Information you should know before attending a House Committee on Natural Resources meeting:
Attending a Committee Meeting
Committee hearings and markups are open to the public, except for very rare circumstances. They are held in either the main Committee Hearing Room located in 1324 Longworth House Office Building, or the secondary Hearing Room in 1334 Longworth Building. Committee Rules require that a hearing be announced one week in advance and a markup be announced three days in advance.
Doors to the hearing room open 15 minutes before the scheduled hearing or markup. Visitors should be prepared to go through metal detectors when entering Congressional Office Buildings. Food and drinks in the hearing room are prohibited. Attendees may bring one, small personal item such as a purse, handbag, or briefcase into the hearing room. For safety reasons, large duffel bags, suitcases and other luggage are not allowed. Attendees are not permitted to hold or display signs, posters or placards in the hearing room.
The use of cellular telephones is expressly prohibited in the Committee hearing rooms during the meeting of the Committee.
Seating Availability
Tickets are not required, though seating is limited. Admission to Committee hearings is on a first come, first served basis, and seat reservations are not available. Members of the public are encouraged to arrive early, particularly for high profile hearings. Both Committee Hearing Rooms seat up to 60 people.
Public Transportation and Parking
The closest Metro stop to the Committee Hearing Rooms, located in the Longworth House Office Building, is Capitol South Metro Station.
Unfortunately, there is no parking available to the public on the Capitol grounds. Street parking and metered parking are available around the Capitol grounds, but options are limited. The best drop-off location for Longworth Building access is the corner of Independence and New Jersey Avenues, South East.
Video Stream of Committee Meetings
Streaming video of Committee meetings in the Committee hearing rooms (1324 and 1334 Longworth House Office Building) are webcast live online. The live video webcast will begin streaming approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
The Committee's video streams use the free Adobe Flash Player and Windows Media Player software. An error message may appear if you do not have the latest software installed on your computer. You can download this free software from the Adobe website and the Microsoft website. Apple users can install Windows Media Components for Quicktime, which is also available for free from Microsoft.
Archives of Committee Meetings
The Committee provides audio and visual coverage of proceedings for each public hearing or business meeting to the maximum extent practicable and it maintains recordings of such coverage in a manner that is easily accessible to the public. An archived video webcast for each Committee meeting will be posted online within 24 hours after the conclusion of the meeting. Digital archives (either video or audio) of Committee activities are available from 2007 to present.
The duplication of broadcast coverage of the Committee on Natural Resources is governed by Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. Proceedings of the House Committee on Natural Resources, including any recording of such proceedings, may not be used for any political purpose or in any commercial advertisement, and may not be broadcast with commercial sponsorship except as part of a bona fide news program or public affairs documentary program.
Video and Photography in the Hearing Room
With the exception of credentialed members of the press displaying their House I.D. badge, video and flash photography are prohibited once the meeting begins. The Committee asks that reporters contact our Communications office at (202) 226-9019 at least one business day prior to the scheduled hearing or markup. In order to provide an uninterrupted recording of Committee proceedings, no one, except Committee staff and Members of Congress, is permitted above the steps or behind the Committee Members on the dais.
List of Committee Members
The House Committee on Natural Resources is comprised of 48 Representatives, 27 Republicans and 21 Democrats. The ratio of majority to minority Members on the Committee is based on the ratio of majority to minority Members of the House of Representatives. Representatives are assigned to specific committees by their party conference. Seniority and regional balance are some of the factors used to determine committee assignments.
Committee Activities
The most up-to-date information on the Committee's activities can be found by browsing the Committee Calendar or the Newsroom. In addition, visitors may subscribe to newsroom content and upcoming Committee activities through our e-Newsletter and RSS Feeds
Committee Hearings and Markups
A hearing is convened to gather information and opinions on proposed legislation, conduct an investigation, or review the operation or other aspects of a federal agency or program. An markup is convened to debate, amend and rewrite proposed legislation before reporting the bill to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
Legislation Referred to the Committee
Hundreds of bills are referred to the Committee on Natural Resources each Congress. When the Committee considers legislation, all related material, including amendments, will be posted to the Committee Calendar on this website. The text and status of all legislation referred to the Committee is available on the Referred Legislation page. All bills are available online through THOMAS, a legislative search engine operated by the Library of Congress. THOMAS also provides the current status of each introduced bill and links to Committee Reports filed in conjunction with reported legislation.
Committee Votes
All Committee votes are posted on the Committee Votes page within 48 hours of a Committee Markup.
Witnesses for a Committee Meeting
Witness lists are posted online between 24 and 48 hours prior to the start of the event. Visit the Committee Calendar and click on the event title to view the list of witnesses testifying before the Committee. If no list is present online, the list has not been officially announced. Check back prior to the start of the hearing to view the witness list.
Witness Testimony
Prepared testimony is made available online after the start of each scheduled Committee meeting. Visit the Committee Activities page to read witness testimony and watch archived video footage of the event.
Committee Transcripts and Reports
Members and witnesses are given time to correct transcription errors, to make submissions for the record, and to respond to questions for the record. Once those edits are completed, the official transcript is available at no cost from the Government Printing Office (GPO). Official transcripts are also linked on each individual hearing page, once they are published by the GPO. Committee reports are available through THOMAS.
Under House Rules, the Committee has unofficial transcripts available in the office of the Chief Legislative Clerk, located at 1320 Longworth House Office Building. Unofficial transcripts are also available from CQ Transcripts approximately 24-72 hours after the Committee meeting. Factiva, Lexis/Nexis, and WestLaw can also be used to access unofficial transcripts. If you do not subscribe to these services, you can get free access to them from many public libraries.
Submit a Statement for the Record
Any individual or organization wanting to present their views for inclusion in the record should submit a typed, single-spaced statement, not exceeding 10 pages in length. Title and date of the hearing and the full name and address of the individual or organization must appear on the first page of the statement. Statements must be received no later than 10 business days following the conclusion of the hearing.
Statements should be mailed or e-mailed to:
House Committee on Natural Resources
Attn. Chief Legislative Clerk
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Wireless Internet Access
The House of Representatives provides wireless Internet service to the public in the House Office Buildings. To access the HousePublic wireless network, please call our main office for login information.
Accessibility and Accommodations
All of the public hearing rooms in the House are wheelchair accessible. The wheelchair accessible entrance to the Longworth Building is the main entrance, located near the corner of Independence and New Jersey Avenues, SE. For additional information on accessing Congressional Office Buildings, visit The Office of Congressional Accessibility Services website.
Individuals who are planning to attend a Committee hearing or markup and require an auxiliary aid or service should contact the Committee at (202) 225-2761 at least four business days in advance of the scheduled event.
Among other things, staff can arrange for ASL interpreters, convert hearing testimony to Braille, and reserve seating for individuals who have service animals. The Committee’s hearing room in 1324 Longworth Building has a hearing induction loop installed to assist visitors with hearing aids. Individual wireless hearing amplifiers are also available.
Have another question? Contact us:
The Committee on Natural Resources
U.S. House of Representatives
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2761
Fax: (202) 225-5929
Click here to e-mail the Committee
