[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1336-S1337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION RULES OF PROCEDURE
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the Committee on Rules and
Administration has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 119th
Congress. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of
the Senate, on behalf of myself and Senator Padilla, I ask unanimous
consent that a copy of the committee rules be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Rules of Procedure
meetings of the committee
Rule 1. The regular meeting dates of the Committee shall be
the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, at 10:00
a.m., in room SR-301, Russell Senate Office Building.
Additional meetings of the Committee may be called by the
Chair as he or she may deem necessary or pursuant to the
provision of paragraph 3 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.
Rule 2. Meetings of the Committee, including meetings to
conduct hearings, shall be open to the public, except that a
meeting or series of meetings by the Committee on the same
subject for a period of no more than 14 calendar days may be
closed to the public on a motion made and seconded to go into
closed session to discuss only whether the matters enumerated
in subparagraphs (a) through (f) would require the meeting to
be closed followed immediately by a recorded vote in open
session by a majority of the Members of the Committee when it
is determined that the matters to be discussed or the
testimony to be taken at such meeting or meetings:
(a) will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret in
the interests of national defense or the confidential conduct
of the foreign relations of the United States;
(b) will relate solely to matters of the Committee staff
personnel or internal staff management or procedure;
(c) will tend to charge an individual with crime or
misconduct, to disgrace or injure the professional standing
of an individual, or otherwise to expose an individual to
public contempt or obloquy, or will represent a clearly
unwarranted invasion of the privacy of an individual;
(d) will disclose the identity of any informer or law
enforcement agent or will disclose any information relating
to the investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense
that is required to be kept secret in the interests of
effective law enforcement;
(e) will disclose information relating to the trade secrets
or financial or commercial information pertaining
specifically to a given person if:
(1) an Act of Congress requires the information to be kept
confidential by Government officers and employees; or
(2) the information has been obtained by the Government on
a confidential basis, other than through an application by
such person for a specific Government financial or other
benefit, and is required to be kept secret in order to
prevent undue injury to the competitive position of such
person; or
(f) may divulge matters required to be kept confidential
under the provisions of law or Government regulations.
(Paragraph 5(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules.)
Rule 3. Written notices of Committee meetings will normally
be sent by the Committees staff director to all Members of
the Committee at least a week in advance. In addition, the
Committee staff will telephone or e-mail reminders of
Committee meetings to all Members of the Committee or to the
appropriate assistants in their offices.
Rule 4. A copy of the Committees intended agenda
enumerating separate items of legislative business and
Committee business will normally be sent to all Members of
the Committee and released to the public at least one day in
advance of all meetings. This does not preclude any Member of
the Committee from discussing appropriate non-agenda topics.
Rule 5. After the Chair and the Ranking Minority Member,
speaking order shall be based on order of arrival,
alternating between Majority and Minority Members, unless
otherwise directed by the Chair.
Rule 6. Any witness who is to appear before the Committee
in any hearing shall file with the clerk of the Committee at
least three business days before the date of his or her
appearance, a written statement of his or her proposed
testimony and an executive summary thereof, in such form as
the Chair may direct, unless the Chair and the Ranking
Minority Member waive such requirement for good cause.
Rule 7. In general, testimony will be restricted to five
minutes for each witness. The time may be extended by the
Chair, upon the Chairs own direction or at the request of a
Member. Each round of questions by Members will also be
limited to five minutes.
quorums
Rule 8. Pursuant to paragraph 7(a)(1) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules, a majority of the Members of the Committee
shall constitute a quorum for the reporting of legislative
measures.
Rule 9. Pursuant to paragraph 7(a)(1) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules, one-third of the Members of the Committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business,
including action on amendments to measures prior to voting to
report the measure to the Senate.
Rule 10. Pursuant to paragraph 7(a)(2) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules, two Members of the Committee shall constitute
a quorum for the purpose of taking testimony under oath and
one Member of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the
purpose of taking testimony not under oath; provided,
however, that in either instance,
[[Page S1337]]
once a quorum is established, any one Member can continue to
take such testimony.
Rule 11. Under no circumstances may proxies be considered
for the establishment of a quorum.
voting
Rule 12. Voting in the Committee on any issue will normally
be by voice vote.
Rule 13. If a third of the Members present so demand a roll
call vote instead of a voice vote, a record vote will be
taken on any question by roll call.
Rule 14. The results of roll call votes taken in any
meeting upon any measure, or any amendment thereto, shall be
stated in the Committee report on that measure unless
previously announced by the Committee, and such report or
announcement shall include a tabulation of the votes cast in
favor of and the votes cast in opposition to each such
measure and amendment by each Member of the Committee.
(Paragraph 7(b) and (c) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules.)
Rule 15. Proxy voting shall be allowed on all measures and
matters before the Committee. However, the vote of the
Committee to report a measure or matter shall require the
concurrence of a majority of the Members of the Committee who
are physically present at the time of the vote. Proxies will
be allowed in such cases solely for the purpose of recording
a Members position on the question and then only in those
instances when the absentee Committee Member has been
informed of the question and has affirmatively requested that
he or she be recorded. (Paragraph 7(a)(3) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules.)
amendments
Rule 16. Provided at least five business days notice of the
agenda is given, and the text of the proposed bill or
resolution has been made available at least five business
days in advance, it shall not be in order for the Committee
to consider any amendment in the first degree proposed to any
measure under consideration by the Committee unless such
amendment has been delivered to the office of the Committee
and by at least 5:00 p.m. the day prior to the scheduled
start of the meeting and circulated to each of the offices by
at least 6:00 p.m.
Rule 17. In the event the Chair introduces a substitute
amendment or a Chairs mark, the requirements set forth in
Rule 16 shall be considered waived unless such substitute
amendment or Chairs mark has been made available at least
five business days in advance of the scheduled meeting.
Rule 18. It shall be in order, without prior notice, for a
Member to offer a motion to strike a single section of any
bill, resolution, or amendment under consideration.
Rule 19. This section of the rule may be waived by
agreement of the Chair and the Ranking Minority Member.
delegation of authority to committee chair
Rule 20. The Chair is authorized to personally sign or sign
by delegation all necessary vouchers and routine papers for
which the Committees approval is required and to decide on
the Committees behalf all routine business.
Rule 21. The Chair is authorized to engage commercial
reporters for the preparation of transcripts of Committee
meetings and hearings.
Rule 22. The Chair is authorized to issue, on behalf of the
Committee, regulations normally promulgated by the Committee
at the beginning of each session.
delegation of authority to committee chair and ranking minority member
Rule 23. The Chair and Ranking Minority Member, acting
jointly, are authorized to approve on behalf of the Committee
any rule or regulation for which the Committees approval is
required, provided advance notice of their intention to do so
is given to Members of the Committee.
Rule 24. The Chair, with the concurrence of the Ranking
Minority Member of the Committee, is authorized to subpoena
the attendance of witnesses and the production of
correspondence, books, papers, documents, and other
materials. Regardless of whether a subpoena has been
concurred in by the Ranking Minority Member, such subpoena
may be authorized by vote of the Members of the Committee.
When a subpoena is authorized, either by a vote of the
Committee or by the Chair with the concurrence of the Ranking
Member, the subpoena may be issued upon the signature of the
Chair or of any other Member of the Committee designated by
the Chair.
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