Sec. 2. Changes to the standing rules
2,245 words·~10 min read·
/bill/117/hres/8/eh/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
In clause 2(i) of rule II— strike the designation of subparagraph (1); and strike subparagraph (2). In rule II, add at the end the following new clauses: Office of Diversity and Inclusion There is established an Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The Speaker, in consultation with the Minority Leader, shall appoint a Director of the Office from recommendations provided by the chair of the Committee on House Administration in consultation with the ranking minority member of such committee.
Subject to the policy direction and oversight of the Committee on House Administration, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion shall— direct and guide House employing offices to recruit, hire, train, develop, advance, promote, and retain a diverse workforce; survey and evaluate diversity in House employing offices; through the Director of the Office at the end of each session of Congress, submit a House of Representatives diversity report to the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch of the Committee on Appropriations; and provide consultation and guidance in furtherance of increasing diversity and inclusion in the House.
Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds There is established an Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds. The Speaker, in consultation with the chairs and ranking minority members of the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Oversight and Reform, shall appoint a Director of the Office. Subject to the policy direction and oversight of the Committee on House Administration, and in consultation with any other committee (at the request of the chair or ranking minority member of such other committee), the Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds shall— promulgate best practices for whistleblower intake for offices of the House; and provide training for offices of the House on whistleblower intake, including establishing an effective reporting system for whistleblowers, maintaining whistleblower confidentiality, advising staff of relevant laws and policies, and protecting information provided by whistleblowers. .
In clause 4(d)(1)(A) of rule X— strike “and the Inspector General” and insert “, the Inspector General, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds”; and strike “and Inspector General” and insert “Inspector General, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds”. In clause 8(c) of rule II, strike appropriate and insert appropriate, including, but not limited to, the issuance of subpoenas, . In clause 2(a)(14) of rule IV, insert and the Mayor of the District of Columbia after Territories .
In clause 4(a) of rule IV— in subparagraph
(2)strike committee; or and insert committee; ; in subparagraph
(3)strike the period and insert ; or ; and add at the end the following new subparagraph: has been convicted by a court of record for the commission of a crime in relation to that individual’s election to, or service to, the House. . In clause 1(c)(9) of rule X, strike seamen and insert seafarers . In clause 4(a)(1)(B) of rule X, strike Chairman and insert Chair . In clause 8(c)(3) of rule XXIII, strike father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, grandson, or granddaughter and insert parent, child, sibling, parent’s sibling, first cousin, sibling’s child, spouse, parent-in-law, child-in-law, sibling-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, stepsibling, half-sibling, or grandchild . In clause 10(b) of rule XXIII— strike submit his or her resignation and insert resign ; strike he or she serves and insert such Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner serves ; and strike he or she holds and insert such Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner holds . In clause 15(d)(2) of rule XXIII, strike father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife, father-in-law, or mother-in-law and insert parent, child, sibling, spouse, or parent-in-law . In clause 4 of rule XXVII, strike himself or herself and insert themself . In rule XXIX, clause 2 is amended to read as follows: (Reserved.) . In clause 1(c) of rule X— in subparagraph
(1)strike “and Air Force” and insert “Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force”; and in subparagraph (13), strike “and Air Force” and insert “Air Force, and Space Force”. In clause 2(d)(2) of rule X— in subdivision (D), strike and ; in subdivision (E), strike the period and insert ; and ; and add at the end the following new subdivision: give priority consideration to including in the plan a discussion of how the committee’s work will address issues of inequities on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national origin. . In clause 6 of rule X, strike printed each place that it appears. In clause 8(b)(1)(A) of rule XXII, insert or pursuant to clause 3 of rule XXIX after Congressional Record . In clause 2(e)(1)(B) of rule XI— in item (i), strike made available by the committee for inspection by the public at reasonable times in its offices and also ; in item (i), strike subdivision (B)(ii) and insert item
(ii); and in item (ii), strike available for inspection by the public and insert publicly available . In clause 2(e)(6) of rule XI, insert “, or 48 hours after the disposition or withdrawal of any other amendment,” after “any amendment”. In clause 2(g)(5) of rule XI— amend subdivision
(B)to read as follows: In the case of a witness appearing in a non-governmental capacity, a written statement of proposed testimony shall include— a curriculum vitae; a disclosure of any Federal grants or contracts, or contracts, grants, or payments originating with a foreign government, received during the past 36 months by the witness or by an entity represented by the witness and related to the subject matter of the hearing; and a disclosure of whether the witness is a fiduciary (including, but not limited to, a director, officer, advisor, or resident agent) of any organization or entity that has an interest in the subject matter of the hearing. ; in subdivision (C), strike subdivision
(B)and insert subdivision (B)(ii) ; and in subdivision (D), insert 24 hours before the witness appears to the extent practicable, but before not later . In clause 2(l) of rule XI, insert (including in electronic form) after signed views . In clause 2(a) of rule XIII— in subparagraph (1), strike subparagraph
(2)and insert subparagraphs
(2)and
