NationMaster - Encyclopedia: United States House Committee on Rules

The Committee on Rules, or (more commonly) Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor. As such, it is one of the most powerful committees, and often described as "an arm of the leadership" and as the "traffic cop" of Congress. A rule is a simple resolution of the House of Representatives, usually reported by the Committee on Rules, to permit the immediate consideration of a legislative measure, notwithstanding the usual order of business, and to prescribe conditions for its debate and amendment.^[1] This is a list of U.S. Congressional committees (standing committees, joint committees and special committees) that are currently operating the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of the United States Congress. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Role of the Rules Committee

When a bill is reported out of one of the other committees, it does not go straight to the House floor, because the House, unlike the United States Senate, does not have unlimited debate and discussion on a bill. Instead, what may be said and done to a bill is strictly limited. This limitation is performed by the Rules Committee. Seal of the U.S. Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the House of Representatives. ...

When a bill is reported out of another committee, it first goes to the Rules Committee before it can be debated on the House floor (in what is known as The Committee of the Whole of the House on the State of the Union, or the Committee of the Whole). The Rules Committee decides what will be allowed during the debate on the bill. For instance, there might be a limit on the number or types of amendments (proposed changes to the bill). Amendments might only be allowed to specific sections of the bill, or no amendments might be allowed at all. In the United States House of Representatives, the Committee of the Whole, short for Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, is a parliamentary device in which the House of Representatives is considered one large Congressional committee. ...

Besides control over amendments, the rule issued by the Rules Committee also determines the amount of speaking time assigned on each bill. If the leadership wants a bill pushed forward quietly, for instance, there might be no debate time scheduled; if they want attention, they might allow time for lengthy speeches in support of the bill. Between control over amendments and debate, the Rules Committee exerts vast power in the House. As such, it is tightly controlled by the majority party. ...

History

The Rules Committee was formed on April 2, 1789, during the first Congress. However, it had nowhere near the powerful role it has today. Instead, it merely proposed general rules for the House to follow when debating bills (rather than passing a special rule for each bill), and was dissolved after proposing these general rules. These general rules still have a great impact on the tone of the House floor today. April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

The Rules Committee, for a long time, lay dormant. For the first fifty years of its existence, it accomplished little beyond simply reaffirming these rules, and its role was very noncontroversial. On June 16, 1841, it made a major policy change, reducing from 2/3 to 1/2 the fraction of votes needed in the House to close debate and vote on a bill. June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... In common usage a fraction is any part of a unit. ...

In 1880, the modern Rules Committee began to emerge from the reorganization of the House Committees. The first chairman of the Rules Committee, Speaker of the House Samuel J. Randall (D-Pennsylvania) firmly established that the Rules Committee could change the rules of the House at any time (i.e. for specific bills), and that all rules changes could only emanate from the Rules Committee. When the Republican party took over the House in the election of 1880, they quickly realized the power that the Rules Committee possessed. One member, Thomas Brackett Reed (R-Maine), used a seat on the Rules Committee to vault himself to the Speakership, and gained so much power that he was referred to as "Czar Reed". 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a countrys lower house of parliament or congress (ie: the House of Commons or House of Representatives). ... Samuel Jackson Randall (October 10, 1828–April 13, 1890) was a prominent U.S. politician during the late 19th century. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major United States political parties. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 kmÂ²) - Width 160 miles (255 km) - Length 280 miles (455 km) - % water 2. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Official portrait of Thomas B. Reed. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... Official language(s) None (English de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area Ranked 39th - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (338 km) - Length 320 miles (515 km) - % water 13. ... Tsar, (Bulgarian цар�, Russian царь; often spelled Czar or Tzar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to 1917. ...

In the 1890s and 1900s, Reed and his successor, Joseph Gurney Cannon (R-Illinois) used the Rules Committee to centralize the power of the Speakership. Although their power to place members in committees and perform other functions was limited by a forced rule change in 1910, the Rules Committee retained its power. However, it ceased to function as the personal project of the Speaker, as it had originally; instead, as the seniority system took root, it was captured by a coalition of conservative Democrats and Republicans. This state of affairs would continue until the 1960s. The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no... // Events and trends Technology First flight by the Wright brothers, December 17, 1903. ... Joseph Cannon at the 1904 Republican Convention Joseph Gurney Cannon (May 7, 1836 â€“ November 12, 1926) was a United States politician from Illinois and leader of the Republican party; historians consider him one of the most powerful Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1903 through 1911. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area Ranked 25th - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 390 miles (629 km) - % water 4. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... This article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

In 1961, Speaker Sam Rayburn (D-Texas), acting on the wishes of the new President John F. Kennedy, introduced a bill to enlarge the committee from 12 members to 15, to decrease the power of the arch-conservative chairman, Howard W. Smith (D-Virginia). The bill passed, 217 votes to 212. However, it was only partially successful; the Rules Committee continued to block legislation including civil rights and education bills. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... Portrait of Sam Rayburn Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn (January 6, 1882 â€“ November 16, 1961) was a United States politician from Texas. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 kmÂ²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917â€“November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F. Kennedy, JFK, John Kennedy, or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ... Howard W. Smith (February 2, 1883â€”October 3, 1976), U.S. Congressman from Virginia, was a leader of the Conservative coalition. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 kmÂ²) - Width 200 miles (320 km) - Length 430 miles (690 km) - % water 7. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ...

