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United States House Committee on Rules

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The Committee on Rules (or more commonly the Rules Committee) is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is responsible for the rules under which bills will be presented to the House of Representatives, unlike other committees, which often deal with a specific area of policy. The committee is often considered one of the most powerful committees as it influences the introduction and process of legislation through the House. Thus it has garnered the nickname the "traffic cop of Congress". A "special rule" resolution (also referred to simply as 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]

Committee on Rules
Standing committee
Active

United States House of Representatives
118th Congress
History
FormedApril 2, 1789
Leadership
ChairMichael C. Burgess (R)
Since 2024
Ranking memberJim McGovern (D)
Since 2023
Structure
Seats13
Political partiesMajority (9)
  •   Republican (9)
Minority (4)
Jurisdiction
PurposeSpecial Rules and Original Jurisdiction
Policy areasRules and joint rules (other than those relating to the Code of Official Conduct) and the order of business of the House and Recesses and final adjournments of Congress.
Senate counterpartUnited States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Website
rules.house.gov

Jurisdiction

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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.

Special rules

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When a bill is reported out of another committee with legislative jurisdiction, it is placed on the appropriate House Calendar for debate. Common practice, though, is for bills reported from committees to be considered in the Rules Committee, which then passes a so-called "special rule" (a resolution allowing for consideration of a bill, establishing how long and under what rules the full body will debate the proposition). A "special rule" resolution (also known simply as a "rule") is privileged under the Standing Rules of the House, meaning it is immediately subject to a debate and a vote by the full House upon being reported by the Rules Committee. If a "special rule" resolution providing for consideration of a bill is passed, then such bill must be considered the House at such a time and under such limitations as the resolution has set. In practice, a bill can get to a floor vote only if a "special rule" resolution providing for its consideration is passed (unless the Speaker grants a vote on suspension of the rules, which requires two-thirds of votes cast in order to pass).

Consideration by the full body can occur in one of two forums: the Committee of the Whole, or on the floor of the full House of Representatives itself. Different traditions govern whether the Committee of the Whole or the House itself will debate a given resolution, and the Rules Committee generally sets the forum under which a proposition will be debated and the amendment/time limitations for every measure, too. 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. Besides control over amendments, the rule issued by the Rules Committee also determines the amount of speaking time assigned on each bill or resolution. 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, debate, and when measures will be considered, the Rules Committee exerts vast power in the House. As such, the majority party will usually be very keen on controlling it tightly. While most House committees maintain membership in a rough proportion to the full chamber (if the majority party controls 55% of the House, it will tend to have 55% of committee seats), membership on the Rules Committee is disproportionately in favor of the majority party. Furthermore, the rules committee typically operates in a very partisan fashion, advancing "special rule" resolutions to the floor on straight party line votes in nearly all cases.

History

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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.

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.

In 1880, the modern Rules Committee began to emerge from the reorganization of the House Committees. 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".

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.

In 1961, Speaker Sam Rayburn (D-Texas), acting on the wishes of the new President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic Study Group, 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.

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 obstruct the chances of legislation reported to it.

General types of rules

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Representative Bradley Byrne while in session. He served on the House Committee on Rules from 2015 to 2018.

The Rules Committee issues the following types of "special rule" resolutions:[2]

  • Open rule: Allows any member to offer any amendment in compliance with house rules under the five minute rule (a member argues for the amendment for 5 minutes, an opponent then argues against the amendment for 5 minutes, other members may then "strike the last word" to speak further on the Amendment, and the house then votes on the amendment). Debate continues until no one offers an amendment. This type of Rule has not been used since June 10, 2014.[citation needed]
  • Modified open rule: Much like an open rule, but may require amendments to be preprinted in the congressional record beforehand, and may impose a total time limit for the consideration of all amendments, or for debate on each amendment.
  • Structured rule - Members submit amendments to the rules committee, and the rules committee selects which amendments may be considered on the floor.
  • Closed rule - Eliminates the opportunity to amend the bill on the floor, except under unanimous consent.

Most "special rule" resolutions offer time for "general debate" before any amendment consideration begins (it is also possible for the rules committee to issue a rule for "general debate" only and later issue a second rule for amendment consideration) and allow for one motion to send the bill back to its committee of origination, with or without instructions for how to modify the bill. Such resolutions may also include necessary authority for district work periods, and may waive or modify certain points of order or rules of the house if desired by the committee, and the committee is also allowed to self-execute amendments right in the rule rather than delegating this ability to the full house floor.[3]

Members, 118th Congress

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Majority Minority

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 56 (R), H.Res. 57 (D), H.Res. 1133 (R)

Subcommittees

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The Rules Committee operates with two subcommittees, one focusing on legislative and budget matters and one focusing on the internal operations of the House.

