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[110 House Committee Prints]
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[DOCID: f:33990.wais]
RULES OF PROCEDURE
of the
COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
of the
UNITED STATES
110TH CONGRESS
2007-2008
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TONGRESS.#13
Printed for the use of the Committee on the Budget
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
33-990 WASHINGTON : 2007
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C O N T E N T S
General Applicability
Page
1. Applicability of House Rules................................. 1
Meetings
2. Regular meetings............................................. 1
3. Additional and special meetings.............................. 1
4. Open business meetings....................................... 1
5. Quorums...................................................... 1
6. Recognition.................................................. 2
7. Consideration of business.................................... 2
8. Availability of legislation.................................. 2
9. Procedure for consideration of budget resolution............. 2
10. Roll call votes.............................................. 2
Hearings
11. Announcement of hearings..................................... 2
12. Open hearings................................................ 3
13. Quorums...................................................... 3
14. Questioning witnesses........................................ 3
15. Subpoenas and oaths.......................................... 3
16. Witnesses' statements........................................ 4
Prints and Publications
17. Committee prints............................................. 4
18. Committee publications on the Internet....................... 4
Staff
19. Committee staff.............................................. 4
20. Staff supervision............................................ 4
Records
21. Preparation and maintenance of committee records............. 5
22. Access to committee records.................................. 5
Oversight
23. General oversight............................................ 5
Reports
24. Availability before filing................................... 6
25. Report on the budget resolution.............................. 6
26. Parliamentarian's Status Report and Section 302 Status Report 6
27. Activity report.............................................. 7
Miscellaneous
28. Broadcasting of meetings and hearings........................ 7
29. Appointment of conferees..................................... 7
30. Waivers...................................................... 7
General Applicability
Rule 1--Applicability of House Rules
Except as otherwise specified herein, the Rules of the
House are the rules of the committee so far as applicable,
except that a motion to recess from day to day is a motion of
high privilege.
Meetings
Rule 2--Regular meetings
(a) The regular meeting day of the committee shall be the
second Wednesday of each month at 11 a.m., while the House is
in session.
(b) The chairman is authorized to dispense with a regular
meeting when the chairman determines there is no business to be
considered by the committee. The chairman shall give written
notice to that effect to each member of the committee as far in
advance of the regular meeting day as the circumstances permit.
(c) Regular meetings shall be canceled when they conflict
with meetings of either party's caucus or conference.
Rule 3--Additional and special meetings
(a) The chairman may call and convene additional meetings
of the committee as the chairman considers necessary, or
special meetings at the request of a majority of the members of
the committee in accordance with House Rule XI, clause 2(c).
(b) In the absence of exceptional circumstances, the
chairman shall provide written notice of additional meetings to
the office of each member at least 24 hours in advance while
Congress is in session, and at least 3 days in advance when
Congress is not in session.
Rule 4--Open business meetings
(a) Each meeting for the transaction of committee business,
including the markup of measures, shall be open to the public
except when the committee, in open session and with a quorum
present, determines by roll call vote that all or part of the
remainder of the meeting on that day shall be closed to the
public in accordance with House Rule XI, clause 2(g)(1).
(b) No person other than members of the committee and such
congressional staff and departmental representatives as the
committee may authorize shall be present at any business or
markup session which has been closed to the public.
Rule 5--Quorums
A majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum. No
business shall be transacted and no measure or recommendation
shall be reported unless a quorum is actually present.
Rule 6--Recognition
Any member, when recognized by the chairman, may address
the committee on any bill, motion, or other matter under
consideration before the committee. The time of such member
shall be limited to 5 minutes until all members present have
been afforded an opportunity to comment.
Rule 7--Consideration of business
Measures or matters may be placed before the committee, for
its consideration, by the chairman or by a majority vote of the
members of the committee, a quorum being present.
