United States Senate Radio-Television Gallery

Membership Criteria

RULES GOVERNING RADIO AND TELEVISION CORRESPONDENTS' GALLERIES

1. Persons desiring admission to the Radio and Television Galleries of Congress shall make application to the Speaker, as required by Rule 34 of the House of Representatives, as amended, and to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, as required by Rule 33, as amended, for the regulation of Senate wing of the Capitol. Applicants shall state in writing the names of all radio stations, television stations, systems, or news- gathering organizations by which they are employed and what other occupation or employment they may have, if any. Applicants shall further declare that they are not engaged in the prosecution of claims or the promotion of legislation pending before Congress, the Departments, or the independent agencies, and that they will not become so employed without resigning from the galleries. They shall further declare that they are not employed in any legislative or executive department or independent agency of the Government, or by any foreign government or representative thereof; that they are not engaged in any lobbying activities; that they do not and will not, directly or indirectly, furnish special information to any organization, individual, or group of individuals for the influencing of prices on any commodity or stock exchange; that they will not do so during the time they retain membership in the galleries. Holders of visitors' cards who may be allowed temporary admission to the galleries must conform to all the restrictions of this paragraph.

2. It shall be prerequisite to membership that the radio station, television station, system, or news-gathering agency which the applicant represents shall certify in writing to the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries that the applicant conforms to the foregoing regulations.

3. The applications required by the above rule shall be authenticated in a matter that shall be satisfactory to the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries who shall see that the occupation of the galleries is confined to bona fide news gatherers and/or reporters of reputable standing in their business who represent radio stations, television stations, systems, or news-gathering agencies engaged primarily in serving radio stations, television stations, or systems. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries to report, at its discretion, violation of the privileges of the galleries to the Speaker or to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and pending action thereon, the offending individual may be suspended.

4. Persons engaged in other occupations, whose chief attention is not given to or more than one-half of their earned income is not derived from the gathering or reporting of news for radio stations, television stations, systems, or news-gathering agencies primarily serving radio stations or systems, shall not be entitled to admission to the Radio and Television Galleries. The Radio and Television Correspondents' List in the Congressional Directory shall be a list only of persons whose chief attention is given to or more than one-half of their earned income is derived from the gathering and reporting of news for radio stations, television stations, and systems engaged in the daily dissemination of news, and of representatives of news-gathering agencies engaged in the daily service of news to such radio stations, television stations, or systems.

5. Members of the families of correspondents are not entitled to the privileges of the galleries.

6. The Radio and Television Galleries shall be under the control of the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries, subject to the approval and supervision of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Approved.

Nancy Pelosi Speaker, House of Representatives

Diane Feinstein Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

Constitution of the Radio-Television Correspondents' Association

ARTICLE ONE Name

This Organization shall be known as the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association of Washington, D.C.

ARTICLE TWO Objects

The Radio and Television Correspondents' Association has for its aim the promotion of the radio and television news gathering fraternity and strives to protect the rights and privileges of radio and television news reporters, and assist in every way possible to maintain the high standards of reporting news by radio, television, wireless and other similar means of transmission.

ARTICLE THREE Membership

Sec. 1 The membership of this Association shall consist of persons whose qualifications, in the judgment of the Executive Committee, hereinafter constituted, shall warrant their election to any one of the following classifications.

Sec. 2 ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP. Those who are qualified for membership in the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. This membership status shall include all privileges of the Association such as voting, the holding of office, proposing persons for membership, in any of the various classifications and proposing amendments to the Constitution.

Sec. 3 (a) ASSOCIATE (NonResident). This classification shall consist of persons, who in the opinion of the majority of the Executive Committee qualify for active membership in the Association but who are not actually residents of the Federal District or vicinity.

Sec. 3 (b) ASSOCIATE (Resident). This classification shall consist of members of the radio and television profession from the area of the Federal District or vicinity, who in the opinion of the majority of the Executive Committee do not qualify for active membership, but whose duties are closely associated with the gathering or dissemination of news for, and by, radio, television or similar means of transmission.

Sec. 4 HONORARY MEMBERSHIP. Those persons, who in the opinion of the majority of the Executive Committee have rendered outstanding service to the objects of this Association.

ARTICLE FOUR Dues

All active members shall pay dues payable on or before January 1 of each calendar year. Dues of all classifications of membership shall be set by the Executive Committee. All members in arrears shall not participate in the elections of the Association.

ARTICLE FIVE Officers and Designation of Duties

Sec. 1 The officers of this Association shall be elected for a term of two years, provided, however, that at the election in December, 1977, the four candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall serve for two years and the remaining three for one year. Thereafter, four members shall be elected in oddnumbered years and three in evennumbered years. Immediately after each election steps shall be taken to transfer all duties, financial accounts, and Association business to their jurisdiction, such transfer to be accomplished no later than the opening day of the new Session of the Congress.

