be placed in positions that obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing or meeting by the other media.
• Equipment necessary for coverage by the television and radio media may not be installed in, or removed from, the Committee hearing or meeting room while the Committee is in session.
• Except as provided in subsubparagraph (ii), below, floodlights, spotlights, strobelights, and flashguns may not be used in providing any method of coverage of Committee proceedings.
• Pursuant to approval by the Chairman, the television media may install additional lighting in the Committee’s rooms, without cost to the Government, in order to raise the ambient lighting level to the lowest level necessary to provide adequate television coverage of Committee proceedings at the current state of the art for television coverage.
• If requests are made by more of the media than will be permitted by the Chairman 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.
• Photographers may not position themselves between the witness table and the members of the Committee at any time during the course of a Committee proceeding.
• Photographers may not place themselves in positions that obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing by the other media.
• Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media shall be currently accredited to the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Galleries.
• Personnel providing coverage by still photography shall be currently accredited to the Press Photographer’s Gallery.
• Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media and by still photographer shall conduct themselves and their coverage activities in an orderly and unobtrusive manner.

Rule 14— Committee Staff

• The staff shall be appointed by the Chairman except as provided in subparagraph (2), below, may be removed by the Chairman, and shall work under the general supervision and direction of the Chairman.
• All staff provided to the minority party members of the Committee shall be appointed by the ranking minority member, may be removed by the ranking minority member of the Committee, and shall be under the general supervision and direction of such member.
• The appointment of all professional staff shall be subject to the approval of the Committee as provided by and subject to the provisions of clause 9 of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
• The Chairman shall fix the compensation of all staff of the Committee (including following consultation with the ranking minority member of the Committee for the staff provided to the minority party members) within the budget approved for such purposes by the Committee.
• Upon such appointment, the Chairman shall inform the Committee.
• Further, the Chairman is authorized to appoint an acting Clerk of the Committee to perform the required and usual duties of the Clerk of the Committee on behalf of the Committee until a permanent clerk is named.
• Further, the Chairman is authorized to appoint an acting Parliamentarian of the Committee to perform the required and usual duties of the Parliamentarian of the Committee on behalf of the Committee until a permanent parliamentarian is named.

Rule 15— Travel of Members and Staff

• Consistent with the primary expense resolution and such additional expense resolutions as may have been approved, the provisions of this Rule 15 shall govern travel of Committee members and staff.
• Travel for any member of or staff to the Committee shall be paid only upon the prior authorization of the Chairman or his designee.
• The purpose of the travel;
• The dates during which the travel will occur;
• The locations to be visited and the length of time to be spent in each; and
• The names of members and staff seeking authorization.
• The Chairman must provide prior authorization in the case of travel outside the United States by members or staff of the Committee for the purpose of conducting Committee business involving activities or subject matter under the legislative or oversight assignment of the Committee.
• The locations, including country names, to be visited and the length of time to be spent in each;
• An agenda of anticipated activities for each country for which travel is authorized together with a description of the purpose to be served and the areas of committee jurisdiction involved; and
• The names of members and staff for whom authorization is sought.
• At the conclusion of any Committee business outside of the United States authorized by this Rule 15, the members and staff attending such Committee business shall submit to the Chairman a written report of their activities and other pertinent observations or information gained as a result of such travel.
• During any authorized travel on official business authorized by the Committee, members and staff of shall be governed by all applicable law, the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Rules of the Committee, and any applicable resolutions or regulations of the House of Representatives or the Committee.

