General Information -

• Bill sponsorship, cosponsorship & withdrawal
• Bill research/drafting assistance - CRS, Legislative Counsel & the Parliamentarians
• Bill referrals - single, split, sequential; strategic considerations

Introduction to Committee Procedures -

• The rules of the House are the rules of committees. Committees also adopt their own rules
• Committees may only act when acting together
• It is the prerogative of the Chair to call meetings; however, if the Chair fails to call a meeting upon the written request of three committee members, a majority of committee members may call a special meeting
• Subcommittee referrals are optional

The Hearing process - quorum for taking testimony, established by committee rules - never <2

Hearings are optional - no point of order lies for failure to hold them

Must be open unless majority of Members present concur in national security or privacy concerns

Hearings require one-week notice (unless ranking member concurs or majority of members vote to waive for good cause)

Questioning witness - waiving the five-minute rule

If asserted, minority has right to call one day of witnesses

Investigative hearings -

• Staff deposition authority
• The subpoena power -
• Issuing subpoenas
• Enforcing subpoenas

Legislative Markups - quorum requirement is 1/3 to conduct business; majority to report

• No notice requirements in House rules
• Must be open unless closed by roll call vote
• Quorum requirement 1/3 to conduct business; majority to report
• Reading the bill -
• first reading may be dispensed with if printed copies of the bill available
• second reading (for amendment) waived only by unanimous consent.

The Committee Amendment Process -

• Second reading is by section unless otherwise agreed to
• Amendments must be offered when their section is read
• Amendments must be in writing and must be read in full unless unanimous consent to waive is granted
• Only germane first & second degree amendments are in order
• Debate is under the five-minute rule -- author, opponent, pro forma
• Points of order must be timely made
• Obtaining a vote in committee requires 1/5 members support
• Proxies are invalid

Final Disposition -

• Ordering measure reported (favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation)
• Reserving the right to file views; two days available

Restrictions on amendments -

• Germaneness
• Prohibition on third-degree amendments
• Substitutes can only be offered at the beginning or end of the amendment process

General Remarks -

• One Minute Speeches
• Unanimous Consent Requests
• Special Orders
• Extensions of Remarks

Consideration of Bills & Resolutions -

• Suspensions
• Consideration by Unanimous Consent
• Privileged Matters - Appropriations bills, conference reports, Rules resolutions, ethics inquiries, presidential veto overrides, etc.
• Special Rules - purpose & types; their consideration, and obtaining time on a rule
• The Committee of the Whole
• Obtaining time during General Debate

The Amendment Process on the Floor -

• Consideration of amendments under the Five-minute rule -
• offering amendments
• pro forma amendments to obtain debate time
• Consideration of amendments under Special Rules - time and order restrictions
• Pre-printing of amendments to enhance access to debate time

Final Adoption -

• The Committee Rises
• Right to obtain a separate vote on any amendment adopted in Committee of the Whole
• The previous question
• The motion to recommit
• Voting pairs

Obtaining quorums or votes -

• In the House -
• 218 Members constitutes a quorum
• If few Members are present, to obtain a roll call vote any Member may -
• (1) Make a point of order that a quorum is not present. A roll call is automatic
• (2) Request the "yeas and nays". This requires 1/5 of the Members present to stand in support of the vote
• If the chamber is full, to obtain a roll call vote any Member may -
• (1) Demand the yeas and nays. This requires 1/5 of the Members present to stand in support of the vote.
• (2) Demand a record vote. This requires that 44 Members must stand in support of the vote
• In the Committee of the Whole - 100 Members equals a quorum
• A division vote can be demanded by any Member after a voice vote. No minimum number of supporters is required.
• To obtain a record vote, 25 Members must rise in support of the vote. If fewer than 100 Members are present on the floor, the Member may demand a record vote, and pending that makes a point of order that a quorum is not present.