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H.Res.276 / 111th Congress

To provide earmark reform in the House of Representatives.

Referred to House Standards of Official Conduct

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 23, 2009

Amends Rule XII (Receipt and Referral of Measures and Matters) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner (Members) making a request for a congressional earmark or a limited tax or tariff benefit to submit a petition with specified information to the Speaker of the House.

Prohibits Members from submitting more than 10 petitions per session of Congress.

Requires the Clerk of the House to make the full text of such petition publicly available within two days in a searchable, sortable, and downloadable online database, unless the subject of the petition relates to classified information.

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Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) to: (1) revise earmark disclosure requirements for resolutions prescribing a special order of business; and (2) eliminate separate earmark requirements for appropriations measures.

Makes it out of order to consider any measure or matter (including any accompanying report or joint statement) or any amendment which contains: (1) a congressional earmark or limited tax or tariff benefit which was not the subject of a petition submitted to the Speaker and made available by the Clerk at least five legislative days before the request for it; (2) more than two congressional earmarks or limited tax or tariff benefits proposed by any Member; and (3) total new budget authority, credit authority, and other spending authority for all congressional earmarks contained in that measure (including any accompanying report or joint statement) proposed by members of each committee of initial referral that exceeds 200% of such authority as estimated by the Committee on the Budget for all earmarks contained in such measure proposed by nonmembers of those committees.

Amends Rule XXIII (Code of Official Conduct) to prohibit Members from requesting a congressional earmark or limited tax or tariff benefit without complying with the petition requirements of Rule XII.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Nunes, Devin [R-CA-21] · R–CA

Committees

  • Ethics Committee
  • Rules Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to House Standards of Official Conduct

  2. Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  3. Referred to House Rules

  4. Introduced in House

  5. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.Res.276 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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