Rule 16— Depositions

• Notices for the taking of depositions shall specify the date, time, and place of examination. Depositions shall be taken under oath administered by a member of the Committee authorized by these Rules to administer oaths. Depositions may continue from day to day.
• Consultation with the ranking minority member shall include three days’ notice before any deposition is taken. All members of the Committee shall also receive three days’ written notice that a deposition will be taken, except in exigent circumstances. For the purposes of these procedures, a day shall not include Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day.
• Witness may be accompanied at a deposition by two designated personal, nongovernmental attorneys to advise them of their rights. Only members of the Committee, Committee staff designed by the Chairman or the ranking minority member, an official reporter, the witness, and the witness’ two designated attorneys are permitted to attend. Other persons, including government agency personnel, may not attend.
• The Chairman may designate a deposition as part of a joint investigation between committees, and, in that case, provide notice of the deposition to the members of the committees. If such a designation is made, the chair and ranking minority member of the additional committee(s) may designate committee staff to attend pursuant to subparagraph (3), above. Members and designated staff may attend and ask questions as set forth below.
• A deposition shall be conducted by any member or committee counsel designated by the chair or ranking minority member of the committee that noticed the deposition. When depositions are conducted by committee counsel, there shall be no more than two committee counsel permitted to question a witness per round. One of the committee counsel shall be designated by the chair and the other by the ranking minority member per round.
• Deposition questions shall be propounded in rounds. The length of each round shall not exceed 60 minutes per side and shall provide equal time to the majority and the minority. In each round, the member(s) or committee counsel designated by the chair shall ask questions first, and the member(s) or committee counsel designated by the ranking minority member shall ask questions second.
• Proceed with the deposition; or
• Either at that time or at a subsequent time, seek a ruling from the Chairman either by telephone or otherwise. If the Chairman overrules any such objection and thereby orders a witness to answer any question to which an objection was lodged, the witness shall be ordered to answer. If a member of the Committee chooses to appeal the ruling of the Chairman, such appeal must be made within three days, in writing, and shall be preserved for Committee consideration. The Committee’s ruling on appeal shall be filed with the Clerk of the Committee and shall be provided to the members of the Committee and witness no fewer than three days before the reconvened deposition. A deponent who refuses to answer a question after being directed to answer by the Chairman may be subject to sanction, except that no sanction may be imposed if the ruling of the Chairman is reversed by the Committee on appeal.
• The Chairman shall ensure that the testimony is either transcribed or electronically recorded or both. If a witness’ testimony is transcribed, the witness or the witness’ attorney shall be afforded an opportunity to review a copy. No later than five days after the witness has been notified of the opportunity to review the transcript, the witness may submit suggested changes to the Chairman. Committee staff may make any typographical and technical changes. Substantive changes, modifications, clarifications, or amendments to the deposition transcript submitted by the witness must be accompanied by a letter signed by the witness requesting the changes and a statement of the witness’ reasons for each proposed change. Any substantive changes, modifications, clarifications, or amendments shall be included as an appendix to the transcript conditioned upon the witness signing the transcript.
• The transcriber shall certify that the transcript is a true record of the testimony, and the transcript shall be filed, together with any electronic record, with the Clerk of the Committee in Washington, D.C. Depositions shall be considered to have been taken in Washington, D.C., as well as the location actually taken once filed with the Clerk of the Committee for the Committee’s use. The Chairman and the ranking minority member shall be provided with a copy of the transcripts of the deposition at the same time.
• The Chairman and ranking minority member shall consult regarding the release of deposition testimony, transcripts, or recordings, and portions thereof. If either objects in writing to a proposed release of deposition testimony, transcript, or recording, or a portion thereof, the matter shall be promptly referred to the Committee for resolution.
• The regulations described in Paragraph (a), above, are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. A copy of such regulations in effect as of the date of the Committee’s adoption of these Rules is printed above solely for convenience but shall in no way control in the event of a conflict with the regulations adopted by the Committee on Rules. Further, should the Committee on Rules adopt changes to such regulations or new regulations pertaining to this subject matter, such regulations shall immediately and without intervening action be made part of the Committee Rules by this reference as if fully set forth herein, replacing the previous version. In such case, adoption by the Committee on Rules shall be sufficient notice to all members of the Committee of this change.

Rule 17— Number and Jurisdiction of Subcommittees

• There shall be three standing subcommittees with party membership ratios as indicated.
• Except as may be noted, each subcommittee shall have jurisdiction as stated by the Committee Rules, may conduct oversight over such subject matter, and may consider legislation as may be referred to it by the Chairman.
• Matters relating to federal elections and such other matters as may be referred to the subcommittee.
• Four majority party members and two minority party members.
• Matters relating to congressional security, accountability of the legislative branch security and safety apparatus, legislative branch operations, and such other matters as may be referred to the subcommittee.
• Matters relating to modernization of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Branch, oversight of implementation of modernization initiatives, and such other matters as may be referred to the subcommittee.
• Two majority party members and two minority party members.
• The Chairman may establish additional subcommittees, including standing, special, and select subcommittees, as well as task forces and panels, each with ratios of membership appropriate for its work, to operate pursuant to jurisdiction assigned by the Chairman and for the period of time determined by the Chairman, which may be for the remainder of the Congress, in all cases as the Chairman determines appropriate. Following such an action, the Chairman shall inform the full Committee.

Rule 18— Referral of Legislation to Subcommittees

• The Chairman may refer legislation or other matters to subcommittees according to their jurisdiction or otherwise as the Chairman considers appropriate. The Chairman may discharge any subcommittee of any matter referred to it.

Rule 19— Powers and Duties of Subcommittees

• Subcommittees are authorized to meet, to hold hearings, to receive evidence, to mark up legislation referred to them, and to report to the full committee on all matters referred to them.
• No subcommittee shall meet during any full Committee meeting, hearing, or other proceeding.

