The Rules Committee has announced that it may meet the week of March 8th to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of H.R. 3717, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004. The Committee on Energy and Commerce ordered the bill reported yesterday, March 3rd, 2004 and is expected to file its report in the House on Tuesday, March 9th, 2004.

Any Member who wishes to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and one copy of a brief explanation of the amendment to the Rules Committee in room H-312 of the Capitol by 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10th, 2004. A copy of the form used to submit amendments to the Rules Committee is on the back of this letter. Members should draft their amendments to the text of the bill as reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee. Members are advised that the text of the bill as reported will be available on Friday for their review on the websites of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and Committee on Rules.

Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format. Members are also advised to check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House. If you have any questions, please contact myself or George Rogers at x5-9191.

*NOTE: This bill has not yet been filed in the House; therefore this text is not the Union Calendar print version of the bill. Page and line numbers are subject to change upon filing. Members are encouraged to have Legislative Counsel draft their amendments in descriptive format.