(3); and add the following new subparagraph: All reports of committees may be delivered to the Clerk in electronic form. . In clause 5(b) of rule XIII, insert , pursuant to clause 2(a)(3), or pursuant to clause 2(c), after from the floor . In clause 5 of rule XXV, insert (including in electronic form) after signed each place that it appears. In clause 1 of rule XXVII, insert (including in electronic form) after signed . In clause 2(m)(3) of rule XI, add the following new subdivision: Subpoenas for documents or testimony may be issued to any person or entity, whether governmental, public, or private, within the United States, including, but not limited to, the President, and the Vice President, whether current or former, in a personal or official capacity, as well as the White House, the Office of the President, the Executive Office of the President, and any individual currently or formerly employed in the White House, Office of the President, or Executive Office of the President. . In clause 5(a)(3)(C) of rule X, insert or fifth after fourth . In clause 3 of rule XI— in paragraph (b)(8)(A), insert , Delegate, Resident Commissioner after Member each place it appears; in paragraph (b)(8)(B)(iii), insert , Delegate, Resident Commissioner after Member ; in paragraph (k)(1)(A), insert , Delegate, Resident Commissioner after Member ; in paragraph (m)(1)(A), insert , Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner after Members ; in paragraph (n), insert , Delegate, Resident Commissioner after Member ; and in paragraph (r), insert , Delegate, Resident Commissioner after Member . In clause 4(b) of rule XI, strike radio and television tapes and television film and insert audio and video recordings . In clause 7(b)(2) of rule XII, strike the first two sentences and insert the following: The name of a cosponsor of a bill or resolution may be deleted only by a demand from the floor made by the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner whose name is to be deleted, or by a unanimous-consent request from the sponsor. The Speaker may only entertain such a demand or request until the last committee authorized to consider and report the bill or resolution reports it to the House or is discharged from its consideration. . In rule XXI, strike clause 12. In clause 3(c) of rule XIII, add the following new subparagraph: On a bill or joint resolution to be considered pursuant to a special order of business reported by the Committee on Rules— a list of related committee and subcommittee hearings; and a designation of at least one committee or subcommittee hearing that was used to develop or consider such bill or joint resolution. Subdivision
(A)shall not apply to a bill or joint resolution— continuing appropriations for a fiscal year; or containing an emergency designation under section 251(b)(2) or section 252(e) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. . In rule XXI, add at the end the following new clause: It shall not be in order to consider a bill or joint resolution pursuant to a special order of business reported by the Committee on Rules that has not been reported by a committee. Paragraph
(a)shall not apply to a bill or joint resolution— continuing appropriations for a fiscal year; containing an emergency designation under section 251(b)(2) or section 252(e) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985; designated pursuant to clause 7(a) of rule XV; or not referred to committee. Paragraph
(a)does not apply before March 1 of an odd-numbered year. . In clause 6(c) of rule XIII, strike , including a motion to recommit with instructions to report back an amendment otherwise in order . In clause 2 of rule XIX— in paragraph (a), strike with or ; amend paragraph
(b)to read as follows: The previous question shall be considered as ordered on any motion to recommit (or commit, as the case may be). ; and strike paragraph (c). In clause 7(d) of rule XXII, strike or in a motion to recommit to conference . In rule XV— clause 4 is amended to read as follows: (Reserved.) . in clause 4, strike the caption. In clause 6 of rule XVI, insert , shall be in order only if offered by the Majority Leader or a designee, after adoption . Clause 7 of rule XXI is amended to read as follows: (Reserved.) . In clause 11 of rule XXI, insert the text of before such measure . Clause 19(c) of rule XXIII is amended to read as follows: A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall comply with regulations issued and revised, as necessary, by the Committee on Ethics regarding types of prohibited service or positions that could lead to conflicts of interest. . In rule XXIII— redesignate clause 20 as clause 22; and insert after clause 19 the following new clauses: A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House may not, directly or indirectly, take any actions to prevent any individual from or retaliate against any individual for providing truthful information to the Committee on Ethics, the Office of Congressional Ethics, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, or any law enforcement official, provided that the disclosure of such information is not otherwise prohibited by law or House rules. Except as provided in paragraphs
(b)and (c), a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall not knowingly and willfully disclose publicly the identity of, or personally identifiable information about, any individual who has reported allegations of possible wrongdoing, including retaliation, under processes and protections provided by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act of 1998, or any other Federal law that establishes the right for individuals to make protected disclosures to Congress. The limitation in paragraph
(a)shall not apply to any disclosure of an individual’s identity or personally identifiable information if— the individual has provided express written consent prior to such disclosure; the individual has already voluntarily and publicly disclosed their identity; or the disclosure is by the chair of a committee after an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the members of the committee that such disclosure is in the public interest. Nothing in this clause shall prevent— an investigation of any allegation of wrongdoing disclosed by any individual; or the public disclosure of substantive information shared by any individual that is not personally identifiable to that individual. Disclosures made pursuant to paragraph (b)(3) shall be subject to appropriate safeguards, including that the individual be provided timely advance notice if possible before their identity or any personally identifiable information is disclosed prior to the vote described in paragraph (b)(3), unless such information would jeopardize the related investigations. When providing such notice to the individual the committee chair shall send the individual a written explanation of the reasons for the disclosure. . In clause 5 of rule XXIV, strike Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards and insert Communications Standards Commission .