Rule 20— Other Procedures and Regulations

• The Chairman may establish such other procedures and take such actions as may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Committee or to facilitate its effective operation.
• The Chairman may direct staff of the Committee to make any necessary technical or conforming changes to these Rules without intervening Committee action. In all cases, the Chairman shall cause the most current version of the Rules to be available to members of the Committee.

House Committees: Assignment Process

December 1, 2004 – February 25, 2008 98-367

Committee assignments often determine the character of a Member’s career. They are also important to the party leaders who organize the chamber and shape the composition of the committees. House rules identify some procedures for making committee assignments; Republican Conference and Democratic Caucus rules supplement these House rules and provide more specific criteria for committee assignments.

Information on the number of, and limitations on, assignments is provided in CRS Report 98-151, House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments, by Judy Schneider. In general, pursuant to House rules, Representatives cannot serve on more than two standing committees. In addition, both parties identify exclusive committees and generally limit service on them; other panels are identified as nonexclusive or exempt committees. House and party rules restrict Members’ service on the Budget, Intelligence, and Standards of Official Conduct Committees to a limited number of terms.

Introduction

Committee sizes and ratios, factors in making assignments, party organizations, individual member rights.

Committee assignments often determine the character of a Member's career. They are also important to the party leaders who organize the chamber and shape the composition of the committees. House rules identify some procedures for making committee assignments; Republican Conference and Democratic Caucus rules supplement these House rules and provide more specific criteria for committee assignments.

Information on the number of, and limitations on, assignments is provided in CRS Report 98-151, House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments , by [author name scrubbed]. In general, pursuant to House rules, Representatives cannot serve on more than two standing committees. In addition, both parties identify exclusive committees and generally limit service on them; other panels are identified as nonexclusive or exempt committees. House and party rules restrict Members' service on the Budget, Intelligence, and Standards of Official Conduct Committees to a limited number of terms.

Traditionally, the respective party leaders, occasionally with input from committee leaders, negotiate individual committee sizes and ratios prior to the post-general-election early organization meetings, when the assignment process officially begins. Sizes are determined prior to the start of the Congress, although they generally remain fairly constant year after year. When the size of a committee is increased, it is usually done to accommodate individual Member requests for service on a particular panel. In the 110 th Congress, the largest House committee has 75 members; the smallest has 10.

Ratios on committees generally reflect party strength in the chamber. However, it is generally agreed that ratios are done in the aggregate, rather than on a committee-by-committee basis, in part to retain a "working majority" on the more sought-after committees, often the exclusive panels. In contrast to the general practice, one committee, Standards of Official Conduct, has an equal number of majority and minority members, while the Rules Committee has a ratio of 2:1, plus one, in favor of the majority.

Both parties consider a variety of factors in making assignments, including seniority, experience, background, ideology, election margin, state delegation support, leadership support, as well as the special concerns of the Member's district. Further, the leadership often considers geographic balance in making assignments, with Members of the other party not usually counted for such purposes. None of these factors, however, is usually seen as having equal weight for each Member in each instance.

In addition, the rules of the party organizations and the House attempt to ensure an equitable number of assignments for each Member and an equitable distribution of assignments to important committees. However, the so-called "property norm" generally allows returning Members to retain their seats on committees prior to allowing new Members to seek their assignments. In addition, if sizes and ratios are dramatically changed, each party might make exceptions to the property norm.

Both Democrats and Republicans give the assignment function to a "steering committee." For both parties, the steering committee comprises the elected party leadership, numerous Members elected by region from the party membership, and Members appointed by the leadership. Representatives from specific classes—groups of Members elected in a specific year—are also represented.

Each party Member has a representative on his or her party's steering committee, and one role of this representative is to advance the individual Member's choices for assignments. The steering committee for each party votes by secret ballot to arrive at individual recommendations for assignments to standing committees and forwards those recommendations to the full party conference or caucus. (Even recommendations for the House Rules and House Administration Committees' members, which are made by the Speaker and minority leader, are confirmed by the full party conference.) Once ratified by the Republican Conference or Democratic Caucus, the recommendations are forwarded to the House, which votes on simple resolutions officially making the assignments.

Democratic Caucus rules guarantee each Democratic Member assignment to either an exclusive or nonexclusive committee. Further, if a Member's regional representative on the Democratic Steering Committee refuses to nominate the Member to the committee of his or her choice, the Member may ensure consideration by sending a letter, signed by half of his state delegation, to the chair of the Steering Committee. In addition, caucus rules provide for a separate vote by the entire caucus on particular Steering Committee recommendations if a vote is requested by 10 or more Members. Republican Conference rules do not contain similar provisions.

House Committees: Assignment Process