Rule 8--Availability of legislation
The committee shall consider no bill, joint resolution, or
concurrent resolution unless copies of the measure have been
made available to all committee members at least [4] 6 hours
prior to the time at which such measure is to be considered.
When considering concurrent resolutions on the budget, this
requirement shall be satisfied by making available copies of
the complete chairman's mark (or such material as will provide
the basis for committee consideration). The provisions of this
rule may be suspended with the concurrence of the chairman and
ranking minority member.
Rule 9--Procedure for consideration of budget resolution
(a) It shall be the policy of the committee that the
starting point for any deliberations on a concurrent resolution
on the budget should be the estimated or actual levels for the
fiscal year preceding the budget year.
(b) In the consideration of a concurrent resolution on the
budget, the committee shall first proceed, unless otherwise
determined by the committee, to consider budget aggregates,
functional categories, and other appropriate matters on a
tentative basis, with the document before the committee open to
amendment. Subsequent amendments may be offered to aggregates,
functional categories, or other appropriate matters, which have
already been amended in their entirety.
(c) Following adoption of the aggregates, functional
categories, and other matters, the text of a concurrent
resolution on the budget incorporating such aggregates,
functional categories, and other appropriate matters shall be
considered for amendment and a final vote.
Rule 10--Roll call votes
A roll call of the members may be had upon the request of
at least one-fifth of those present. In the apparent absence of
a quorum, a roll call may be had on the request of any member.
Hearings
Rule 11--Announcement of hearings
The chairman shall make a public announcement of the date,
place, and subject matter of any committee hearing at least 1
week before the hearing, beginning with the day in which the
announcement is made and ending the day preceding the scheduled
hearing unless the chairman, with the concurrence of the
ranking minority member, or the committee by majority vote with
a quorum present for the transaction of business, determines
there is good cause to begin the hearing sooner, in which case
the chairman shall make the announcement at the earliest
possible date.
Rule 12--Open hearings
(a) Each hearing conducted by the committee or any of its
task forces shall be open to the public except when the
committee or task force, in open session and with a quorum
present, determines by roll call vote that all or part of the
remainder of that hearing on that day shall be closed to the
public because disclosure of testimony, evidence, or other
matters to be considered would endanger the national security,
or would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or
would tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, or
would violate any law or rule of the House of Representatives.
The committee or task forces may by the same procedure vote to
close one subsequent day of hearing.
(b) For the purposes of House Rule XI, clause 2(g)(2), the
task forces of the committee are considered to be
subcommittees.
Rule 13--Quorums
For the purpose of hearing testimony, not less than two
members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
Rule 14--Questioning witnesses
(a) Questioning of witnesses will be conducted under the 5-
minute rule unless the committee adopts a motion pursuant to
House Rule XI clause 2(j).
(b) In questioning witnesses under the 5-minute rule:
(1) First, the chairman and the ranking minority member
shall be recognized;
(2) Next, the members present at the time the hearing is
called to order shall be recognized in order of seniority; and
(3) Finally, members not present at the time the hearing is
called to order may be recognized in the order of their arrival
at the hearing.
In recognizing members to question witnesses, the chairman
may take into consideration the ratio of majority members to
minority members and the number of majority and minority
members present and shall apportion the recognition for
questioning in such a manner as not to disadvantage the members
of the majority.
Rule 15--Subpoenas and oaths
(a) In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 2(m) subpoenas
authorized by a majority of the committee may be issued over
the signature of the chairman or of any member of the committee
designated by him, and may be served by any person designated
by the chairman or such member.
(b) The chairman, or any member of the committee designated
by the chairman, may administer oaths to witnesses.
Rule 16--Witnesses' statements
(a) So far as practicable, any prepared statement to be
presented by a witness shall be submitted to the committee at
least 24 hours in advance of presentation, and shall be
distributed to all members of the committee in advance of
presentation.
