U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S218-S222] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires each committee to adopt rules to govern the procedure of the committee and to publish those rules in the Congressional Record not later than March 1 of the first year of each Congress. Today, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs adopted committee rules of procedure. Consistent with standing rule XXVI, I ask unanimous consent to have a copy of the rules of procedure of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs printed in the Congressional Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Rules of Procedure of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs PURSUANT TO RULE XXVI, SEC. 2, STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE RULE 1. MEETINGS AND MEETING PROCEDURES OTHER THAN HEARINGS A. Meeting dates. The Committee shall hold its regular meetings on the first Wednesday of each month, when the Congress is in session, or at such other times as the Chair shall determine. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair as the Chair deems necessary to expedite Committee business. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 3, Standing Rules of the Senate.) B. Calling special Committee meetings. If at least three Members of the Committee desire the Chair to call a special meeting, they may file in the offices of the Committee a written request therefor, addressed to the Chair. Immediately thereafter, the clerk of the Committee shall notify the Chair of such request. If, within 3 calendar days after the filing of such request, the Chair fails to call the requested special meeting, which is to be held within 7 calendar days after the filing of such request, a majority of the Committee Members may file in the offices of the Committee their written notice that a special Committee meeting will be held, specifying the date and hour thereof, and the Committee shall meet on that date and hour. Immediately upon the filing of such notice, the Committee chief clerk shall notify all Committee Members that such special meeting will be held and inform them of its date and hour. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 3, Standing Rules of the Senate.) C. Meeting notices and agenda. Written notices of Committee meetings, accompanied by an agenda, enumerating the items of business to be considered, shall be sent to all [[Page S219]] Committee Members at least one week in advance of such meetings. The written notices required by this Rule may be provided by electronic mail. In the event that unforeseen requirements or Committee business prevent sufficient notice of either the meeting or agenda, the Committee staff shall communicate such notice and agenda, or any revisions to the agenda, as soon as practicable by telephone or otherwise to Members or appropriate staff assistants in their offices. D. Open business meetings. Meetings for the transaction of Committee or Subcommittee business shall be conducted in open session, except that a meeting or series of meetings 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 clauses (1) through (6) below would require the meeting to be closed, followed immediately by a record vote in open session by a majority of the Committee or Subcommittee Members when it is determined that the matters to be discussed or the testimony to be taken at such meeting or meetings-- (1) will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret in the interests of national defense or the confidential conduct of foreign relations of the United States; (2) will relate solely to matters of Committee or Subcommittee staff personnel or internal staff management or procedure; (3) will tend to charge an individual with crime or misconduct, to disgrace or injure the professional standing of an individual, or otherwise expose an individual to public contempt or obloquy or will represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy of an individual; (4) will disclose the identity of an 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; (5) will disclose information relating to the trade secrets of financial or commercial information pertaining specifically to a given person if-- (A) an Act of Congress requires the information to be kept confidential by Government officers and employees; or (B) 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 (6) may divulge matters required to be kept confidential under other provisions of law or Government regulations. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 5(b), Standing Rules of the Senate.) Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever disorder arises during a Committee or Subcommittee meeting that is open to the public, or any demonstration of approval or disapproval is indulged in by any person in attendance at any such meeting, it shall be the duty of the Chair to enforce order on the Chair's own initiative and without any point of order being made by a Member of the Committee or Subcommittee; provided, further, that when the Chair finds it necessary to maintain order, the Chair shall have the power to clear the room, and the Committee or Subcommittee may act in closed session for so long as there is doubt of the assurance of order. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 5(d), Standing Rules of the Senate.) E. Prior notice of amendments. It shall not be in order for the Committee, or a Subcommittee thereof, to consider any amendment in the first degree proposed to any measure under consideration by the Committee or Subcommittee unless a written copy of such amendment has been delivered to each Member of the Committee or Subcommittee, as the case may be, and to the office of the Committee or Subcommittee, no later than: (1) 5:00 p.m. five calendar days before the meeting for a first degree amendment in the nature of a substitute proposed by the manager of the measure, (2) 5:00 p.m. two calendar days before the meeting for a first degree amendment, or (3) an earlier deadline, by consent of the Chair and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or Subcommittee, which may include second degree amendments, in the case where notices are provided earlier than the deadline required in paragraph C. The written copy of amendments required by this Rule may be provided by electronic mail. This subsection may be waived by a majority of the Members present, or by consent of the Chair and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or Subcommittee. This subsection shall apply only when at least 5 calendar days written notice of a session to mark-up a measure is provided to the Committee or Subcommittee. F. Meeting transcript. The Committee or Subcommittee shall prepare and keep a complete transcript or electronic recording adequate to fully record the proceeding of each meeting whether or not such meeting or any part thereof is closed to the public, unless a majority of the Committee or Subcommittee Members vote to forgo such a record. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 5(e), Standing Rules of the Senate.) RULE 2. QUORUMS A. Reporting measures and matters. A majority of the Members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for reporting to the Senate any measures, matters or recommendations. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 7(a)(1), Standing Rules of the Senate.) B. Transaction of routine business. One-third of the membership of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of routine business, provided that one Member of the Minority is present. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term ``routine business'' includes the convening of a meeting and the consideration of subpoenas or any business of the Committee other than reporting to the Senate any measures, matters or recommendations. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 7(a)(1), Standing Rules of the Senate.) C. Taking testimony. One Member of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for taking sworn or unsworn testimony. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 7(a)(2) and 7(c)(2), Standing Rules of the Senate.) D. Subcommittee quorums. Subject to the provisions of sections 7(a)(1) and (2) of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Subcommittees of this Committee are authorized to establish their own quorums for the transaction of business and the taking of sworn testimony. E. Proxies prohibited in establishment of quorum. Proxies shall not be considered for the establishment of a quorum. RULE 3. VOTING A. Quorum required. Subject to the provisions of subsection (E), no vote may be taken by the Committee, or any Subcommittee thereof, on any measure or matter unless a quorum, as prescribed in the preceding section, is actually present. B. Reporting measures and matters. No measure, matter or recommendation shall be reported from the Committee unless a majority of the Committee Members are actually present, and the vote of the Committee to report a measure or matter shall require the concurrence of a majority of those Members who are actually present at the time the vote is taken. (Rule XXVI, Sec. 7(a)(1) and (3), Standing Rules of the Senate.) C. Proxy voting. Proxy voting shall be allowed on all measures, matters, and routine business before the Committee, or any Subcommittee thereof, provided: (1) When the Committee, or any Subc