Subcommittee Chair Ranking Member
Legislative and Budget Process Michelle Fischbach Teresa Leger Fernandez
Rules and the Organization of the House Michael C. Burgess Mary Gay Scanlon

Source: Full membership

Chairs, 1849–1853 and 1880–present

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The Committee on Rules was created as a select committee but became a standing committee for the 31st and 32nd Congresses (1849–1853). In 1853, the panel reverted to being a select committee and remained one until 1880.[4]

From 1880 to the revolt against Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon in March 1910, the Speaker of the House also served as Chairman of the Rules Committee.

Beginning in 1999 with the chairmanship of Republican David Dreier of California, the chairman of the Rules Committee became a member of the elected Republican leadership, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Howard W. Smith of Virginia is the longest-serving chairman (1955–1967) since the committee's founding. David Dreier of California is the youngest chairman of the Rules Committee, assuming the position at the age of 46. He is also the longest-serving chairman (1999-2007, 2011–2013) since 1967. Louise Slaughter of New York is the first woman to chair the committee (2007-2011).

Chair Party State Years Note
David S. Kaufman Democratic Texas 1849–1851 Died in office January 31, 1851[5]
George W. Jones Democratic Tennessee 1851–1853 [6]
Samuel J. Randall Democratic Pennsylvania 1880–1881 [7][8]
J. Warren Keifer Republican Ohio 1881–1883 [9]
John G. Carlisle Democratic Kentucky 1883–1889 [10]
Thomas B. Reed Republican Maine 1889–1891 1st term[11]
Charles F. Crisp Democratic Georgia 1891–1895 [12]
Thomas B. Reed Republican Maine 1895–1899 2nd term
David B. Henderson Republican Iowa 1899–1903 [13]
Joseph G. Cannon Republican Illinois 1903–1910 [14]
John Dalzell Republican Pennsylvania 1910–1911 [15]
Robert L. Henry Democratic Texas 1911–1917 [16]
Edward W. Pou Democratic North Carolina 1917–1919 1st term[17]
Philip P. Campbell Republican Kansas 1919–1923 [18]
Bertrand H. Snell Republican New York 1923–1931 [19]
Edward W. Pou Democratic North Carolina 1931–1934 2nd term. Died in

office April 1, 1934.

William B. Bankhead Democratic Alabama 1934–1935 [20]
John J. O'Connor Democratic New York 1935–1939 [21]
Adolph J. Sabath Democratic Illinois 1939–1947 1st term[22]
Leo E. Allen Republican Illinois 1947–1949 1st term[23]
Adolph J. Sabath Democratic Illinois 1949–1952 2nd term. Died in
office November 6, 1952.
Leo E. Allen Republican Illinois 1953–1955 2nd term
Howard W. Smith Democratic Virginia 1955–1967 [24]
William M. Colmer Democratic Mississippi 1967–1973 [25]
Ray J. Madden Democratic Indiana 1973–1977 [26]
James J. Delaney Democratic New York 1977–1979 [27]
Richard W. Bolling Democratic Missouri 1979–1983 [28]
Claude D. Pepper Democratic Florida 1983–1989 Died in office
May 30, 1989[29]
Joe Moakley Democratic Massachusetts 1989–1995 [30]
Gerald B. H. Solomon Republican New York 1995–1999 [31]
David T. Dreier Republican California 1999–2007 1st term[32]
Louise M. Slaughter Democratic New York 2007–2011 [33]
David T. Dreier Republican California 2011–2013 2nd term
Pete Sessions Republican Texas 2013–2019 [34]
Jim McGovern Democratic Massachusetts 2019–2023 [35]
Tom Cole Republican Oklahoma 2023–2024 [36]
Michael C. Burgess Republican Texas 2024–present [37]

Historical members and subcommittees

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Members, 114th Congress

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Majority Minority

Sources: H.Res. 6 (Chairs), H.Res. 7 (D), H.Res. 17 (R) and H.Res. 22 (D).

Members, 115th Congress

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Majority Minority

Sources: H.Res. 6 (R), H.Res. 7 (D), H.Res. 816 (D)

Members, 116th Congress

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Members of the Committee social distancing at a hearing during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020
Majority Minority

Sources: H.Res. 7 (Chair), H.Res. 8 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 24 (D), H.Res. 25 (R), H.Res. 26 (D), H.Res. 125 (D), H.Res. 934 (D)

Members, 117th Congress

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Majority Minority

Sources: H.Res. 35 (D), H.Res. 36 (R), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 384 (D), [1]