In the 1970s, however, the Rules Committee was firmly under the command of the Speaker once again. As before, its primary role is to come up with special rules, to help or hinder the chances of legislation reported to it. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

Current Members

Republicans

David Dreier David Timothy Dreier (born July 5, 1952), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since January 1981, representing the 26th District of California (map). ... Lincoln Diaz-Balart (born August 13, 1954), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 21st District of Florida (map). ... Fourth Congressional District of Washington Richard Norman Doc Hastings (born February 7, 1941), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995, representing the Fourth Congressional District of Washington. ... Categories: People stubs | 1955 births | Members of the U.S. House of Representatives | Texas politicians ... Adam H. Putnam (born July 31, 1974), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing the 12th District of Florida. ... Shelley Moore Capito (born November 26, 1953) is an American politician. ... Rep. ... Robert William Rob Bishop (born July 13, 1951) is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. ... Gingrey during a committee hearing John Phillip Gingrey, M.D., (born July 10, 1942), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing the 11th District of Georgia (map). ...

Democrats

Louise McIntosh Slaughter (born August 14, 1929) is a prominent American Democratic politician, currently serving as Ranking Democratic Member of the prestigious Rules Committee in the United States House of Representatives. ... Rep. ... Alcee Lamar Hastings (born September 5, 1936) is a member of the United States House of Representatives representing the 23rd District of Florida (map). ... Doris Matsui Doris Okada Matsui (born September 25, 1944) is an American politician of the Democratic Party who represents the Fifth Congressional District of California (Sacramento County, map) in the United States House of Representatives. ...

References

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ...

External links

See also

Category: Committees of the United States Congress A Congressional committee in the parlance of the United States Congress and politics of the United States is a legislative sub-organization that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress, making necessary and proper laws). ... Members of the Committee on Financial Services sit in the tiers of raised chairs (R), while those testifying and audience members sit below (L). ... The Committee on Appropriations, or Appropriations Committee (often referred to as simply Appropriations, as in Hes on Appropriations) is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The Committee on Education and the Workforce is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Commerce Committee on Energy and Commerce residing at 2125 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC is the oldest (208 years) legislative standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. ... Meeting of the House Financial Services Committee The United States House Committee on Financial Services (or House Banking Committee) oversees the entire financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries. ... The Committee on Government Reform is a House of Representatives committee that has existed in varying forms since 1816. ... The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The United States House Committee on House Administration deals with the general administration matters of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina is the House of Representativess committee investigating the United States Governments failure to respond appropriately to Hurricane Katrina. ... The U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is a committee of the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Peter Hoekstra. ... The U.S. House Committee on International Relations (also known as the House International Relations Committee, the House Foreign Relations Committee or the House Foreign Affairs Committee), is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives which is in charge of bills and investigations related to the foreign... U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, or (more commonly) the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Committee on Resources, or Resources Committee (often referred to as simply Resources, as in Hes on Resources) is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Committee on Science is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... // History Jurisdiction Subcommittees Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, and Government Programs Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on Tax, Finance, and Exports Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, Agriculture, and Technology Members Republicans Donald A. Manzullo (R-IL), Chairman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) Sue W. Kelly (R-NY) Steve Chabot (R-OH... The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The standing Committee on Veterans Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. ... The Committee on Ways and Means is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... In the United States House of Representatives, the Committee of the Whole, short for Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, is a parliamentary device in which the House of Representatives is considered one large Congressional committee. ... The Senate Committee on Budget (ca. ... The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee; it became a permanent committee in 1977. ... The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nations agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and health. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nations military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and other... The United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to banks and banking, price controls, deposit insurance, export promotion and controls, federal monetary policy, financial aid to commerce and industry, issuance of redemption of notes, currency and coinage, public and private housing, urban... The United States Senate Committee on Budget was established in 1974 by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act. ... The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate in charge of all senate matters related to the following subjects: Coast Guard Coastal zone management Communications Highway safety Inland waterways, except construction Interstate commerce Marine and ocean navigation, safety, and transportation Marine... The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and nuclear waste policy, territorial policy, native Hawaiian matters, and public lands. ... The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics is a select committee of the United States Senate charged with dealing with matters related to senatorial ethics. ... The United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is responsible for dealing with matters related to the environment and infrastructure. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (or, less formally, Senate Finance Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has jurisdiction over matters relating to health, education, labor, and pensions. ... The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the Census, the... The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is responsible for dealing with matters related to the American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples. ... The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Communityâ€”the agencies and bureaus of the U.S. federal government who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary (informally Senate Judiciary Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate, the upper house of the United States Congress. ... The United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for dealing with the rules of the United States Senate, with administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for dealing with contested elections. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The United States Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs is responsible for dealing with matters related to veterans. ... A Joint Committee of the Parliament of the United Kingdom is a Select Committee consisting of members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. ... A conference committee in the United States Congress is a committee appointed by the members of the upper and lower houses to resolve disagreements on a bill passed in different versions of each House. ... The Joint Economic Committee is one of only four joint committees of the U.S. Congress. ... The Joint Committee on the Library is a joint committee of the U.S. Congress devoted to the affairs and administration of the U.S. Library of Congress, which is the library of the federal legislature. ... The Joint Committee on Printing is a joint committee of the U.S. Congress devoted to overseeing the functions of the Government Printing Office and general printing procedures of the Federal Government. ... A Congressional committee in the parlance of the United States Congress and politics of the United States is a legislative sub-organization that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress, making necessary and proper laws). ...

Contents

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