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Rules of the House of Representatives

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Rules of the House of Representatives RULES of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS PREPARED BY Cheryl L. Johnson Clerk of the House of Representatives FEBRUARY 2, 2021 (Rev. 02–02–21) VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:16 Feb 01, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0204 Sfmt 0204 F:\JSMITH\PUBLICATIONS\PAMPHLET\117TH\20210114.CVR 209-6B C O N T E N T S Page RULE I.— The Speaker 1 II.— Other Officers and Officials 2 III.— The Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico 4 IV.— The Hall of the House 4 V.— Broadcasting the House 5 VI.— Official Reporters and News Media Galleries 5 VII.— Records of the House 5 VIII.— Response to Subpoenas 6 IX.— Questions of Privilege 6 X.— Organization of Committees 6 XI.— Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business 17 XII.— Receipt and Referral of Measures and Matters 25 XIII.— Calendars and Committee Reports 26 XIV.— Order and Priority of Business 28 XV.— Business in Order on Special Days 29 XVI.— Motions and Amendments 30 XVII.— Decorum and Debate 31 XVIII.— The Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union 32 XIX.— Motions Following the Amendment Stage 33 XX.— Voting and Quorum Calls 33 XXI.— Restrictions on Certain Bills 35 XXII.— House and Senate Relations 37 XXIII.— Code of Official Conduct 39 XXIV.— Limitations on Use of Official Funds 41 XXV.— Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts 42 XXVI.— Financial Disclosure 46 XXVII.— Disclosure by Members and Staff of Employment Negotiations 47 XXVIII.— Statutory Limit on the Public Debt 47 XXIX.— General Provisions 47 III VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:16 Feb 01, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0204 Sfmt 0204 F:\JSMITH\PUBLICATIONS\PAMPHLET\117TH\20210114.CVR 209-6B RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS RULE I may use such voting procedures as may the system may be paid from applica- be invoked under rule XX. ble accounts of the House for official THE SPEAKER Discretion to vote expenses. Approval of the Journal 7. The Speaker is not required to vote Designation of travel 1. The Speaker shall take the Chair in ordinary legislative proceedings, ex- 10. The Speaker may designate a on every legislative day precisely at cept when such vote would be decisive Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- the hour to which the House last ad- or when the House is engaged in voting sioner, officer, or employee of the journed and immediately call the by ballot. House to travel on the business of the House to order. Having examined and House within or without the United approved the Journal of the last day’s Speaker pro tempore States, whether the House is meeting, proceedings, the Speaker shall an- 8. (a) The Speaker may appoint a has recessed, or has adjourned. Ex- nounce to the House approval thereof. Member to perform the duties of the penses for such travel may be paid The Speaker’s approval of the Journal Chair. Except as specified in paragraph from applicable accounts of the House shall be deemed agreed to unless a (b), such an appointment may not ex- described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X on Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- tend beyond three legislative days. vouchers approved and signed solely by missioner demands a vote thereon. If (b)(1) In the case of illness, the the Speaker. such a vote is decided in the affirma- Speaker may appoint a Member to per- tive, it shall not be subject to a motion form the duties of the Chair for a pe- Committee appointment to reconsider. If such a vote is decided riod not exceeding 10 days, subject to 11. The Speaker shall appoint all se- in the negative, then one motion that the approval of the House. If the lect, joint, and conference committees the Journal be read shall be privileged, Speaker is absent and has omitted to ordered by the House. At any time shall be decided without debate, and make such an appointment, then the after an original appointment, the shall not be subject to a motion to re- House shall elect a Speaker pro tem- Speaker may remove Members, Dele- consider. pore to act during the absence of the gates, or the Resident Commissioner Preservation of order Speaker. from, or appoint additional Members, (2) With the approval of the House, Delegates, or the Resident Commis- 2. The Speaker shall preserve order the Speaker may appoint a Member to sioner to, a select or conference com- and decorum and, in case of disturb- act as Speaker pro tempore only to mittee. In appointing Members, Dele- ance