109th Congress, 2nd Session
(Header Image - Office of the Clerk)
Skip Navigation
November 14, 2006
Site Map  Help  Search
Home
Office of the Clerk
Member Information
Committee Information
Legislative Activities
Legislation & Votes
House Documents
The Legislative Process
Legislative FAQs
Historical Highlights
Public Disclosure
Educational Resources

Home > Legislative Activities > The Legislative Process > Rules > Rule XXI

Printer Friendly


RULE XXI: RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN BILLS

Reservation of certain points of order 
1. At the time a general appropriation bill is reported, all points of order against provisions therein shall be considered as reserved.

General appropriation bills and amendments 
2. (a)(1) An appropriation may not be reported in a general appropriation bill, and may not be in order as an amendment thereto, for an expenditure not previously authorized by law, except to continue appropriations for public works and objects that are already in progress. (2) A reappropriation of unexpended balances of appropriations may not be reported in a general appropriation bill, and may not be in order as an amendment thereto, except to continue appropriations for public works and objects that are already in progress. This subparagraph does not apply to transfers of unexpended balances within the department or agency for which they were originally appropriated that are reported by the Committee on Appropriations.

(b) A provision changing existing law may not be reported in a general appropriation bill, including a provision making the availability of funds contingent on the receipt or possession of information not required by existing law for the period of the appropriation, except germane provisions that retrench expenditures by the reduction of amounts of money covered by the bill (which may include those recommended to the Committee on Appropriations by direction of a legislative committee having jurisdiction over the subject matter) and except rescissions of appropriations contained in appropriation Acts.

(c) An amendment to a general appropriation bill shall not be in order if changing existing law, including an amendment making the availability of funds contingent on the receipt or possession of information not required by existing law for the period of the appropriation. Except as provided in paragraph (d), an amendment proposing a limitation not specifically contained or authorized in existing law for the period of the limitation shall not be in order during consideration of a general appropriation bill.

(d) After a general appropriation bill has been read for amendment, a motion that the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted shall, if offered by the Majority Leader or a designee, have precedence over motions to amend the bill. If such a motion to rise and report is rejected or not offered, amendments proposing limitations not specifically contained or authorized in existing law for the period of the limitation or proposing germane amendments that retrench expenditures by reductions of amounts of money covered by the bill may be considered.

(e) A provision other than an appropriation designated an emergency under section 251(b)(2) or section 252(e) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, a rescission of budget authority, or a reduction in direct spending or an amount for a designated emergency may not be reported in an appropriation bill or joint resolution containing an emergency designation under section 251(b)(2) or section 252(e) of such Act and may not be in order as an amendment thereto.

(f) During the reading of an appropriation bill for amendment in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, it shall be in order to consider en bloc amendments proposing only to transfer appropriations among objects in the bill without increasing the levels of budget authority or outlays in the bill. When considered en bloc under this paragraph, such amendments may amend portions of the bill not yet read for amendment (following disposition of any points of order against such portions) and are not subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.

Transportation obligation limitations 
3. It shall not be in order to consider a bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that would cause obligation limitations to be below the level for any fiscal year set forth in section 8003 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, as adjusted, for the highway category or the mass transit category, as applicable. For purposes of this clause, any obligation limitation relating to surface transportation projects under section 1602 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and section 1702 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users shall be assumed to be administered on the basis of sound program management practices that are consistent with past practices of the administering agency permitting States to decide High Priority Project funding priorities within State program allocations.

Appropriations on legislative bills 
4. A bill or joint resolution carrying an appropriation may not be reported by a committee not having jurisdiction to report appropriations, and an amendment proposing an appropriation shall not be in order during the consideration of a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee not having that jurisdiction. A point of order against an appropriation in such a bill, joint resolution, or amendment thereto may be raised at any time during pendency of that measure for amendment.

Tax and tariff measures and amendments 
5. (a)(1) A bill or joint resolution carrying a tax or tariff measure may not be reported by a committee not having jurisdiction to report tax or tariff measures, and an amendment in the House or proposed by the Senate carrying a tax or tariff measure shall not be in order during the consideration of a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee not having that jurisdiction. A point of order against a tax or tariff measure in such a bill, joint resolution, or amendment thereto may be raised at any time during pendency of that measure for amendment.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a tax or tariff measure includes an amendment proposing a limitation on funds in a general appropriation bill for the administration of a tax or tariff.

Passage of tax rate increases 
(b) A bill or joint resolution, amendment, or conference report carrying a Federal income tax rate increase may not be considered as passed or agreed to unless so determined by a vote of not less than three-fifths of the Members voting, a quorum being present. In this paragraph the term ‘‘Federal income tax rate increase’’ means any amendment to subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of section 1, or to section 11(b) or 55(b), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that imposes a new percentage as a rate of tax and thereby increases the amount of tax imposed by any such section.

Consideration of retroactive tax rate increases 
(c) It shall not be in order to consider a bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report carrying a retroactive Federal income tax rate increase. In this paragraph—

(1) the term ‘‘Federal income tax rate increase’’ means any amendment to subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of section 1, or to section 11(b) or 55(b), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that imposes a new percentage as a rate of tax and thereby increases the amount of tax imposed by any such section; and
(2) a Federal income tax rate increase is retroactive if it applies to a period beginning before the enactment of the provision.

Designation of public works 
6. It shall not be in order to consider a bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for the designation or redesignation of a public work in honor of an individual then serving as a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, or Senator.

 


House Floor Proceedings
 
Search Legislation on THOMAS:
Search by Bill Number:

Search by Word/Phrase:


 

Congressional Schedule
 
November 2006
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 1415 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30

 

House Floor Proceedings
 

(House Floor Proceedings Icon and Link)Use the drop down menu to view Floor proceedings for the last 7 legislative days.

 

   

Legislation & Votes | Committee Activities | House Documents | The Legislative Process | Legislative FAQs

Page last modified: January 20, 2006

Home
| Office of the Clerk | Member Information | Committee Information
Legislative Activities | Historical Highlights | Public Disclosure | Educational Resources
Kids in the House | Site Map | Help

Office of the Clerk - U.S. Capitol, Room H154, Washington, DC 20515-6601
General Assistance: , Technical Assistance:


Security and Privacy Notice