Subcommittees
Subcommittee Chair Ranking Member
Expedited Procedures Jamie Raskin (D-MD) Michelle Fischbach (R-MN)
Legislative and Budget Process Joseph Morelle (D-NY) Michael C. Burgess (R-TX)
Rules and the Organization of the House Norma Torres (D-CA) Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Committee on Rules". U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Rules. Retrieved November 3, 2006.
  2. ^ "About the Committee on Rules - History and Processes". 19 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Rule Information". 16 April 2018.
  4. ^ A Pre-Twentieth Century look at the House Committee on Rules, by Walter J. Olezek (House of Representatives, Rules Committee Democrats website; accessed January 16, 2011)
  5. ^ United States Congress. "Kaufman, David Spangler (id: K000021)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
  6. ^ United States Congress. "Jones, George Washington (id: J000222)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
  7. ^ United States Congress. "Randall, Samuel Jackson (id: R000039)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
  8. ^ Committee on Rules – A History (House of Representatives, Rules Committee Democrats website; accessed January 16, 2011 (confirms Randall was Chairman)
  9. ^ United States Congress. "Keifer, Joseph Warren (id: K000048)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  10. ^ United States Congress. "Carlisle, John Griffin (id: C000152)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  11. ^ United States Congress. "Reed, Thomas Brackett (id: R000128)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  12. ^ United States Congress. "Crisp, Charles Frederick (id: C000908)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  13. ^ United States Congress. "Henderson, David Bremner (id: H000478)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  14. ^ United States Congress. "Cannon, Joseph Gurney (id: C000121)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  15. ^ United States Congress. "Dalzell, John (id: D000016)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  16. ^ United States Congress. "Henry, Robert Lee (id: H000516)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  17. ^ United States Congress. "Pou, Edward William (id: P000474)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
  18. ^ United States Congress. "Campbell, Philip Pitt (id: C000097)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  19. ^ United States Congress. "Snell, Bertrand Hollis (id: S000652)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  20. ^ United States Congress. "Bankhead, William Brockman (id: B000113)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  21. ^ United States Congress. "O'Connor, John Joseph (id: O000030)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  22. ^ United States Congress. "Sabath, Adolph Joachim (id: S000001)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  23. ^ United States Congress. "Allen, Leo Elwood (id: A000138)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  24. ^ United States Congress. "Smith, Howard Worth (id: S000554)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  25. ^ United States Congress. "Colmer, William Meyers (id: C000645)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  26. ^ United States Congress. "Madden, Ray John (id: M000039)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  27. ^ United States Congress. "Delaney, James Joseph (id: D000211)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  28. ^ United States Congress. "Bolling, Richard Walker (id: B000605)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  29. ^ United States Congress. "Pepper, Claude Denson (id: P000218)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  30. ^ United States Congress. "Moakley, John Joseph (id: M000834)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  31. ^ United States Congress. "Solomon, Gerald Brooks Hunt (id: S000675)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  32. ^ United States Congress. "Dreier, David Timothy (id: D000492)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  33. ^ United States Congress. "Slaughter, Louise McIntosh (id: S000480)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  34. ^ United States Congress. "Sessions, Pete (id: S000250)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  35. ^ United States Congress. "McGovern, Jim (id: M000312)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  36. ^ United States Congress. "Cole, Tom (id: C001053)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  37. ^ United States Congress. "Burgess, Michael C. (id: B001248)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 10, 2024.

Further reading

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  • Brauer, Carl M. "Women Activists, Southern Conservatives, and the Prohibition of Sex Discrimination in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act", 49 Journal of Southern History, February 1983 online via JSTOR
  • Dierenfield, Bruce J. Keeper of the Rules: Congressman Howard W. Smith of Virginia (1987)
  • Dion, Douglas, and John D. Huber. "Procedural choice and the house committee on rules." Journal of Politics (1996) 58#1 pp: 25–53. online
  • Jenkins, Jeffery A., and Nathan W. Monroe. "Buying negative agenda control in the us house." American Journal of Political Science (2012) 56#4 pp: 897–912.
  • Jones, Charles O. "Joseph G. Cannon and Howard W. Smith: an Essay on the Limits of Leadership in the House of Representatives" Journal of Politics 1968 30(3): 617–646.
  • Moffett, Kenneth W. "Parties and Procedural Choice in the House Rules Committee." Congress & the Presidency (2012) 39#1
  • Race, A. "House Rules and Procedure." in New Directions in Congressional Politics (2012): 111+
  • Robinson, James Arthur. The House rules committee(1963)
  • Schickler, Eric; Pearson, Kathryn. "Agenda Control, Majority Party Power, and the House Committee on Rules, 1937-52," Legislative Studies Quarterly (2009) 34#4 pp 455–491
  • Smallwood, James. "Sam Rayburn and the Rules Committee Change of 1961." East Texas Historical Journal 11.1 (1973): 10+ online.
  • Woods, Clinton Jacob, "Strange Bedfellows: Congressman Howard W. Smith and the Inclusion of Sex Discrimination in the 1964 Civil Rights Act," Southern Studies, 16 (Spring–Summer 2009), 1–32.
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