(b) To the greatest extent possible, each witness appearing
in a nongovernmental capacity shall include with the written
statement of proposed testimony a curriculum vitae and a
disclosure of the amount and source (by agency and program) of
any Federal grant (or sub-grant thereof) or contract (or
subcontract thereof) received during the current fiscal year or
either of the two preceding fiscal years.
Prints and Publications
Rule 17--Committee prints
All committee prints and other materials prepared for
public distribution shall be approved by the committee prior to
any distribution, unless such print or other material shows
clearly on its face that it has not been approved by the
committee.
Rule 18--Committee publications on the Internet
To the maximum extent feasible, the committee shall make
its publications available in electronic form.
Staff
Rule 19--Committee staff
(a) Subject to approval by the committee, and to the
provisions of the following paragraphs, the professional and
clerical staff of the committee shall be appointed, and may be
removed, by the chairman.
(b) Committee staff shall not be assigned any duties other
than those pertaining to committee business, and shall be
selected without regard to race, creed, sex, or age, and solely
on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of their
respective positions.
(c) All committee staff shall be entitled to equitable
treatment, including comparable salaries, facilities, access to
official committee records, leave, and hours of work.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs a, b, and c, staff shall be
employed in compliance with House rules, the Employment and
Accountability Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and
any other applicable Federal statutes.
Rule 20--Staff supervision
(a) Staff shall be under the general supervision and
direction of the chairman, who shall establish and assign their
duties and responsibilities, delegate such authority as he
deems appropriate, fix and adjust staff salaries (in accordance
with House Rule X, clause 9(c)) and job titles, and, at his
discretion, arrange for their specialized training.
(b) Staff assigned to the minority shall be under the
general supervision and direction of the minority members of
the committee, who may delegate such authority, as they deem
appropriate.
Records
Rule 21--Preparation and maintenance of committee records
(a) A substantially verbatim account of remarks actually
made during the proceedings shall be made of all hearings and
business meetings subject only to technical, grammatical, and
typographical corrections.
(b) The proceedings of the committee shall be recorded in a
journal, which shall among other things, include a record of
the votes on any question on which a record vote is demanded.
(c) Members of the committee shall correct and return
transcripts of hearings as soon as practicable after receipt
thereof, except that any changes shall be limited to technical,
grammatical, and typographical corrections.
(d) Any witness may examine the transcript of his own
testimony and make grammatical, technical, and typographical
corrections.
(e) The chairman may order the printing of a hearing record
without the corrections of any member or witness if he
determines that such member or witness has been afforded a
reasonable time for correction, and that further delay would
seriously impede the committee's responsibility for meeting its
deadlines under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
(f) Transcripts of hearings and meetings may be printed if
the chairman decides it is appropriate, or if a majority of the
members so request.
Rule 22--Access to committee records
(a)(1) The chairman shall promulgate regulations to provide
for public inspection of roll call votes and to provide access
by members to committee records (in accordance with House Rule
XI, clause 2(e)).
(2) Access to classified testimony and information shall be
limited to Members of Congress and to House Budget Committee
staff and staff of the Office of Official Reporters who have
appropriate security clearance.
(3) Notice of the receipt of such information shall be sent
to the committee members. Such information shall be kept in the
committee safe, and shall be available to members in the
committee office.
(b) The records of the committee at the National Archives
and Records Administration shall be made available for public
use in accordance with Rule VII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives. The chairman shall notify the ranking minority
member of any decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause
4(b) of the rule, to withhold a record otherwise available, and
the matter shall be presented to the committee for a
determination on the written request of any member of the
committee.
Oversight
Rule 23--General oversight
(a) The committee shall review and study, on a continuing
basis, the application, administration, execution, and
effectiveness of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject of
which is within its jurisdiction.
(b) 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
clause (1)(d) of Rule X of the Rules of the House, and, subject
to the adoption of expense resolutions as required by clause 6
of Rule X, to incur expenses (including travel expenses) in
connection therewith.
