The following Legislative Protocols are proposed guidelines to help the Majority Leader’s Office schedule and consider legislation on the House floor. While these aren’t the sole determining factors in the introduction of legislation, a good-faith adherence to the protocols will be necessary for legislation to be scheduled.
1) Commemoratives
Purpose
This protocol is meant to provide further guidance on House Rule XII, clause 5, related to the prohibition on scheduling legislation that is commemorative in nature.
Protocol
The Majority Leader shall not schedule any bill or resolution for consideration that expresses appreciation, commends, congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of, an entity, event, group, individual, institution, team or government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time.
A resolution of bereavement, or condemnation, or which calls on others to take a particular action, is eligible to be scheduled for consideration.
2) Gold Medals
Purpose
This protocol is meant to provide further guidance related to scheduling legislation to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a Gold Medal.
Protocol
The Majority Leader shall consider the first three Gold Medal bills in a Congress that receive 290 cosponsors and are submitted to the Committee on Financial Services to be scheduled for the Floor. Additionally;
3) Coins
1) Commemoratives
Purpose
This protocol is meant to provide further guidance on House Rule XII, clause 5, related to the prohibition on scheduling legislation that is commemorative in nature.
Protocol
The Majority Leader shall not schedule any bill or resolution for consideration that expresses appreciation, commends, congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of, an entity, event, group, individual, institution, team or government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time.
A resolution of bereavement, or condemnation, or which calls on others to take a particular action, is eligible to be scheduled for consideration.
Purpose
This protocol is meant to provide further guidance related to scheduling legislation to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a Gold Medal.
Protocol
The Majority Leader shall consider the first three Gold Medal bills in a Congress that receive 290 cosponsors and are submitted to the Committee on Financial Services to be scheduled for the Floor. Additionally;
(A) the recipient must be a natural person;
(B) the recipient must have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement;
(C) the recipient must not have received a medal previously for the same or substantially the same achievement;
(D) the recipient must be living or, if deceased, has not have been deceased for less than five years or more than twenty-five years;
(E) and the achievements were performed in the recipient’s field of endeavor, and represent either a lifetime of continuous superior achievements or a single achievement so significant that the recipient is recognized and acclaimed by others in the same field, as evidenced by the recipient having received the highest honors in the field.
(B) the recipient must have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement;
(C) the recipient must not have received a medal previously for the same or substantially the same achievement;
(D) the recipient must be living or, if deceased, has not have been deceased for less than five years or more than twenty-five years;
(E) and the achievements were performed in the recipient’s field of endeavor, and represent either a lifetime of continuous superior achievements or a single achievement so significant that the recipient is recognized and acclaimed by others in the same field, as evidenced by the recipient having received the highest honors in the field.
3) Coins
Protocol
This protocol is meant to provide further guidance related to scheduling legislation that directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike or issue commemorative coins.
Purpose
The Majority Leader shall consider the first three commemorative coin bills in a Congress that receive 290 cosponsors and are submitted to the Committee on Financial Services to be scheduled for the Floor. Additionally;
This protocol is meant to provide further guidance related to scheduling legislation that directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike or issue commemorative coins.
Purpose
The Majority Leader shall consider the first three commemorative coin bills in a Congress that receive 290 cosponsors and are submitted to the Committee on Financial Services to be scheduled for the Floor. Additionally;
(A) the individual, event, or institution being honored must be American;
(B) the individual, event, or institution must have a lasting impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major influence long after the individual, event, or institution’s time;
(C) a substantially similar individual, event, or institution has not received a coin previously;
(D) the recipient being honored can’t be an individual who is living;
(E) and the bill comports with 31 U.S.C. §5112(m), which provides that no more than two commemorative coin programs may be authorized for a particular calendar year.
(B) the individual, event, or institution must have a lasting impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major influence long after the individual, event, or institution’s time;
(C) a substantially similar individual, event, or institution has not received a coin previously;
(D) the recipient being honored can’t be an individual who is living;
(E) and the bill comports with 31 U.S.C. §5112(m), which provides that no more than two commemorative coin programs may be authorized for a particular calendar year.