Sec. 2 The candidate who receives the highest number of votes at the annual election shall become president of the Association during the second year of his term, provided, however, that the president for 1978 shall be elected by and from among the seven members of the Executive Committee. In the event no candidate receives a higher number of votes, the members of the Executive Committee shall elect a president from among themselves. The members of the Executive Committee shall also elect for oneyear terms any other officers from among themselves they deem necessary. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to take such measures as may be necessary for the efficient conduct of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries of the House of Representatives and the Senate subject to such rules as may be determined by the Speaker of the House and the Senate Committee on Rules.

Sec. 3 The Executive Committee is herewith empowered to enact bylaws in order to put in effect the provisions of this constitution.

ARTICLE SIX Quorums

Sec. 1 A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Sec. 2 A majority of the members of this Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. It shall be the duty of the secretary to see that every reasonable effort is made to notify all members of meetings.

ARTICLE SEVEN Meetings

Sec. 1 There shall be an annual meeting of this Association on the first Friday following the annual election. Sec. 2 Upon the presentation of a petition signed by twelve active members of this Association calling for a meeting, the President shall arrange for such meeting at a date not later than ten days from the date on aforesaid petition, Sundays and legal holidays excepted.

ARTICLE EIGHT Amendment

Amendments to this constitution must be presented in writing to each member of this Association at least ten days prior (Sundays and holidays excepted) to the date of a regular or special meeting of this Association. A plurality of twothirds of the members present and voting shall be necessary for the adoption of an amendment.

ARTICLE NINE Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order shall be the authority of this Association.

BYLAWS Election Procedures*

a) Any active member may be nominated by petition of twelve active members. All nominees must be certified by the president of the Association or a designee no later than three weeks prior to the second Wednesday in December.

b) Nominating petitions shall be posted on the Gallery bulletin boards. The Executive Committee shall give adequate notice of the election, the candidates and the procedure to the members by mail.

c) The annual election shall be held on the second Wednesday and Thursday in December.

d) All active members are eligible to vote. Voting will be by secret ballot under the supervision and control of the Gallery superintendents. A member must vote in person. There will be no absentee ballots.

e) The ballots will be counted under the supervision and control of the Executive Committee as soon after the polls close as practicable. Ballots with more votes than the number of candidates to be elected shall not be counted. Tied candidates shall determine the winner by lot.

f) A vacancy on the Executive Committee shall be filled by the candidate from the preceding election who received the highest number of votes but who was not elected. If no such replacement exists, the vacancy shall be filled at the next regular election. (As amended, October 20, 2003)

Whenever possible, a vacancy on the Executive Committee shall be filled by a candidate who ran for the Committee in the same election as the vacating member, and who received the highest number of votes but was not elected.

The ‘replacement member’ shall only serve out the term the vacating member would have served if she or he had remained on the Committee.

If a candidate from the same election is not available, or if the candidate receiving the highest number of votes is not available, the Committee may select a ‘replacement member’ from the most recent, or a previous election, or a candidate who received fewer than the highest number of votes.

In any event, the Committee should maintain an odd number of members to avoid the potential gridlock of ‘tie’ votes.

g) No member of the Executive Committee shall be a candidate for a second, consecutive term

h) Indemnification of Committee Members. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Committee shall defend, indemnify and hold members of the Executive Committee of Correspondents (“Committee Members”) harmless from and against any and all liability, actions, claims, demands, loss or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) caused by or arising out of any action, failure to act, performance or utterance by a Committee Member in the performance of the Committee Member’s responsibilities or duties, provided that such action, failure to act, performance or utterance was done in the course of and within the scope of the Committee Member’s role as a Member of the Committee; except, however, that the Committee’s indemnity shall not apply where a Committee Member has committed fraud or intentional misconduct, or where a Committee Member fails to cooperate fully with the Committee in the defense of any claim, demand or action. A Committee Member shall give the Committee prompt written notice of any claim, demand or action and cooperate fully in the Committee’s defense of any such claim, demand or action. In the event a Committee Member settles any claim, demand or action for which indemnity is provided without the prior written consent of the Committee, the Committee shall be released from any and all liability under this indemnity clause. Committee Members also have a right to be represented by separate counsel at the Committee Member’s own expense.’ (As amended, December 12, 2003)

* Amended on November 14, 2005 as follows:

The Executive Committee expanded the current two-year term limit to two consecutive two-year terms for Committee members.

The Executive Committee moved that no two individuals from the same organization may serve simultaneously on the same Executive Committee. Any question of eligibility will be reviewed by the Executive Committee sitting at the time the question arises. If the sitting member of the board changes jobs, moving to an organization which already has a representative on the board, then that person shall not be required to relinquish his/her position, and is allowed to complete the rest of his/her current term.