(c) Not later than February 15 of the first session of a
Congress, the committee shall meet in open session, with a
quorum present, to adopt its oversight plans for that Congress
for submission to the Committee on House Administration and the
Committee on Government Reform in accordance with the
provisions of clause (2)(d) of House Rule X.
Reports
Rule 24--Availability before filing
(a) Any report accompanying any bill or resolution ordered
reported to the House by the committee shall be available to
all committee members at least 36 hours prior to filing with
the House.
(b) No material change shall be made in any report made
available to members pursuant to section (a) without the
concurrence of the ranking minority member or by a majority
vote of the committee.
(c) Notwithstanding any other rule of the committee, either
or both subsections (a) and (b) may be waived by the chairman
or with a majority vote by the committee.
Rule 25--Report on the budget resolution
The report of the committee to accompany a concurrent
resolution on the budget shall include a comparison of the
estimated or actual levels for the year preceding the budget
year with the proposed spending and revenue levels for the
budget year and each out year along with the appropriate
percentage increase or decrease for each budget function and
aggregate. The report shall include any roll call vote on any
motion to amend or report any measure.
Rule 26--Parliamentarian's Status Report and Section 302 Status Report
(a)(1) In order to carry out its duty under sections 311
and 312 of the Congressional Budget Act to advise the House of
Representatives as to the current level of spending and
revenues as compared to the levels set forth in the latest
agreed-upon concurrent resolution on the budget, the committee
shall advise the Speaker on at least a monthly basis when the
House is in session as to its estimate of the current level of
spending and revenue. Such estimates shall be prepared by the
staff of the committee, transmitted to the Speaker in the form
of a Parliamentarian's Status Report, and printed in the
Congressional Record.
(2) The committee authorizes the chairman, in consultation
with the ranking minority member, to transmit to the Speaker
the Parliamentarian's Status Report described above.
(b)(1) In order to carry out its duty under sections 302
and 312 of the Congressional Budget Act to advise the House of
Representative as to the current level of spending within the
jurisdiction of committees as compared to the appropriate
allocations made pursuant to the Budget Act in conformity with
the latest agreed-upon concurrent resolution on the budget, the
committee shall, as necessary, advise the Speaker as to its
estimate of the current level of spending within the
jurisdiction of appropriate committees. Such estimates shall be
prepared by the staff of the committee and transmitted to the
Speaker in the form of a Section 302 Status Report.
(2) The committee authorizes the chairman, in consultation
with the ranking minority member, to transmit to the Speaker
the Section 302 Status Report described above.
Rule 27--Activity report
After an adjournment of the last regular session of a
Congress sine die, the Chair of the committee may file any time
with the Clerk the committee's activity report for that
Congress pursuant to clause (1)(d)(1) of rule XI of the Rules
of the House without the approval of the committee, if 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, or additional views
submitted by a member of the committee.
Miscellaneous
Rule 28--Broadcasting of meetings and hearings
(a) It shall be the policy of the committee to give all
news media access to open hearings of the committee, subject to
the requirements and limitations set forth in House Rule XI,
clause 4.
(b) Whenever any committee business meeting is open to the
public, that meeting may be covered, in whole or in part, by
television broadcast, radio broadcast, still photography, or by
any of such methods of coverage, in accordance with House Rule
XI, clause 4.
Rule 29--Appointment of conferees
(a) Majority party members recommended to the Speaker as
conferees shall be recommended by the chairman subject to the
approval of the majority party members of the committee.
(b) The chairman shall recommend such minority party
members as conferees as shall be determined by the minority
party; the recommended party representation shall be in
approximately the same proportion as that in the committee.
Rule 30--Waivers
When a reported bill or joint resolution, conference
report, or anticipated floor amendment violates any provision
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the chairman may, if
practical, consult with the committee members on whether the
chairman should recommend, in writing, that the Committee on
Rules report a special rule that enforces the Act by not
waiving the applicable points of order during the consideration
of such measure.
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