ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

1 RULES. of the house OF REPRESENTATIVES. ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS . PREPARED BY. Karen L. Haas Clerk of the house of Representatives JANUARY 6, 2015. (Rev. 1 06 15). VerDate Nov 24 2008 17:28 Jan 23, 2015 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0204 Sfmt 0204 H:\BIN-H\PUBLICATIONS\PAMPHLET\114TH\ 209-5A. CONTENTS. Page RULE I. The Speaker 1. II. Other Officers and Officials 2. III. The Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico 3. IV. The Hall of the house 3. V. Broadcasting the house 4. VI. Official Reporters and News Media Galleries 4. VII. Records of the house 4. VIII. Response to Subpoenas 5. IX. Questions of Privilege 6.

2 X. Organization of Committees 6. XI. Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business 16. XII. Receipt and Referral of Measures and Matters 24. XIII. Calendars and Committee Reports 25. XIV. Order and Priority of Business 28. XV. Business in Order on Special Days 28. XVI. Motions and Amendments 29. XVII. Decorum and Debate 30. XVIII. The Committee of the Whole house on the state of the Union 31. XIX. Motions Following the Amendment Stage 32. XX. Voting and Quorum Calls 33. XXI. Restrictions on Certain Bills 34. XXII. house and Senate Relations 36. XXIII. Code of Official Conduct 38. XXIV. Limitations on Use of Official Funds 40. XXV. Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts 41.

3 XXVI. Financial Disclosure 45. XXVII. Disclosure by Members and Staff of Employment Negotiations 45. XXVIII. [Reserved] 45. XXIX. General Provisions 45. III. VerDate Nov 24 2008 17:28 Jan 23, 2015 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0204 Sfmt 0204 H:\BIN-H\PUBLICATIONS\PAMPHLET\114TH\ 209-5A. RULES OF THE house OF REPRESENTATIVES. ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS . RULE I clause, the Speaker may use such vot- 12564 (Sept. 15, 1986). The expenses of THE SPEAKER ing procedures as may be invoked the system may be paid from applica- under rule XX. ble accounts of the house for official Approval of the Journal Discretion to vote expenses. 1. The Speaker shall take the Chair on every legislative day precisely at 7.

4 The Speaker is not required to vote Designation of travel the hour to which the house last ad- in ordinary legislative proceedings, ex- 10. The Speaker may designate a journed and immediately call the cept when such vote would be decisive Member, Delegate, Resident Commis- house to order. Having examined and or when the house is engaged in voting sioner, officer, or employee of the approved the Journal of the last day's by ballot. house to travel on the business of the proceedings, the Speaker shall an- Speaker pro tempore house within or without the United nounce to the house approval thereof. 8. (a) The Speaker may appoint a States, whether the house is meeting, The Speaker's approval of the Journal Member to perform the duties of the has recessed, or has adjourned.

5 Ex- shall be deemed agreed to unless a Chair. Except as specified in paragraph penses for such travel may be paid Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- (b), such an appointment may not ex- from applicable accounts of the house missioner demands a vote thereon. If tend beyond three legislative days. described in clause 1(k)(1) of rule X on such a vote is decided in the affirma- (b)(1) In the case of illness, the vouchers approved and signed solely by tive, it shall not be subject to a motion Speaker may appoint a Member to per- the Speaker. to reconsider. If such a vote is decided form the duties of the Chair for a pe- in the negative, then one motion that Committee appointment riod not exceeding 10 days, subject to the Journal be read shall be privileged, the approval of the house .

6 If the 11. The Speaker shall appoint all se- shall be decided without debate, and Speaker is absent and has omitted to lect, joint, and conference committees shall not be subject to a motion to re- make such an appointment, then the ordered by the house . At any time consider. house shall elect a Speaker pro tem- after an original appointment, the Preservation of order pore to act during the absence of the Speaker may remove Members, Dele- Speaker. gates, or the Resident Commissioner 2. The Speaker shall preserve order (2) With the approval of the house , from, or appoint additional Members, and decorum and, in case of disturb- the Speaker may appoint a Member to Delegates, or the Resident Commis- ance or disorderly conduct in the gal- act as Speaker pro tempore only to sioner to, a select or conference com- leries or in the lobby, may cause the sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions mittee.

7 In appointing Members, Dele- same to be cleared. for a specified period of time. gates, or the Resident Commissioner to Control of Capitol facilities conference committees, the Speaker (3)(A) In the case of a vacancy in the 3. Except as otherwise provided by Office of Speaker, the next Member on shall appoint no less than a majority rule or law, the Speaker shall have the list described in subdivision (B) who generally supported the house po- general control of the Hall of the shall act as Speaker pro tempore until sition as determined by the Speaker, house , the corridors and passages in the election of a Speaker or a Speaker shall name those who are primarily re- the part of the Capitol assigned to the pro tempore.

8 Pending such election the sponsible for the legislation, and shall, use of the house , and the disposal of Member acting as Speaker pro tempore to the fullest extent feasible, include unappropriated rooms in that part of may exercise such authorities of the the principal proponents of the major the Capitol. Office of Speaker as may be necessary provisions of the bill or resolution Signature of documents and appropriate to that end. passed or adopted by the house . 4. The Speaker shall sign all acts and (B) As soon as practicable after the Recess and convening authorities joint resolutions passed by the two election of the Speaker and whenever appropriate thereafter, the Speaker 12.

9 (a) To suspend the business of the Houses and all writs, warrants, and house for a short time when no ques- subpoenas of, or issued by order of, the shall deliver to the Clerk a list of Members in the order in which each tion is pending before the house , the house . The Speaker may sign enrolled Speaker may declare a recess subject bills and joint resolutions whether or shall act as Speaker pro tempore under subdivision (A). to the call of the Chair. not the house is in session. (b)(1) To suspend the business of the (C) For purposes of subdivision (A), a Questions of order vacancy in the Office of Speaker may house when notified of an imminent 5.

10 The Speaker shall decide all ques- exist by reason of the physical inabil- threat to its safety, the Speaker may tions of order, subject to appeal by a ity of the Speaker to discharge the du- declare an emergency recess subject to Member, Delegate, or Resident Com- ties of the office. the call of the Chair. missioner. On such an appeal a Mem- (2) To suspend the business of the Other responsibilities Committee of the Whole house on the ber, Delegate, or Resident Commis- sioner may not speak more than once 9. The Speaker, in consultation with state of the Union when notified of an without permission of the house . the Minority Leader, shall develop imminent threat to its safety, the through an appropriate entity of the chair of the Committee of the Whole Form of a question house a system for drug testing in the may declare an emergency recess sub- 6.