Congressional Reform bill

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Contract with America: A Bill of Accountability

Title II: General

Title I: Contract with America: A Bill of Accountability - Provides for the adoption of the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 103d Congress as the Rules of the House of the 104th Congress with amendments as outlined in this resolution.

(Sec. 101) Requires the total number of House committee staff to be at least one-third less than the corresponding total in the 103d Congress.

Amends Rule X to prohibit House committees from having more than five subcommittees except the Committees on Appropriations, Government Reform and Oversight, and Transportation and Infrastructure which are allowed up to thirteen, seven, and six subcommittees, respectively. (Currently, each standing committee with more than 20 members, except the Committee on Budget, is required to establish at least four subcommittees.)

Amends Rule XI to revise provisions regarding committee staff funding and the appointment and use of staff.

(Sec. 102) Amends Rule XIII to require cost estimates in committee reports to contain a comparison of the total estimated funding level for the relevant programs with the appropriate levels under current law, with exceptions for specified committees.

(Sec. 103) Amends Rule I to limit the term of the Speaker of the House to four consecutive Congresses.

Amends Rule X to prohibit a Member from serving as chairman of the same standing committee or subcommittee for more than three consecutive Congresses.

(Sec. 104) Amends Rule XI to prohibit proxy voting by any committee or subcommittee member.

(Sec. 105) Requires all committee meetings and hearings open to the public to allow for radio, television and still photography coverage. Repeals a provision that provides for closed meetings for matters relating solely to internal budgets or personnel.

(Sec. 106) Amends Rule XXI to require a three-fifths vote of the House for passage or agreement to measures carrying a Federal income tax rate increase. Provides that it shall not be in order to consider any measure carrying a retroactive Federal income tax rate increase.

(Sec. 107) Directs the Inspector General to coordinate and report on a comprehensive audit of House financial records and administrative operations.

(Sec. 108) Provides that it shall be in order at any time after the adoption of this resolution to consider H.R. 1 (a bill to make certain laws applicable to the legislative branch) in the House if offered by the majority leader.

Title II: General - Amends Rule II to abolish the office of House Doorkeeper.

(Sec. 201) Amends Rule III to add to the duties of the House Clerk a semiannual reporting requirement on the financial and operational status of functions under the Clerk's jurisdiction.

Amends Rule IV to require the Sergeant-at-Arms to fulfill a similar reporting requirement and incorporates the Doorkeeper's duties into those of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Amends Rule V to create a Chief Administrative Officer of the House to have operational and financial responsibility for functions as assigned by the Speaker and the Committee on House Oversight and requires the Chief to fulfill the financial and operational reporting requirement as well.

Removes provisions regarding the Director of Non-legislative and Financial Services.

(Sec. 202) Amends Rule X to revise the existing standing committee structure and provides for changes in committee jurisdiction. Redesignates House committees as follows: (1) Agriculture; (2) Appropriations; (3) Banking and Financial Services; (4) Budget; (5) Commerce; (6) Economic and Educational Opportunities; (7) Government Reform and Oversight; (8) House Oversight; (9) International Relations; (10) Judiciary; (11) National Security; (12) Resources; (13) Rules; (14) Science; (15) Standards of Official Conduct; (16) Transportation and Infrastructure; (17) Veterans' Affairs; and (18) Ways and Means.

(Sec. 203) Requires each standing committee, in an open meeting no later than February 15 of the first congressional session and with a quorum present, to adopt its oversight plans for that Congress.

(Sec. 204) Prohibits House Members, Delegates, or Resident Commissioners from serving simultaneously as members of more than two committees or four subcommittees. Provides that ex officio service by a chairman and ranking minority member of a committee on each of its subcommittees shall not be counted against the limitation on subcommittee service.

(Sec. 205) Amends Rule XI to set forth certain administrative provisions.

(Sec. 212) Repeals provisions of: (l) Rule XII which gave the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico and each Delegate to the House the same powers and privileges in the Committee on the Whole as other House Members (including the right to vote); and (2) Rule XXIII which permitted the Resident Commissioner or a Delegate to be appointed to chair the Committee on the Whole and which required the Committee on the Whole to automatically rise and consider a question de novo whenever the votes of the Resident Commissioner and Delegate were decisive in the Committee on the Whole.

(Sec. 215) Amends Rule XXI to prohibit the inclusion of non-emergency provisions in emergency spending measures unless the provisions rescind budget authority, reduce direct spending, or reduce an amount for a designated emergency.

Provides that during the reading of any appropriation bill for amendment in the Committee of the Whole, it shall be in order to consider en bloc amendments proposing only to transfer appropriations among objects in the bill without increasing the levels of budget authority or outlays.

Requires reports from the Appropriations Committee accompanying any general appropriation bill to contain a list of all appropriations for expenditures not previously authorized by law.

(Sec. 216) Amends Rule XXII to ban commemorative bills or resolutions. Requires the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight to report to the House on alternative means for establishing commemorations.

(Sec. 220) Amends Rule XLIII to require House Members, officers, or employees to take an oath before gaining access to classified materials.

(Sec. 221) Amends Rule XLVIII to reduce the maximum number of members of the Select Committee on Intelligence from 19 to 16 and limit to nine the number of members from one party. Raises the ceiling on service on the committee to four Congresses in any period of six successive Congresses.

(Sec. 222) Prohibits the establishment or continuation of legislative service organizations.

(Sec. 223) Establishes the Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities.

Permits the first 20 bills and the first two joint resolutions introduced in the 104th Congress to have more than one Member reflected as first sponsor.