or disorderly conduct in the gal- sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions gates, or the Resident Commissioner to leries or in the lobby, may cause the for a specified period of time. conference committees, the Speaker same to be cleared. (3)(A) In the case of a vacancy in the shall appoint no less than a majority Control of Capitol facilities Office of Speaker, the next Member on who generally supported the House po- 3. Except as otherwise provided by the list described in subdivision (B) sition as determined by the Speaker, rule or law, the Speaker shall have shall act as Speaker pro tempore until shall name those who are primarily re- general control of the Hall of the the election of a Speaker or a Speaker sponsible for the legislation, and shall, House, the corridors and passages in pro tempore. Pending such election the to the fullest extent feasible, include the part of the Capitol assigned to the Member acting as Speaker pro tempore the principal proponents of the major use of the House, and the disposal of may exercise such authorities of the provisions of the bill or resolution unappropriated rooms in that part of Office of Speaker as may be necessary passed or adopted by the House. the Capitol. and appropriate to that end. Recess and convening authorities (B) As soon as practicable after the Signature of documents election of the Speaker and whenever 12. (a) To suspend the business of the House for a short time when no ques- 4. The Speaker shall sign all acts and appropriate thereafter, the Speaker tion is pending before the House, the joint resolutions passed by the two shall deliver to the Clerk a list of Speaker may declare a recess subject Houses and all writs, warrants, and Members in the order in which each to the call of the Chair. subpoenas of, or issued by order of, the shall act as Speaker pro tempore under (b)(1) To suspend the business of the House. The Speaker may sign enrolled subdivision (A). House when notified of an imminent bills and joint resolutions whether or (C) For purposes of subdivision (A), a threat to its safety, the Speaker may not the House is in session. vacancy in the Office of Speaker may exist by reason of the physical inabil- declare an emergency recess subject to Questions of order ity of the Speaker to discharge the du- the call of the Chair. 5. The Speaker shall decide all ques- ties of the office. (2) To suspend the business of the Committee of the Whole House on the tions of order, subject to appeal by a Other responsibilities Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- state of the Union when notified of an missioner. On such an appeal a Mem- 9. The Speaker, in consultation with imminent threat to its safety, the ber, Delegate, or Resident Commis- the Minority Leader, shall develop chair of the Committee of the Whole sioner may not speak more than once through an appropriate entity of the may declare an emergency recess sub- without permission of the House. House a system for drug testing in the ject to the call of the Chair. House. The system may provide for the (c) During any recess or adjournment Form of a question testing of a Member, Delegate, Resi- of not more than three days, if the 6. The Speaker shall put a question dent Commissioner, officer, or em- Speaker is notified by the Sergeant-at- in this form: ‘‘Those in favor (of the ployee of the House, and otherwise Arms of an imminent impairment of question), say ‘Aye.’ ’’; and after the af- shall be comparable in scope to the sys- the place of reconvening at the time firmative voice is expressed, ‘‘Those tem for drug testing in the executive previously appointed, then the Speaker opposed, say ‘No.’ ’’. After a vote by branch pursuant to Executive Order may, in consultation with the Minority voice under this clause, the Speaker 12564 (Sept. 15, 1986). The expenses of Leader— VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:08 Feb 01, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7511 Sfmt 7511 F:\JSMITH\PUBLICATIONS\PAMPHLET\117TH\20210201.PAM 209-6B 1 RULES OF THE Rule I, clause 12 Rule II, clause 3 (1) postpone the time for recon- that any officer or Department is re- fore the House and entered on the vening within the limits of clause 4, quired to make to Congress, citing the Journal. section 5, article I of the Constitu- law or resolution in which the require- (h) The Clerk may receive messages tion and notify Members, Delegates, ment may be contained and placing from the President and from the Sen- and the Resident Commissioner ac- under the name of each officer the list ate at any time when the House is in cordingly; or of reports required to be made by such recess or adjournment.
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